Title: The rise of a sniper, the fall of an inquisitor
Author: Cobra21
Lieutenant Storn looked over the hills at the advancing ork army than took a puff of his cigar than dropped it to the ground and got another from his belt and proceeded to light it while he heard the ork warcries ringing over the hills and trees. Storn raised his fist and the army that stood behind him began bustling with activity. Most of the troops took cover wherever they could while the autocannon and heavy bolter were being loaded. 3 tanks rolled up behind the troops than one of the hatches opened and a grim dark man came up saluted Storn than waited for the command to fire.
"A little late aren't you!?" Storn said sternly to the tank driver while puffing his cigar.
"Sorry sir we ran into some trouble through some of the woods." The tank commander said looking at the ork army that waited about 500 yards out and grimaced at the thought of fighting these green monstrosities.
"Well at least you're here now get ready to attack!" Storn replied as the commander through a quick salute than closed the hatch. Storn puffed his cigar thoughtfully and grabbed his own bolter from his belt and loaded it, as the ork cries grew louder and fiercer than before. Storn threw his fist up once again than dropped it quickly and the tanks began to fire at the mass of green orks. Explosions sounded in the air as the orks began to charge some staying back to fire their canons. Storn looked at them than signaled for the Autocannons to fire with the tanks and heavy bolters. As soon as Storn gave the order shots were being zinged through the air trying to hit their targets several orks fell as the lieutenant called a cease- fire for the moment. Suddenly the orks began opening fire with their guns and cannons 3 soldiers fell to the first hail of fire and a cannon shot barely missed one of the tanks.
"OPEN FIRE!" Storn shouted as everyone got up and fired at the mass of orks charging at them. The tanks fired again into the middle of the horde and took out several orks. Troops were falling left and right as the orks shot back with a great force. Storn finally spotted their commander directing them from the side while slashing several men to pieces but he was suddenly hit, as he was about to finish a man off. The warboss looked around but could not find the shooter anywhere in the melee and he was hit again but this time he dived into cover. Storn looked around but couldn't see how anyone could aim well in this melee but soon heard a thin raspy voice on the radio.
"Thought you boys could use some help." The voice said as several other orks fell to bullets in the head.
"Who the hell are you!? Where the hell are you!?" Storn shouted into the radio as his bolter riddled 2 more orks full of holes.
"We are everywhere and we are nowhere." The voice replied than continued talking before Storn could respond. "This is a Catachan sniper squad we were on our way across this field when we saw the battle and figured you needed some help."
"Good now start taking them out I will give out rewards later!" Storn shouted than continued to battle an ork that had somehow dodged his bolter fire and was right on top of him. The ork struggled to cut the lieutenants throat but missed and made a small slash on his arm. Storn struck back with a knife from his belt and missed the ork but did manage to him with the side of the bolter. The ork recoiled in anger and charged again almost catching the lieutenant in the belly with his big axe and threw up his arm to take Storns head off to find that the lieutenant had backed up and fired several rounds into the ork. The ork fell but another took its place charging at Storn but soon fell gunned down by another Guardsmen that had just killed an ork. Storn continued fighting trying to find the warboss but couldn't make a path so he just started fighting random orks. Soon the ork ranks started to thin and the battle began to go to the guardsmen but the orks had one more thing to do before they left. The orks ran back than fired several rounds into the chasing Guardsmen than ran off leaving the battlefield and the guardsmen in ruins. Storn looked over the remains of his company and found only 3 squads and 1 tank alive. Several hours later an HQ unit found them and took the to the nearest base to rest and recover. Storn was sitting in a chair letting a medic tend to the "Scratch" on his shoulder as a man walked up half covered in mud and disguised as a bush. Storn looked at him than started to get up to greet the man when the medic held him down.
"Hi Storn came to see how you were doing." The man replied his voice no more than a thin raspy whisper.
"Fine. You the sniper that helped us?" Storn replied as the medic finished tending to his wound and left to see to another patient.
"I am ONE of the snipers that helped you there are 2 more of us resting in the barracks." The man replied squatting next to Storn.
"Well my thanks you helped us defeat the orks on this planet." Storn replied not entirely sure if he was talking to a moving bush or a man (morphine's kicking in).
The sniper shook his head sadly and replied, "There not all gone there is still 2 more strongholds and several more armies to kill before they are gone." At this comment Storn rose to gather his men when the sniper held him and said "no you and your men relax here another company shall finish things up on this planet." Storn nodded and walked off to his room half in anger half in sorrow. While Storn was sitting there trying to sleep there was a knock at the door. Storn slowly got up and opened the door to see his captain and the sniper standing there he quickly saluted the captain and walked back to his bed and sat down. The captain and the sniper came in and stood there for a moment as Storn took a shot of whiskey than looked up as if just noticing they were standing there.
"Lieutenant Storn I may have another mission for you if you're up to it." The captain said while leaning slightly on the wall. At the mention of the mission Storn jumped up and said "Sir yes Sir." The captain chuckled than replied "thought so come to my office at 1400 hours and you will be briefed." Storn saluted and lied back down on his bed trying to think of what the mission could be. Storns mind first came up with dangerous adventurous missions but than thought of the dreaded mail delivery missions that he had sometimes gotten in the past. Storn looked at his watch seeing that it was already 1330 hours he decided to take a shower and get ready for the meeting. 20 minutes later Storn came out of the bathroom in his standard jungle camouflage and walked towards the captain's office saluting many soldiers along the way. When Storn finally reached the office he noticed it was 1402 hours and he was late for a meeting with this superior officer. Storn walked into the office thinking the best he could receive was a paycut and a stern lecture about getting to places on time. To Storns surprise and relief the captain just told him to sit down as he grabbed a folder from his desk and a glass of bourbon from his shelf.
"You have quite a record here Storn. But this says you originally trained to be a sniper what happened to that career?" the captain said looking up from the profile and drinking some of his bourbon.
"Well there weren't many sniper positions for humans unless you were good the top places went to ratlings so I became a normal soldier." Storn replied thinking glumly about how he was turned down from the position.
"Well if you can still shoot well your going into our special squad of Catachan snipers." The captain said drinking the rest of his bourbon and looking back at the profile.
"Yes I can shoot well! Are you putting me here because of my performance in the last battle because that wasn't entirely my f." Storn started to explain why it wasn't his fault he lost 40 men and 2 tanks against the orks but the captain raised his hand for silence.
"No that's not why I'm putting you there. We lost some good snipers over the years and we need some good ones in the field until we can get these trainees to shoot straight." The captain finished than paused and started talking again "anyways report to sniper deadeye to get your suit and rifle." The captain saluted before Storn could and went back to lounging in his chair drinking bourbon. Storn saluted and was out the door to look for this sniper Deadeye. As Storn looked he decided to take a break and head for a late lunch in the mess hall and found that there were actually many troops in they're eating. Storn got his plate of cruddy army food when a man walked up to him and said, "You ought to eat more carrots." Storn frowned at this for a second and went to sit down but the man persisted and grabbed a handful of carrots and began munching on them.
"Ok what do you want!?" Storn said to the man but the man just grinned and put some carrots on Storns plate. Storn at this moment was about to take those carrots and throw them but thought better of the action and started eating some lumpy mashed potatoes. The man just grinned and put some more carrots on the plate but than continued munching on his own carrots as Storn showed no interest on the carrots on his plate. As Storn was finishing his mashed potatoes he looked over at the man who was still munching on carrots. Slowly Storn picked up a carrot off of his plate and ate it as he did this the other man grinned.
"I told you carrots are good for you." The man replied happily munching on another carrot.
"Well they are ok I guess but who are you and why do you like carrots so much?" Storn said poking at a brown thing on his plate that was supposed to be a lump of beef. The man said nothing at first but lifted up the sleeve on his right arm to reveal a tattoo of a crosshair.
"Names deadeye. I believe you are Lieutenant Storn?" Deadeye said finishing the last of his carrots "and carrots are good for the eyes." Storn looked at his plate than began eating all the carrots there but soon found he couldn't eat any more and stopped. Deadeye saw this and said "come on let's get you your camouflage we need to get out into the field soon." After he said this deadeye got up and left with Storn at his heels following him around the base until they reached what seemed like the door to another barracks. 'I've never seen this barracks before' Storn thought to himself and watched as deadeye knocked on the door. A small square peephole slid open for a second than closed as they saw deadeye the door then opened to reveal a room filled with camouflage and many beds and benches. Deadeye walked in with Storn behind him some of the snipers got up a couple just got back to cleaning there rifles. Storn looked around nervously as deadeye was talking to another tall man cleaning his rifle in the back.
"Who's this guy?" a short sniper asked holding his rifle near Storn and looking at the other snipers around him.
"Yah know we don't take kindly to strangers in our sniper barracks." Another sniper said and grinned pulling out his knife. At this comment Storn started to back up nervously towards the door but it shut behind him. Deadeye than walked over through the group and grabbed Storn and pulled him into the room.
"Everyone this is our new recruit Storn." Deadeye said looking at all the other snipers around the barracks than pointed to a bunk in the back of the room "that's your bunk over there might as well make yourself home."
"Ok but uh why are they staring at me like that? Get back to work all of you that's an order!" Storn said and everyone burst out laughing, "hey I am a lieutenant!"
"O Storn I forgot to mention that you don't have a rank anymore. We snipers don't have ranks we work as a team so get used to it." Deadeye said than walked towards the door leaving Storn by his bunk. Deadeye than turned "help him get acquainted with this place I will be back later."
As deadeye left Storn looked around as the snipers got back to what they were doing before he came in. Storn began to unpack what little he had in his pack than sat down not knowing what to do next. But before long another sniper walked up and sat down next to him.
"Hiya welcome to the Catachan sniper unit." The sniper said shaking Storn's hand. "I'll show you around if you want and get you some equipment. By the way the name is Scope."
"Nice to meet you scope lets go get my gear first than you can show me around." Storn said looking around as scope nodded and walked to a side door in the barracks. Scope walked through the door into a shooting range than over to a large rack with many large sniper rifles on it.
"Take your pick of rifles we'll camouflage it later." Scope said as Storn picked up a rifle and tested its weight. Than aimed a little and strapped it to his back as scope led him to a rack of many camo jackets and other gear. Scope took a nice belt and some boots and passed them to Storn. Storn also tried to pick up a camo jacket but couldn't so scope piled it on top of his growing pile and led him back to his bunk. Where he piled his gear up and scope left him to talk to some more snipers in a corner. Occasionally they would look over at Storn and nod after see this Storn got a little nervous when deadeye came back in and walked over to the group listened for a minute than nodded. Storn decided to forget about it and try on some of his gear but as he leaned down to put a boot on a sniper grabbed his arms from behind as another sniper grabbed his legs and held him down. Deadeye and scope came over and told him to stay still while they make him apart of the sniper unit. Storn struggled for a bit than froze in fear as he saw a sniper come near him with a red-hot poker shaped like a scope. Scope covered Storn's mouth as the poker touched and burned his skin the sniper kept it there for a minute than removed it to reveal a black scar on his arm shaped like a scope. The snipers than let Storn up and he surveyed his arm and winced as he touched it.
"Your one of us now Storn welcome to the snipers." One by one the snipers congratulated thorn on this accomplishment than went to their bunks for some sleep before their next mission. Storn lay down on his bed and watched the ceiling for a while before he touch his new scope tattoo and sighed this wasn't entirely his day. It took a while but Storn finally fell asleep thinking of his new membership to the Catachan sniper unit. Storn was wakened by Scope very early in the morning he groggily got up and looked around seeing that all the snipers were up and eating at a table that was brought into the room earlier.
"What time is it?" asked Storn yawning than falling back on his pillow.
Scope poked Storn with the rifle and said "get up its 4:30 AM its time for breakfast before the morning run.
Storn grumbled a little finally realizing what was said he simply replied "Morning run at 4:30 AM!?!? You go I'll sleep for 5 more hours and meet you for lunch." Scope than sighed and lifted the side of the bed so Storn rolled out onto the floor, some cursing was heard from the floor as Storn hit the ground. Scope walked around the bed shook his head at Storn trying to sleep on the floor now. Scope helped Storn up than walked over to the table to eat his breakfast. Storn sat down at the empty place at the table and looked at his place to find that it was heaped with carrots.
"funny guys, real funny." The snipers burst out laughing than one of them passed him another plate with eggs and bacon on it. Storn began eating this immediately glad to be off the regular army food.
"this is good where did you guys get this stuff?" Storn replied his mouth full of bacon but everyone seemed to understand.
"we cook it ourselves mess hall food tastes nasty besides we like to cook sometimes." The sniper than checked his watch and said "well I gotta go come on boys lets go do our job. We'll be back in 3 days scope."
"good shooting!" scope replied than poured himself a glass of water as 3 snipers left the barracks. Storn tried to say something but his mouth was full of food scope glared at him than told him to "swallow first talk later." Storn chewed the food than swallowed his food than took a drink from his coffee cup to realize that the liquid inside was definitely not coffee. Storn pulled a sour face and looked into his cup to find hot lemon tea he than pushed the cup away.
"why do you guys keep this barracks a secret?" Storn asked pouring himself a glass of water.
"well if we don't keep it a secret we don't get any privacy. You see people used to come by our barracks all day challenging us to shooting contests and asking advice. We got fed up with it and got command to dig us this secret barracks so we won't be disturbed anymore." Scope replied drinking some of his water.
"well when is my first mission then?"
"well let's get your camo set up than we head out at 6:45 AM today." Scope said than got up and walked over to a bench than took out a big bin. Storn followed grabbing his rifle and his camo jacket than sat down at the table. Scope got to work taking out various plants and other things. Scope attached some small bits of green cloth among other things by the end of this process the rifle and his jacket looked like everyone elses. Storn tried it on and approved. Storn looked at the clock saw that it was 6:30 grabbed his rifle and followed scope out the door into the hallways of the base. Walking through the base scope talked to no one nor saluted anyone but once they were outside the base he immediately headed into the woods and disappeared from view for a second. Scope came from the bushes for a moment motioned for Storn to follow him through the woods. Storn follow scope for several hours in silence before they stopped near a small patch of woods near a field of long grass and scattered trees. Scope motion for Storn to get down and set up Storn did so without question he set up in between a couple of small bushes and lay down. Scope came by looked around and told Storn to pick his targets carefully to aim for the head or the heart. Storn nodded and looked through his scope to the battlefield but saw nothing of importance. Nothing crossed the field for an hour but than Storn saw some troops start to cross the field he noticed there guns and there helmets and realized they were dark eldar. Storn looked to the other side of the field to find the other army but found none for a moment than saw several chimeras came over the hill followed by more tanks. The guardsmen disembarked from the chimera and formed up near some patches of trees. The dark eldar did not shout warcries like the orks as they charged halfway across the field, Storn heard a commissar roaring out orders to his troops and the tanks pulled up behind the imperial guard lines to provide support. The dark eldar stopped for a moment and fired their weapons at the lines of guardsmen, some of the guardsmen ducked or dodge but many fell to the many shots of the dark eldar guardians. The guardsmen began to return fire into the mass of dark eldar, suddenly the tanks cannons rang out and explosions were seen all over the mass of dark eldar. Storn looked through his scope and found a nice exarch leading the charge, Storn took a moment to aim carefully and fired at the exarchs head. The exarch fell to the ground and got trampled a bit by the mass of dark eldar charging. Storn immediately chose another target but could not find the leader of the force, suddenly he spotted him near the rear of the army with several other special dark eldar around him. Storn took aim and fired at the leaders head but the shot clanged harmlessly off of the massive helmet. The tanks fired again and again raining death and destruction on the mass of dark eldar. The dark eldar were close to the guardsmen lines, all of the sudden the guardsmen ranks parted and hellhound tanks came out burning rows of dark eldar with their massive flamers. Any dark eldar that was not immediately burnt was cut down by retaliation fire from the guardsmen. The tanks started to advance upon the dark eldar crushing those foolish enough to stand in their path. Suddenly the dark eldar stopped running back and turned and fired several volleys into the guardsmen ranks. Many troops fell to these shots and 1 tank fell to a lucky shot from one of the dark eldar troops. The leader of this army began to back off a bit as his squad dispersed to back up the troops. A flash of light was seen as one of the tanks fired its Lascannon, when the light dimmed Storn could see that the dark eldar leader was turned to a small pile of goo. The dark eldar guardians saw this and immediately started retreating, the guardsmen began to cheer seeing their enemy running off the battlefield. Storn felt someone tapping his shoulder turned to see scope motioning him to come away from his position into deeper woods.
"I just got a transmission from headquarters we are needed at an outpost that is under ork attack." Scope said moving through the trees and bushes with ease. Storn just followed Scope for about an hour till he stopped and approached some ruins. Storn walked through some of the ruins to an almost destroyed sandbag wall and realized that only a large ork force could do this much damage. Scope went into a ruined building and began tapping away at a computer that was still intact. A voice recording came up on the screen, scope turned on the speakers and began the recording.
"Captain Mosser here I am under a small ork attack but we are repelling them easily. *Crackle* This is Captain Mosser again we are under heavy attack a whole ork horde is out there all of our tanks are destroyed the outpost is falling. what the hell is that oh my god they have a *Crackle* end transmission
Storn looked at scope who seemed a little worried at this turn of events. "A whole ork horde could not do this much damage from a distance they had help from someone or something!" scope said turning around and marching out of the building into the sunlight. Storn looked around and found some shell casings on the floor near the computer. Torn picked one up and looked at it but it wasn't one he had ever seen before so he walked outside and gave it to scope. Scope turned the casing over in his hand mumbling something than put the shell in his pocket and proceeded back to the headquarters. Before Storn left though he copied the transmission onto a disk for the commander at headquarters. When Storn and scope got back to headquarters they split up Storn going to see the captain, Scope to the sniper barracks to talk to the others. When Storn arrived at the captains office he had to wait until the captains meeting was finished, after half an hour of waiting several sergeants and a lieutenant came out and left the office for the barracks to brief there men. Storn heard the captain's gruff voice call him in so Storn got up and entered to find his captain staring out a window drinking a glass of bourbon.
"Make your report Storn." The captain said without turning from the window.
"we reached the outpost that was under attack and found most of it to be destroyed by orks. However some of the blast holes and craters left there were too big for any ork guns, I believe they had help from someone or something. I also copied a transmission from the outpost onto disk should I play it for you sir?" Storn replied taking the disk from his pocket. The captain turned around and nodded to a tape player on his desk, Storn put the tape in and hit play. The captain listened to the transmission and did not speak for several minutes.
"The ork guns could not do the damage that you said right?" the captain said looking up from his empty glass. Storn just nodded at this as the captain found a bottle of vodka and filled his glass. "we believe the orks are preparing a massive assault on a fort but we cannot determine which. Report this information to inquisitor Kryptos and speak of this information to no one else." Storn saluted and left talking to the secretary on the way out.
"do you know where I can find Inquisitor Kryptos?" Storn asked leaning on her desk.
"Inquisitor Kryptos is in the south wing room 842, have a nice day." The secretary replied not looking up from her work. Storn walked off to the south wing to report to the inquisitor.
------------------------ meanwhile ------------------------
An ork warlord slumped on his throne waiting for his ork patrol to enter and give him the results of the battles that day. A small ork came in through the door and ambled up to the throne bowing his head to the ground.
"what news of da battles today?" the warlord said looking down at the small ork on the floor. The orks head came up a fraction so that the warlord could see his eyes.
"sir we blew away the imperial outpost with our new weapons but we were defeated in a battle in an open field sir. Almost all troops were lost but we killed many in our efforts. Our troops could not break their lines and several orks fell to invisible shootas." The ork said trembling on what might happen to him for bringing bad news. The warlord got up from his throne fitting his hand into a battle claw on a table he grabbed the unfortunate ork between the claws pincers and held him above his head.
"no one shall stop us orks not when we have 'eavy weapons on our side. You shall assemble all our men we shall take this planet inch by inch if we have to!" the warlord threw the ork across the room into a wall where the ork just layed whimpering not wanting to get up. "get up and assemble the men now! We shall be the greatest force in the galaxy!" the warboss shouted as the small ork ran away.
----------------------------------- Back at Imperial Outpost A89 -----------------------------------
A cadian captain was making defense preparations in case of ork assault. Everyone in the base were either asleep or eating, there was no action in their sector for weeks so everyone doubted any ork attacking in the next few days. Captain Holus knew this as well but decided to keep ready just in case, Holus drew out his bolter and plasma pistol from a draw in his desk and began polishing them. Even the captain was starting to fall asleep when a loud bang rent the air and ork cries cut through sky, when holus heard this he immediately ducked down to hit the alarm button. The alarm rang out all over the base, all of the men got up and got dressed quickly grabbing there guns and preparing to defend what was left of the base. Surprisingly enough the orks had not invaded the base as of yet they were just sitting outside the base bombing it with shells. The guardsmen formed up around the walls and began firing at the ork masses outside but the orks simply kept out of range of their bullets. All of the sudden a loud boom rent the air and a big section of the wall was destroyed, Captain Holus looked at that and took a quick peek at the ork lines to see what caused this big of an explosion but what he saw took his breath away. The orks seemed to have Imperial Guard tanks! Section after section of the wall crumbled and the guardsmen were losing badly. Captain Holus prepared to make a last stand on the wall when a bright flash filled the air and he was disintegrated, upon seeing this the guardsmen ran for whatever cover they could find trying to get away from the orks that were wreaking vengeance on them. Before leaving one of the guardsmen sent a last distress signal to the headquarters but was cut off midway in his broadcast by an ork with a large axe.
------------------------------------ Imperial Guard Headquarters ------------------------------------ a radio operator is listening to the distress signal before calling upon his superior to confirm it. After the superior confirmed it the base was put on full alert, Storn and scope were called up to the captain's office for a briefing on this.
"Storn we have new information if you don't mind visiting that damn inquisitor again." The captain said looking for more alcohol to drink but upon finding none he settled for a cigar to smoke.
"I never made it there before we were called up here what's going on?" Storn asked eyeing the captain.
"another massive ork attack but this time we think we know what destroyed the base, here read this. Scope assemble some snipers on our walls and in the surrounding woods." The captain said handing a radio transmission to Storn and saluting scope. Storn glanced at the transmission and immediately took off for the inquisitor's office without waiting to be dismissed by the captain. Storn finally found the inquisitors office and walked in to the room where the inquisitor sat his back to Storn. The inquisitor turned around to face Storn looking at him dead in the eye, the inquisitor was a pale faced man in power armor covered in medals. After a minute of sizing each other up the inquisitor waved to Storn to sit down. Storn stood, handed the information to the inquisitor who looked at it thoughtfully and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
-------------------------- Sniper Barracks --------------------------
Storn arrived at the sniper barracks to find it virtually empty except for some other snipers and a plant. Deadeye walked past him to the plant inserted a needle into the stem of the plant and drew a clear substance from it. After this was done deadeye began coating the tips of his bullets with this substance, when he was done he walked past Storn without another glance. Storn sat by scope that was cleaning his rifle intently.
"What's going on and what was deadeye doing with that plant?" Storn asked as he made sure he had a full belt of bullets and a clean rifle to shoot them. Scope continued cleaning his rifle for another minute before answering Storns question.
"well the plant is from Catachan soil so it's a death world plant, its practical inside blood as we call it is a very toxic poison that will kill almost instantly. So we take its blood out and cover the tips of our bullets with it. As for what's going on as far as I know we are preparing for a massed ork assault soon.
Storn nodded, left the room and got himself more bullets from the shooting range. As Storn left the barracks Scope was coating his bullets with the deadly toxin, Storn than left the HQ and took his place among the soldiers on the wall to prepare for an assault. Storn sat down on by the wall edge relaxing, a sergeant went up and down the ranks of men trying to encourage them. After several hours of waiting ork warcries filled the air, Storn heard this and got up setting his rifle in position he tested the aim by counting twigs on a branch until he saw some of the orks appear. Storn aimed for the first one that came from the trees and fired felling the ork, several more orks came up behind him suddenly there was a loud boom as a crater seemed to form near the wall. Several tanks came from the trees Storn immediately recognized them as Imperial Guard Tanks, Storn saw one of the hatches pop open and he picked off the ork that opened it. The guardsmen opened fire as the orks came within range of their lasgun's cutting them down one after the other as they tried to storm the wall. Storn took down several more orks when the ork tanks came into range of the walls and aimed their cannons at the defensive positions. An extremely loud boom came from behind Storn he turned to see a basilisk platform firing upon the ork tanks. The basilisk fired again and this time it hit the ork tank right on the hull, the shock of the shell hitting it sent the tank back several feet and left a gaping hole in the tanks front armor. One guardsmen took this opportunity to fire his missile launcher at the opening of the tank, the missile went just inside the tank and exploded igniting the fuel in the engines blowing up the tank and pushing the flaming wreck onto more ork troops that were behind it. The guardsmen cheered but Storn simply went back to gunning down the orks knowing that the battle was not yet won. Before the ork tanks could regroup from the massive shock of the basilisk cannon several leman russes came from the side and began firing all they had at the ork tanks destroying 2 with the massive battle cannons. The last ork tank began to drive to the side when a leman russ demolisher came from the side and fired its cannon reducing the tank to a pile of scrap metal. The orks began to flee but were soon cut down by avenging guardsmen and tank shells. Storn took his leave of the battle and climbed down the wall making his way back to the sniper barracks to get some sleep. After a long sleep Storn woke up and made his way to the mess hall where he heard a lot of commotion going on, a crowd was gathering around a table at the end of the room. Storn pushed his way through the crowd to see what this was all about, In the center of the crowd there was an enormous Valhallan eating lunch. Soon a Commissar came in and dispersed all of the crowd except for Storn who sat down across from this Valhallan while he ate his lunch. Soon the man looked up and saw Storn sitting there watching him eat.
"you need something?" the man asked looking Storn dead in the eye.
"just wanted to know why there was a crowd around here." Storn said staring right back at the man.
"people like to see me do things because I am so big." The man replied finishing his mashed potatoes.
"What's your name?"
"Names , Sergeant Vietov Kaminski but you may refer to me as Bear."
"well Bear nice to meet you I am Storn, no rank I am a sniper." Storn said extending his hand.
"well good to meet one of the snipers I heard so much about. I think we may work together on the next mission." Bear replied engulfing Storns hand with his hand and shaking it.
"what do you mean we'll work together?"
"well my next job is to storm an ork fort under some sniper cover I hope your one of the snipers I'm with."
"maybe I will be so I better get going to see my captain. Nice meeting you Bear." Storn said as he left to see his captain. Upon getting near his room he found his captain sitting outside the door talking to a Valhallan commander. The commander finished what he was saying and nodded to Storn.
"ah nice to see you Storn please meet Commander Zukov he controls the Valhallan forces around here. You will be working with some Valhallan squads to take out an ork fort at a strategic position, you will be providing covering fire for them." The captain said nodding to Colonel Zukov.
"Well captain I guess I can do that which other snipers you want for the job?" Storn said nodding to Colonel Zukov.
"just you I'm afraid Storn we are using the rest in the same way to try and take numerous ork forts." Zukov said looking around the hallway.
"just one sniper per fort are you nuts!?!?"
"hold your tongue Lieutenant!" Zukov said sternly as Storn was yelling
"Screw you I am a sniper I have no rank anymore so do not pull rank on me or I will put a bullet in your head someday!" Storn yelled at Zukov and began to storm off.
"Storn get back here a moment and hold your temper before you say something you regret. Now Zukov Storn is correct these snipers have no ranks so we cannot order them around. But Storn we cannot spare more than 1 sniper per fort I'm sorry." The captain said grabbing Storn and hauling him back.
"fine I will go on one condition. I pick the teams that go with me." Storn said still angry.
"Done Storn you can go to there barracks and pick them out alright but you guys leave in 2 hours so get moving." The captain said as Storn ran off to the Barracks. As Storn approached the barracks he found Bear sitting outside watching him run.
"hi Bear were going on a mission get some squads together so we can leave immediately." Storn said stopping next to Bear huffing and puffing.
"already done Storn. I heard about this mission before you so I got a couple of regular squads together." Bear said watching Storn standing there huffing and puffing.
"good I'm off to get my rifle get them organized just outside the walls ok hurry!" Storn shouted to Bear as he ran off to get his gear. When Storn got to the other barracks he found it deserted so he grabbed his rifle and his camouflage jacket. Storn than left the barracks and got outside just in time to see his platoon lined up and ready to go. Bear was in front of the platoon hefting an Autocannon with both hands and a line of grenades in his belt. Storn was amazed to see him holding an Autocannon but soon got over it and ordered the platoon to move out. After several hours of marching Storn had the fortress in sight, he ordered the platoon to take cover and await orders while he went to get a good position. Storn got about 50 yards from the fort and climbed a big tree placing himself between 2 branches checked his sight on the fort found it was good and gave the order to engage the enemy fort. Bears platoon moved up and started firing at a patrol of orks that was in the area. Storn picked off a guard on top of the outer wall when the platoon moved within range of the ork guns. A fierce firefight started while Storn was picking off as many orks as he could but soon found out that they were fiercely outnumbered. Storn could not see anyone leading the orks 'must be down inside the walls leading his men from behind' he grumbled after picking off another ork Storn heard something on his radio. He listened for a moment and heard it again someone was trying to get through to him so he adjusted his dial until the voice became clear.
"We are being ambushed from behind by ork hordes with tanks we are attacking the third fort oh my god noooo......" and the radio crackled off. Storn was just about to think it was a stroke of bad luck for them when another transmission came in.
"this is the Valhallan 83rd regiment attacking the second fort we were outnumbered and ambushed we are pulling back to command HQ." Storn quickly realized that the orks knew they were coming to attack somehow and gave the order to withdraw, as his troops fell back across the field many ork cries were heard and a crash sounded as the woods to left and right of his men fell as many orks came crashing out of the woods destroying the entire regiment. Storn was trying to kill any orks that came near Bear who was fighting like a madman using his Autocannon as a club, soon Bear was overwhelmed and went under a mass of green bodies. Storn watched in horror as the orks retreated into the fort leaving a pile of dead bodies outside. Storn grabbed his radio but could hear nothing.
"Bear are you there!? Bear! BBBEEEAAAARRRR!!!!" he screamed into the radio as he sat there thinking about his next move. Storn got out of the tree red eyed and angry, somehow the orks knew they were attacking whoever did this was dead. Storn made his way back to Headquarters. Storn was walking through the forest each step he took making him angrier at whoever sold them out. All of the sudden an ork sprang from the bushes trying to grab Storn, Storn reacted quickly grabbing the orks arm and twisting it around until he heard a loud crack. The ork screamed in pain than Storn took and in blind rage tore off the orks arm, Storn started beating the cringing ork with his own arm. Finally Storn had enough and jammed his knife into the back of the orks neck, Storn stood than retrieved his knife and began to whittle a spear out of a long stick. When the spear was made Storn jammed it into the ground and planted the orks head on top of it, Storn began making his way back to headquarters again. When Storn reached headquarters he immediately headed to his captains office. His captain was sitting in his chair opening a new bottle of bourbon and taking his glass from the side of his desk, The captain beckoned Storn to come in while he poured himself a glass of bourbon.
"Captain the orks ambushed us we had to pull back my regiment was demolished someone has sold.." Storn shouted planting his hands on the captains desk and staring at the captain intently.
"I know. I got the communications while I was in the bathroom, but I also know that several regiments did come back." The captain said taking small sips of his bourbon.
"but who sold us out?!?" Storn shouted
"I don't know all I know is that we were just ordered to evacuate the planet."
"evacuate the planet? But why we can destroy these orks!" Storn said slamming his fist on the desk but also thinking what he was going to do.
"talk to inquisitor Kryptos if you want more information."
"No thanks I have some business to attend to!" After saying this Storn left for the sniper barracks, Storn reached the barracks and found it completely empty. Storn ignored the fact that no one was there and immediately got to work on making some special bullets for what he was going to do. Storn took his belt of bullets off and began replacing each bullet head with a red tipped bullet, in the last couple of spaces in his belt he put 2 blue tipped bullets. Storn than strapped the bullet belt on making sure he had those shells and 300 in a backpack. It was night when Storn left the base and went into the woods he had taken his regiment the day before, after a long walk Storn spotted the walls of the ork fort. Storn slept in a tree that night awaiting daybreak and the time for revenge against the orks that killed Bear. When the sun rose that morning Storn woke and glanced at the walls of the fort than at the sun even the sun this morning seemed stained with blood. Storn saw his chance to get his revenge opening before him, the orks doors opened wide to let out a scavenging party. Storn climbed down and moved through the shadows to the orks open doors. Storn got ready than fired his rifle at the scavenging party picking off the ork in the back than ran inside before anyone had a chance to close the door. Storn got inside just before the doors closed to keep enemies out, he chose a nice spot to snipe in a dark corner of the base under some stairs. Storn chose a red tipped round and put it in his rifle aiming at the ork barracks, soon an ork came out from the barracks with some light armor on. Storn fired at the center of the orks armor, the bullet hit the ork and he lit on fire running around trying to put himself out but soon fell victim to the flames. Storn chose another round and fired at a passing ork bringing him down, all of the sudden an ork warboss came out from his separate lodge with heavy metal armor on. Storn took one of his blue rounds and fired at his chest, the bullet pierced the armor the warboss and the wall behind him. The warboss fell, the orks suddenly scattered returning fire in random places that they thought this enemy sniper was. Storn picked the orks off 1 by 1 until they fled over the walls to the safety of the woods. Storn came from his hiding spot and searched the grounds for anything of use to him. Storn heard some shouting from one of the buildings and opened the door cautiously, finding no one in there Storn ran down the concrete hallway to a cell that had Bear in it!
"well hello there. What might you be in for?" Storn asked looking at Bear as he woke up.
"Storn? Geez I thought I was dead! Well lets head back to base." Bear said as he stood up waiting for storn to open his cell. Storn found a keyring on a dead ork outside and began riffling through the keys until he found the one that said masta sell key on it than unlocked Bears cell. Bear opened the cell door than hunted around for a moment to find his gear. Bears gear had seen better days but it was still all intact, Bear hefted his Autocannon and shouldered his pack. As soon as they were outside the gates the ork scavenger patrol immediately ran off into the woods. Bear opened fire and cut down 3 of them before they could disappear into the undergrowth. After that Bear grinned to Storn, after walking back for an hour in complete silence they made it to there headquarters. Several soldiers in black and red uniforms were outside waiting for there return, inquisitor Kryptos stepped out from the pack to greet them.
"Sniper Storn you are under arrest!" Kryptos said as the guards circled Storn and handcuffed him. "you are under arrest on the charges of ignoring orders and attacking an ork fort also you are charged with making hellfire rounds which have been banned from all use except that in the assassin temples. Guards take him away!" Bear tried to knock the guards away from Storn but one of the soldiers hit him with a stun rod and knocked him out. When Bear Came to he was lying on his bunk, he was a little stiff but nothing at least was broken so he got up and decided to go find Storn. Bear found talked to a few soldiers which told him that Storn was being held in the prison just below the base, Bear was going to see Storn but the guards would not let him pass saying that the prisoner was not to be seen by anyone. Bear argued with the guards for some time before they let him pass on account that if they didn't he would bash there faces in, Bear got into the prison elevator and went down to the third level and found Storns cell at the end of the hallway. Storn was pacing his cell when Bear stopped by.
"Bear how did you get past those guards?" Storn said trying to look down the hallway to see if bear killed them or not.
"a little threat goes a long way! How you doing storn?" Bear said trying to press his face against the bars but realized that they were charged with electricity so that Storn could not escape.
"alright i guess but somethings going on around there there are too many odd things happening close together! first we find the orks have imperial guard tanks, our counter attack on their forts and bases get ambushed, we are ordered off the planet just when were destroying the orks and i am thrown in jail for basically rescuing you using illegal rounds. i think kryptos is up to something and i want you to find out what it is, during the trial or whenever you can get into his office and search through his files for anything that might tell us what he's up to." Storn said first glancing down the hallways to make sure no one was eavesdropping than glancing around his barren cell for a camera of some sort. the cell though was pretty empty except for a bed in one corner and a toilet in another corner. Storn looked back at Bear who was nodding that he understood what to do. Bear walked away just as the guards were coming to get him out of here before the inquisitor came to question storn, the guards practically cringed with fear that one false move and Bear would make there face pulp. But Bear had his mind occupied with ways to get into the inquisitors office, Bear thought the captain might help him out telling him at least where the inquisitor's office was. Bear got into the prison elevator and punched the button for the captain's floor, when Bear reached the captains office he wasn't there his secretary told him he was in a meeting with the other commanders and the inquisitor. Bear got directions from the secretary to the inquisitor's office and walked off determined to get to those files before kryptos got back. When Bear reached the inquisitors office no one was there, Fortunately for Bear the inquisitor was preparing to leave the planet so his files were all on his desk. Bear immediately plunged into the boxes of files looking for some shred of evidence that would prove storn innocent but found none in the first few boxes. It wasn't until Bear went onto the 4th box of files that he noticed an odd letter in the trash, the writing was barely legible but Bear could read it fine.
To: Inquisitor Kryptos From: Ork warlord Junstrick the wild
Inquisitor we will fulfill our end of the bargain but you must get these imperials off da planet so we may take over after that you will get your pay and none of us shall attack another planet again these were our terms so you must fulfill your half or we will have to take drastic measures to ensure that you won't speak again! This is your final warning! A sniper got inside one of our forts today you must get the others off the planet and then meet us at field of bloodings! -Junstrick the wild
Bear grabbed the letter than left going to wait for the captain to show him this bit of information, unfortunately the captain was still in his meeting for several hours but Bear waited for him to come when the captain did come back it was past midnight and the captain was about ready to get some sleep. Bear stopped him and showed him the letter which immediately got his attention, The captain made a few phone calls and went himself to arrest Kryptos than to free storn. The captain and Bear met up with a squad detailed to arrest Kryptos and together they marched to the office where kryptos was. When they arrived kryptos was sitting behind his desk looking extremely calm despite the fact that there were several men here detailed to arrest him.
"you are under arrest for traitorism and heresy!" the Captain shouted at kryptos, but Kryptos simply waved his hand as if dismissing them than picked up a little pouch from his desk. Kryptos opened the pouch and threw some white sand on the floor muttering random gibberish, even though Bear and the captain refused to believe that he was casting a spell the other men looked at each other reassuringly. The inquisitor obviously knew how much soldiers put into superstitions and luck so he used it to his advantage getting up and chanting more gibberish. The captain just shook his head at this but 2 of the men had already left convinced that he was casting some mighty spell. The inquisitor than stopped and shouted boom at the top of his lungs which not only practically deafened everyone there but the soldiers that were so convinced that he was casting a spell actually dropped to the ground thinking they were dead. Kryptos than took this chance to escape running past the guards and bear to the stairway and was out the door and into the woods before the soldiers could recover. Bear was the first to recover and quickly ran to the outside door to find that kryptos was already gone, Bear than ran down to storns cell and got the guards to release him. Storn said thanks and quickly went to the sniper barracks to get his gear that he was told was there being maintained, Storn ran into the barracks ignoring the other snipers and grabbing his rifle and camouflage jacket than running back to bear and his captain.
"Kryptos isn't gone yet I need to find him!" Storn said loading his rifle and putting on his jacket. Bear started rummaging through his pocket till he found the note that he found in the inquisitors office earlier.
"Storn i found this in the inquisitors office earlier it tells where he is supposed to meet the ork warlord. you should go there and put a bullet in his head!" Bear said handing the note to storn and watching storn read it grab a radio from a passing soldier and run off into the woods. 2 hours later storn found the valley, which had the inquisitor and the ork warlord; Storn climbed a tree and took position aiming at the inquisitor first. Storn than muttered "eat hellfire kryptos!" the shot ripped through the inquisitor's head and splattered his brains all over the ork warlord, the orks immediately went into panic while the warlord kicked the inquisitors corpse muttered something unintelligible and began to rally his troops for a final push against the imperial forces. Storn picked up his radio and sent out a signal for air assistance.
Captain Gremmer was leading his flight of lightning's on a last patrol before they left the planet when he got the call and responded.
"This is captain gremmer with my patrol who is this and what do you want?" Gremmer replied raising his visor to look at some of the scenery outside the cockpit.
"This is sniper storn requesting air support captain against an ork army at the field of bloodings. Hurry!" storn replied over the radio.
"Well well well the infamous storn i heard about your arrest but anyways is this authorized by command?" replied gremmer still watching some of the scenery pass. the reply was what he expected storn had replied "no its not." Gremmer grinned at this than signaled to his other pilots to listen in on the radio. "Well if it isn't authorized storn than were in! Alright boys we have a target in the field of bloodings lets push it up and kill some orks! Wedge formation, hellstrike rockets armed. Sniper storn get out of there were coming in to bomb the place with hellstrike rockets." the reply was simple but direct storn just said "alright thanks guys." gremmer grinned switched his guns to manual than put his visor back down so that auto targeting would kick in. the field was flooded with orks gremmer made a pass firing his autocannons into the middle of the ork mass while his other flight members started firing off there hellstrike rockets incinerating a ton of orks that wouldn't move. Some orks fired back but the lightnings were too fast to shoot, The second pass over the field gremmer found the ork leader and fired his hellstrike rockets right into him than began blazing away with his autocannons on the rest of the orks the other flight members followed suit and by the end of the second pass most of the ork army was dead or dieing. Storn was watching this from a nearby tree nodding as the lightning's killed ork mob after ork mob, storn than climbed down and headed back to the Base. When storn finally got back an hour later storns captain was outside with bear and about 5 pilots, the captain stepped forward as storn saluted him bear than took his place next to storn.
"Sniper Storn, Sergeant Bear you both have served us well by rooting out heresy in this base, for bravery in battle you both are awarded the star of terra where it with pride." the captain pinned the medal to storns chest first than to bears, after this was done the captain turned to the pilots who now took off there helmets. Captain gremmer grinned at storn than nodded respectfully to the captain. "Captain gremmer you and your patrol are also awarded the star of terra wear it with pride, but next time try and let us know before you Bomb an ork army." the captain said this than gremmer started laughing at this.
The End I will make more Storn fics later on if I get good reviews.
Lieutenant Storn looked over the hills at the advancing ork army than took a puff of his cigar than dropped it to the ground and got another from his belt and proceeded to light it while he heard the ork warcries ringing over the hills and trees. Storn raised his fist and the army that stood behind him began bustling with activity. Most of the troops took cover wherever they could while the autocannon and heavy bolter were being loaded. 3 tanks rolled up behind the troops than one of the hatches opened and a grim dark man came up saluted Storn than waited for the command to fire.
"A little late aren't you!?" Storn said sternly to the tank driver while puffing his cigar.
"Sorry sir we ran into some trouble through some of the woods." The tank commander said looking at the ork army that waited about 500 yards out and grimaced at the thought of fighting these green monstrosities.
"Well at least you're here now get ready to attack!" Storn replied as the commander through a quick salute than closed the hatch. Storn puffed his cigar thoughtfully and grabbed his own bolter from his belt and loaded it, as the ork cries grew louder and fiercer than before. Storn threw his fist up once again than dropped it quickly and the tanks began to fire at the mass of green orks. Explosions sounded in the air as the orks began to charge some staying back to fire their canons. Storn looked at them than signaled for the Autocannons to fire with the tanks and heavy bolters. As soon as Storn gave the order shots were being zinged through the air trying to hit their targets several orks fell as the lieutenant called a cease- fire for the moment. Suddenly the orks began opening fire with their guns and cannons 3 soldiers fell to the first hail of fire and a cannon shot barely missed one of the tanks.
"OPEN FIRE!" Storn shouted as everyone got up and fired at the mass of orks charging at them. The tanks fired again into the middle of the horde and took out several orks. Troops were falling left and right as the orks shot back with a great force. Storn finally spotted their commander directing them from the side while slashing several men to pieces but he was suddenly hit, as he was about to finish a man off. The warboss looked around but could not find the shooter anywhere in the melee and he was hit again but this time he dived into cover. Storn looked around but couldn't see how anyone could aim well in this melee but soon heard a thin raspy voice on the radio.
"Thought you boys could use some help." The voice said as several other orks fell to bullets in the head.
"Who the hell are you!? Where the hell are you!?" Storn shouted into the radio as his bolter riddled 2 more orks full of holes.
"We are everywhere and we are nowhere." The voice replied than continued talking before Storn could respond. "This is a Catachan sniper squad we were on our way across this field when we saw the battle and figured you needed some help."
"Good now start taking them out I will give out rewards later!" Storn shouted than continued to battle an ork that had somehow dodged his bolter fire and was right on top of him. The ork struggled to cut the lieutenants throat but missed and made a small slash on his arm. Storn struck back with a knife from his belt and missed the ork but did manage to him with the side of the bolter. The ork recoiled in anger and charged again almost catching the lieutenant in the belly with his big axe and threw up his arm to take Storns head off to find that the lieutenant had backed up and fired several rounds into the ork. The ork fell but another took its place charging at Storn but soon fell gunned down by another Guardsmen that had just killed an ork. Storn continued fighting trying to find the warboss but couldn't make a path so he just started fighting random orks. Soon the ork ranks started to thin and the battle began to go to the guardsmen but the orks had one more thing to do before they left. The orks ran back than fired several rounds into the chasing Guardsmen than ran off leaving the battlefield and the guardsmen in ruins. Storn looked over the remains of his company and found only 3 squads and 1 tank alive. Several hours later an HQ unit found them and took the to the nearest base to rest and recover. Storn was sitting in a chair letting a medic tend to the "Scratch" on his shoulder as a man walked up half covered in mud and disguised as a bush. Storn looked at him than started to get up to greet the man when the medic held him down.
"Hi Storn came to see how you were doing." The man replied his voice no more than a thin raspy whisper.
"Fine. You the sniper that helped us?" Storn replied as the medic finished tending to his wound and left to see to another patient.
"I am ONE of the snipers that helped you there are 2 more of us resting in the barracks." The man replied squatting next to Storn.
"Well my thanks you helped us defeat the orks on this planet." Storn replied not entirely sure if he was talking to a moving bush or a man (morphine's kicking in).
The sniper shook his head sadly and replied, "There not all gone there is still 2 more strongholds and several more armies to kill before they are gone." At this comment Storn rose to gather his men when the sniper held him and said "no you and your men relax here another company shall finish things up on this planet." Storn nodded and walked off to his room half in anger half in sorrow. While Storn was sitting there trying to sleep there was a knock at the door. Storn slowly got up and opened the door to see his captain and the sniper standing there he quickly saluted the captain and walked back to his bed and sat down. The captain and the sniper came in and stood there for a moment as Storn took a shot of whiskey than looked up as if just noticing they were standing there.
"Lieutenant Storn I may have another mission for you if you're up to it." The captain said while leaning slightly on the wall. At the mention of the mission Storn jumped up and said "Sir yes Sir." The captain chuckled than replied "thought so come to my office at 1400 hours and you will be briefed." Storn saluted and lied back down on his bed trying to think of what the mission could be. Storns mind first came up with dangerous adventurous missions but than thought of the dreaded mail delivery missions that he had sometimes gotten in the past. Storn looked at his watch seeing that it was already 1330 hours he decided to take a shower and get ready for the meeting. 20 minutes later Storn came out of the bathroom in his standard jungle camouflage and walked towards the captain's office saluting many soldiers along the way. When Storn finally reached the office he noticed it was 1402 hours and he was late for a meeting with this superior officer. Storn walked into the office thinking the best he could receive was a paycut and a stern lecture about getting to places on time. To Storns surprise and relief the captain just told him to sit down as he grabbed a folder from his desk and a glass of bourbon from his shelf.
"You have quite a record here Storn. But this says you originally trained to be a sniper what happened to that career?" the captain said looking up from the profile and drinking some of his bourbon.
"Well there weren't many sniper positions for humans unless you were good the top places went to ratlings so I became a normal soldier." Storn replied thinking glumly about how he was turned down from the position.
"Well if you can still shoot well your going into our special squad of Catachan snipers." The captain said drinking the rest of his bourbon and looking back at the profile.
"Yes I can shoot well! Are you putting me here because of my performance in the last battle because that wasn't entirely my f." Storn started to explain why it wasn't his fault he lost 40 men and 2 tanks against the orks but the captain raised his hand for silence.
"No that's not why I'm putting you there. We lost some good snipers over the years and we need some good ones in the field until we can get these trainees to shoot straight." The captain finished than paused and started talking again "anyways report to sniper deadeye to get your suit and rifle." The captain saluted before Storn could and went back to lounging in his chair drinking bourbon. Storn saluted and was out the door to look for this sniper Deadeye. As Storn looked he decided to take a break and head for a late lunch in the mess hall and found that there were actually many troops in they're eating. Storn got his plate of cruddy army food when a man walked up to him and said, "You ought to eat more carrots." Storn frowned at this for a second and went to sit down but the man persisted and grabbed a handful of carrots and began munching on them.
"Ok what do you want!?" Storn said to the man but the man just grinned and put some carrots on Storns plate. Storn at this moment was about to take those carrots and throw them but thought better of the action and started eating some lumpy mashed potatoes. The man just grinned and put some more carrots on the plate but than continued munching on his own carrots as Storn showed no interest on the carrots on his plate. As Storn was finishing his mashed potatoes he looked over at the man who was still munching on carrots. Slowly Storn picked up a carrot off of his plate and ate it as he did this the other man grinned.
"I told you carrots are good for you." The man replied happily munching on another carrot.
"Well they are ok I guess but who are you and why do you like carrots so much?" Storn said poking at a brown thing on his plate that was supposed to be a lump of beef. The man said nothing at first but lifted up the sleeve on his right arm to reveal a tattoo of a crosshair.
"Names deadeye. I believe you are Lieutenant Storn?" Deadeye said finishing the last of his carrots "and carrots are good for the eyes." Storn looked at his plate than began eating all the carrots there but soon found he couldn't eat any more and stopped. Deadeye saw this and said "come on let's get you your camouflage we need to get out into the field soon." After he said this deadeye got up and left with Storn at his heels following him around the base until they reached what seemed like the door to another barracks. 'I've never seen this barracks before' Storn thought to himself and watched as deadeye knocked on the door. A small square peephole slid open for a second than closed as they saw deadeye the door then opened to reveal a room filled with camouflage and many beds and benches. Deadeye walked in with Storn behind him some of the snipers got up a couple just got back to cleaning there rifles. Storn looked around nervously as deadeye was talking to another tall man cleaning his rifle in the back.
"Who's this guy?" a short sniper asked holding his rifle near Storn and looking at the other snipers around him.
"Yah know we don't take kindly to strangers in our sniper barracks." Another sniper said and grinned pulling out his knife. At this comment Storn started to back up nervously towards the door but it shut behind him. Deadeye than walked over through the group and grabbed Storn and pulled him into the room.
"Everyone this is our new recruit Storn." Deadeye said looking at all the other snipers around the barracks than pointed to a bunk in the back of the room "that's your bunk over there might as well make yourself home."
"Ok but uh why are they staring at me like that? Get back to work all of you that's an order!" Storn said and everyone burst out laughing, "hey I am a lieutenant!"
"O Storn I forgot to mention that you don't have a rank anymore. We snipers don't have ranks we work as a team so get used to it." Deadeye said than walked towards the door leaving Storn by his bunk. Deadeye than turned "help him get acquainted with this place I will be back later."
As deadeye left Storn looked around as the snipers got back to what they were doing before he came in. Storn began to unpack what little he had in his pack than sat down not knowing what to do next. But before long another sniper walked up and sat down next to him.
"Hiya welcome to the Catachan sniper unit." The sniper said shaking Storn's hand. "I'll show you around if you want and get you some equipment. By the way the name is Scope."
"Nice to meet you scope lets go get my gear first than you can show me around." Storn said looking around as scope nodded and walked to a side door in the barracks. Scope walked through the door into a shooting range than over to a large rack with many large sniper rifles on it.
"Take your pick of rifles we'll camouflage it later." Scope said as Storn picked up a rifle and tested its weight. Than aimed a little and strapped it to his back as scope led him to a rack of many camo jackets and other gear. Scope took a nice belt and some boots and passed them to Storn. Storn also tried to pick up a camo jacket but couldn't so scope piled it on top of his growing pile and led him back to his bunk. Where he piled his gear up and scope left him to talk to some more snipers in a corner. Occasionally they would look over at Storn and nod after see this Storn got a little nervous when deadeye came back in and walked over to the group listened for a minute than nodded. Storn decided to forget about it and try on some of his gear but as he leaned down to put a boot on a sniper grabbed his arms from behind as another sniper grabbed his legs and held him down. Deadeye and scope came over and told him to stay still while they make him apart of the sniper unit. Storn struggled for a bit than froze in fear as he saw a sniper come near him with a red-hot poker shaped like a scope. Scope covered Storn's mouth as the poker touched and burned his skin the sniper kept it there for a minute than removed it to reveal a black scar on his arm shaped like a scope. The snipers than let Storn up and he surveyed his arm and winced as he touched it.
"Your one of us now Storn welcome to the snipers." One by one the snipers congratulated thorn on this accomplishment than went to their bunks for some sleep before their next mission. Storn lay down on his bed and watched the ceiling for a while before he touch his new scope tattoo and sighed this wasn't entirely his day. It took a while but Storn finally fell asleep thinking of his new membership to the Catachan sniper unit. Storn was wakened by Scope very early in the morning he groggily got up and looked around seeing that all the snipers were up and eating at a table that was brought into the room earlier.
"What time is it?" asked Storn yawning than falling back on his pillow.
Scope poked Storn with the rifle and said "get up its 4:30 AM its time for breakfast before the morning run.
Storn grumbled a little finally realizing what was said he simply replied "Morning run at 4:30 AM!?!? You go I'll sleep for 5 more hours and meet you for lunch." Scope than sighed and lifted the side of the bed so Storn rolled out onto the floor, some cursing was heard from the floor as Storn hit the ground. Scope walked around the bed shook his head at Storn trying to sleep on the floor now. Scope helped Storn up than walked over to the table to eat his breakfast. Storn sat down at the empty place at the table and looked at his place to find that it was heaped with carrots.
"funny guys, real funny." The snipers burst out laughing than one of them passed him another plate with eggs and bacon on it. Storn began eating this immediately glad to be off the regular army food.
"this is good where did you guys get this stuff?" Storn replied his mouth full of bacon but everyone seemed to understand.
"we cook it ourselves mess hall food tastes nasty besides we like to cook sometimes." The sniper than checked his watch and said "well I gotta go come on boys lets go do our job. We'll be back in 3 days scope."
"good shooting!" scope replied than poured himself a glass of water as 3 snipers left the barracks. Storn tried to say something but his mouth was full of food scope glared at him than told him to "swallow first talk later." Storn chewed the food than swallowed his food than took a drink from his coffee cup to realize that the liquid inside was definitely not coffee. Storn pulled a sour face and looked into his cup to find hot lemon tea he than pushed the cup away.
"why do you guys keep this barracks a secret?" Storn asked pouring himself a glass of water.
"well if we don't keep it a secret we don't get any privacy. You see people used to come by our barracks all day challenging us to shooting contests and asking advice. We got fed up with it and got command to dig us this secret barracks so we won't be disturbed anymore." Scope replied drinking some of his water.
"well when is my first mission then?"
"well let's get your camo set up than we head out at 6:45 AM today." Scope said than got up and walked over to a bench than took out a big bin. Storn followed grabbing his rifle and his camo jacket than sat down at the table. Scope got to work taking out various plants and other things. Scope attached some small bits of green cloth among other things by the end of this process the rifle and his jacket looked like everyone elses. Storn tried it on and approved. Storn looked at the clock saw that it was 6:30 grabbed his rifle and followed scope out the door into the hallways of the base. Walking through the base scope talked to no one nor saluted anyone but once they were outside the base he immediately headed into the woods and disappeared from view for a second. Scope came from the bushes for a moment motioned for Storn to follow him through the woods. Storn follow scope for several hours in silence before they stopped near a small patch of woods near a field of long grass and scattered trees. Scope motion for Storn to get down and set up Storn did so without question he set up in between a couple of small bushes and lay down. Scope came by looked around and told Storn to pick his targets carefully to aim for the head or the heart. Storn nodded and looked through his scope to the battlefield but saw nothing of importance. Nothing crossed the field for an hour but than Storn saw some troops start to cross the field he noticed there guns and there helmets and realized they were dark eldar. Storn looked to the other side of the field to find the other army but found none for a moment than saw several chimeras came over the hill followed by more tanks. The guardsmen disembarked from the chimera and formed up near some patches of trees. The dark eldar did not shout warcries like the orks as they charged halfway across the field, Storn heard a commissar roaring out orders to his troops and the tanks pulled up behind the imperial guard lines to provide support. The dark eldar stopped for a moment and fired their weapons at the lines of guardsmen, some of the guardsmen ducked or dodge but many fell to the many shots of the dark eldar guardians. The guardsmen began to return fire into the mass of dark eldar, suddenly the tanks cannons rang out and explosions were seen all over the mass of dark eldar. Storn looked through his scope and found a nice exarch leading the charge, Storn took a moment to aim carefully and fired at the exarchs head. The exarch fell to the ground and got trampled a bit by the mass of dark eldar charging. Storn immediately chose another target but could not find the leader of the force, suddenly he spotted him near the rear of the army with several other special dark eldar around him. Storn took aim and fired at the leaders head but the shot clanged harmlessly off of the massive helmet. The tanks fired again and again raining death and destruction on the mass of dark eldar. The dark eldar were close to the guardsmen lines, all of the sudden the guardsmen ranks parted and hellhound tanks came out burning rows of dark eldar with their massive flamers. Any dark eldar that was not immediately burnt was cut down by retaliation fire from the guardsmen. The tanks started to advance upon the dark eldar crushing those foolish enough to stand in their path. Suddenly the dark eldar stopped running back and turned and fired several volleys into the guardsmen ranks. Many troops fell to these shots and 1 tank fell to a lucky shot from one of the dark eldar troops. The leader of this army began to back off a bit as his squad dispersed to back up the troops. A flash of light was seen as one of the tanks fired its Lascannon, when the light dimmed Storn could see that the dark eldar leader was turned to a small pile of goo. The dark eldar guardians saw this and immediately started retreating, the guardsmen began to cheer seeing their enemy running off the battlefield. Storn felt someone tapping his shoulder turned to see scope motioning him to come away from his position into deeper woods.
"I just got a transmission from headquarters we are needed at an outpost that is under ork attack." Scope said moving through the trees and bushes with ease. Storn just followed Scope for about an hour till he stopped and approached some ruins. Storn walked through some of the ruins to an almost destroyed sandbag wall and realized that only a large ork force could do this much damage. Scope went into a ruined building and began tapping away at a computer that was still intact. A voice recording came up on the screen, scope turned on the speakers and began the recording.
"Captain Mosser here I am under a small ork attack but we are repelling them easily. *Crackle* This is Captain Mosser again we are under heavy attack a whole ork horde is out there all of our tanks are destroyed the outpost is falling. what the hell is that oh my god they have a *Crackle* end transmission
Storn looked at scope who seemed a little worried at this turn of events. "A whole ork horde could not do this much damage from a distance they had help from someone or something!" scope said turning around and marching out of the building into the sunlight. Storn looked around and found some shell casings on the floor near the computer. Torn picked one up and looked at it but it wasn't one he had ever seen before so he walked outside and gave it to scope. Scope turned the casing over in his hand mumbling something than put the shell in his pocket and proceeded back to the headquarters. Before Storn left though he copied the transmission onto a disk for the commander at headquarters. When Storn and scope got back to headquarters they split up Storn going to see the captain, Scope to the sniper barracks to talk to the others. When Storn arrived at the captains office he had to wait until the captains meeting was finished, after half an hour of waiting several sergeants and a lieutenant came out and left the office for the barracks to brief there men. Storn heard the captain's gruff voice call him in so Storn got up and entered to find his captain staring out a window drinking a glass of bourbon.
"Make your report Storn." The captain said without turning from the window.
"we reached the outpost that was under attack and found most of it to be destroyed by orks. However some of the blast holes and craters left there were too big for any ork guns, I believe they had help from someone or something. I also copied a transmission from the outpost onto disk should I play it for you sir?" Storn replied taking the disk from his pocket. The captain turned around and nodded to a tape player on his desk, Storn put the tape in and hit play. The captain listened to the transmission and did not speak for several minutes.
"The ork guns could not do the damage that you said right?" the captain said looking up from his empty glass. Storn just nodded at this as the captain found a bottle of vodka and filled his glass. "we believe the orks are preparing a massive assault on a fort but we cannot determine which. Report this information to inquisitor Kryptos and speak of this information to no one else." Storn saluted and left talking to the secretary on the way out.
"do you know where I can find Inquisitor Kryptos?" Storn asked leaning on her desk.
"Inquisitor Kryptos is in the south wing room 842, have a nice day." The secretary replied not looking up from her work. Storn walked off to the south wing to report to the inquisitor.
------------------------ meanwhile ------------------------
An ork warlord slumped on his throne waiting for his ork patrol to enter and give him the results of the battles that day. A small ork came in through the door and ambled up to the throne bowing his head to the ground.
"what news of da battles today?" the warlord said looking down at the small ork on the floor. The orks head came up a fraction so that the warlord could see his eyes.
"sir we blew away the imperial outpost with our new weapons but we were defeated in a battle in an open field sir. Almost all troops were lost but we killed many in our efforts. Our troops could not break their lines and several orks fell to invisible shootas." The ork said trembling on what might happen to him for bringing bad news. The warlord got up from his throne fitting his hand into a battle claw on a table he grabbed the unfortunate ork between the claws pincers and held him above his head.
"no one shall stop us orks not when we have 'eavy weapons on our side. You shall assemble all our men we shall take this planet inch by inch if we have to!" the warlord threw the ork across the room into a wall where the ork just layed whimpering not wanting to get up. "get up and assemble the men now! We shall be the greatest force in the galaxy!" the warboss shouted as the small ork ran away.
----------------------------------- Back at Imperial Outpost A89 -----------------------------------
A cadian captain was making defense preparations in case of ork assault. Everyone in the base were either asleep or eating, there was no action in their sector for weeks so everyone doubted any ork attacking in the next few days. Captain Holus knew this as well but decided to keep ready just in case, Holus drew out his bolter and plasma pistol from a draw in his desk and began polishing them. Even the captain was starting to fall asleep when a loud bang rent the air and ork cries cut through sky, when holus heard this he immediately ducked down to hit the alarm button. The alarm rang out all over the base, all of the men got up and got dressed quickly grabbing there guns and preparing to defend what was left of the base. Surprisingly enough the orks had not invaded the base as of yet they were just sitting outside the base bombing it with shells. The guardsmen formed up around the walls and began firing at the ork masses outside but the orks simply kept out of range of their bullets. All of the sudden a loud boom rent the air and a big section of the wall was destroyed, Captain Holus looked at that and took a quick peek at the ork lines to see what caused this big of an explosion but what he saw took his breath away. The orks seemed to have Imperial Guard tanks! Section after section of the wall crumbled and the guardsmen were losing badly. Captain Holus prepared to make a last stand on the wall when a bright flash filled the air and he was disintegrated, upon seeing this the guardsmen ran for whatever cover they could find trying to get away from the orks that were wreaking vengeance on them. Before leaving one of the guardsmen sent a last distress signal to the headquarters but was cut off midway in his broadcast by an ork with a large axe.
------------------------------------ Imperial Guard Headquarters ------------------------------------ a radio operator is listening to the distress signal before calling upon his superior to confirm it. After the superior confirmed it the base was put on full alert, Storn and scope were called up to the captain's office for a briefing on this.
"Storn we have new information if you don't mind visiting that damn inquisitor again." The captain said looking for more alcohol to drink but upon finding none he settled for a cigar to smoke.
"I never made it there before we were called up here what's going on?" Storn asked eyeing the captain.
"another massive ork attack but this time we think we know what destroyed the base, here read this. Scope assemble some snipers on our walls and in the surrounding woods." The captain said handing a radio transmission to Storn and saluting scope. Storn glanced at the transmission and immediately took off for the inquisitor's office without waiting to be dismissed by the captain. Storn finally found the inquisitors office and walked in to the room where the inquisitor sat his back to Storn. The inquisitor turned around to face Storn looking at him dead in the eye, the inquisitor was a pale faced man in power armor covered in medals. After a minute of sizing each other up the inquisitor waved to Storn to sit down. Storn stood, handed the information to the inquisitor who looked at it thoughtfully and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
-------------------------- Sniper Barracks --------------------------
Storn arrived at the sniper barracks to find it virtually empty except for some other snipers and a plant. Deadeye walked past him to the plant inserted a needle into the stem of the plant and drew a clear substance from it. After this was done deadeye began coating the tips of his bullets with this substance, when he was done he walked past Storn without another glance. Storn sat by scope that was cleaning his rifle intently.
"What's going on and what was deadeye doing with that plant?" Storn asked as he made sure he had a full belt of bullets and a clean rifle to shoot them. Scope continued cleaning his rifle for another minute before answering Storns question.
"well the plant is from Catachan soil so it's a death world plant, its practical inside blood as we call it is a very toxic poison that will kill almost instantly. So we take its blood out and cover the tips of our bullets with it. As for what's going on as far as I know we are preparing for a massed ork assault soon.
Storn nodded, left the room and got himself more bullets from the shooting range. As Storn left the barracks Scope was coating his bullets with the deadly toxin, Storn than left the HQ and took his place among the soldiers on the wall to prepare for an assault. Storn sat down on by the wall edge relaxing, a sergeant went up and down the ranks of men trying to encourage them. After several hours of waiting ork warcries filled the air, Storn heard this and got up setting his rifle in position he tested the aim by counting twigs on a branch until he saw some of the orks appear. Storn aimed for the first one that came from the trees and fired felling the ork, several more orks came up behind him suddenly there was a loud boom as a crater seemed to form near the wall. Several tanks came from the trees Storn immediately recognized them as Imperial Guard Tanks, Storn saw one of the hatches pop open and he picked off the ork that opened it. The guardsmen opened fire as the orks came within range of their lasgun's cutting them down one after the other as they tried to storm the wall. Storn took down several more orks when the ork tanks came into range of the walls and aimed their cannons at the defensive positions. An extremely loud boom came from behind Storn he turned to see a basilisk platform firing upon the ork tanks. The basilisk fired again and this time it hit the ork tank right on the hull, the shock of the shell hitting it sent the tank back several feet and left a gaping hole in the tanks front armor. One guardsmen took this opportunity to fire his missile launcher at the opening of the tank, the missile went just inside the tank and exploded igniting the fuel in the engines blowing up the tank and pushing the flaming wreck onto more ork troops that were behind it. The guardsmen cheered but Storn simply went back to gunning down the orks knowing that the battle was not yet won. Before the ork tanks could regroup from the massive shock of the basilisk cannon several leman russes came from the side and began firing all they had at the ork tanks destroying 2 with the massive battle cannons. The last ork tank began to drive to the side when a leman russ demolisher came from the side and fired its cannon reducing the tank to a pile of scrap metal. The orks began to flee but were soon cut down by avenging guardsmen and tank shells. Storn took his leave of the battle and climbed down the wall making his way back to the sniper barracks to get some sleep. After a long sleep Storn woke up and made his way to the mess hall where he heard a lot of commotion going on, a crowd was gathering around a table at the end of the room. Storn pushed his way through the crowd to see what this was all about, In the center of the crowd there was an enormous Valhallan eating lunch. Soon a Commissar came in and dispersed all of the crowd except for Storn who sat down across from this Valhallan while he ate his lunch. Soon the man looked up and saw Storn sitting there watching him eat.
"you need something?" the man asked looking Storn dead in the eye.
"just wanted to know why there was a crowd around here." Storn said staring right back at the man.
"people like to see me do things because I am so big." The man replied finishing his mashed potatoes.
"What's your name?"
"Names , Sergeant Vietov Kaminski but you may refer to me as Bear."
"well Bear nice to meet you I am Storn, no rank I am a sniper." Storn said extending his hand.
"well good to meet one of the snipers I heard so much about. I think we may work together on the next mission." Bear replied engulfing Storns hand with his hand and shaking it.
"what do you mean we'll work together?"
"well my next job is to storm an ork fort under some sniper cover I hope your one of the snipers I'm with."
"maybe I will be so I better get going to see my captain. Nice meeting you Bear." Storn said as he left to see his captain. Upon getting near his room he found his captain sitting outside the door talking to a Valhallan commander. The commander finished what he was saying and nodded to Storn.
"ah nice to see you Storn please meet Commander Zukov he controls the Valhallan forces around here. You will be working with some Valhallan squads to take out an ork fort at a strategic position, you will be providing covering fire for them." The captain said nodding to Colonel Zukov.
"Well captain I guess I can do that which other snipers you want for the job?" Storn said nodding to Colonel Zukov.
"just you I'm afraid Storn we are using the rest in the same way to try and take numerous ork forts." Zukov said looking around the hallway.
"just one sniper per fort are you nuts!?!?"
"hold your tongue Lieutenant!" Zukov said sternly as Storn was yelling
"Screw you I am a sniper I have no rank anymore so do not pull rank on me or I will put a bullet in your head someday!" Storn yelled at Zukov and began to storm off.
"Storn get back here a moment and hold your temper before you say something you regret. Now Zukov Storn is correct these snipers have no ranks so we cannot order them around. But Storn we cannot spare more than 1 sniper per fort I'm sorry." The captain said grabbing Storn and hauling him back.
"fine I will go on one condition. I pick the teams that go with me." Storn said still angry.
"Done Storn you can go to there barracks and pick them out alright but you guys leave in 2 hours so get moving." The captain said as Storn ran off to the Barracks. As Storn approached the barracks he found Bear sitting outside watching him run.
"hi Bear were going on a mission get some squads together so we can leave immediately." Storn said stopping next to Bear huffing and puffing.
"already done Storn. I heard about this mission before you so I got a couple of regular squads together." Bear said watching Storn standing there huffing and puffing.
"good I'm off to get my rifle get them organized just outside the walls ok hurry!" Storn shouted to Bear as he ran off to get his gear. When Storn got to the other barracks he found it deserted so he grabbed his rifle and his camouflage jacket. Storn than left the barracks and got outside just in time to see his platoon lined up and ready to go. Bear was in front of the platoon hefting an Autocannon with both hands and a line of grenades in his belt. Storn was amazed to see him holding an Autocannon but soon got over it and ordered the platoon to move out. After several hours of marching Storn had the fortress in sight, he ordered the platoon to take cover and await orders while he went to get a good position. Storn got about 50 yards from the fort and climbed a big tree placing himself between 2 branches checked his sight on the fort found it was good and gave the order to engage the enemy fort. Bears platoon moved up and started firing at a patrol of orks that was in the area. Storn picked off a guard on top of the outer wall when the platoon moved within range of the ork guns. A fierce firefight started while Storn was picking off as many orks as he could but soon found out that they were fiercely outnumbered. Storn could not see anyone leading the orks 'must be down inside the walls leading his men from behind' he grumbled after picking off another ork Storn heard something on his radio. He listened for a moment and heard it again someone was trying to get through to him so he adjusted his dial until the voice became clear.
"We are being ambushed from behind by ork hordes with tanks we are attacking the third fort oh my god noooo......" and the radio crackled off. Storn was just about to think it was a stroke of bad luck for them when another transmission came in.
"this is the Valhallan 83rd regiment attacking the second fort we were outnumbered and ambushed we are pulling back to command HQ." Storn quickly realized that the orks knew they were coming to attack somehow and gave the order to withdraw, as his troops fell back across the field many ork cries were heard and a crash sounded as the woods to left and right of his men fell as many orks came crashing out of the woods destroying the entire regiment. Storn was trying to kill any orks that came near Bear who was fighting like a madman using his Autocannon as a club, soon Bear was overwhelmed and went under a mass of green bodies. Storn watched in horror as the orks retreated into the fort leaving a pile of dead bodies outside. Storn grabbed his radio but could hear nothing.
"Bear are you there!? Bear! BBBEEEAAAARRRR!!!!" he screamed into the radio as he sat there thinking about his next move. Storn got out of the tree red eyed and angry, somehow the orks knew they were attacking whoever did this was dead. Storn made his way back to Headquarters. Storn was walking through the forest each step he took making him angrier at whoever sold them out. All of the sudden an ork sprang from the bushes trying to grab Storn, Storn reacted quickly grabbing the orks arm and twisting it around until he heard a loud crack. The ork screamed in pain than Storn took and in blind rage tore off the orks arm, Storn started beating the cringing ork with his own arm. Finally Storn had enough and jammed his knife into the back of the orks neck, Storn stood than retrieved his knife and began to whittle a spear out of a long stick. When the spear was made Storn jammed it into the ground and planted the orks head on top of it, Storn began making his way back to headquarters again. When Storn reached headquarters he immediately headed to his captains office. His captain was sitting in his chair opening a new bottle of bourbon and taking his glass from the side of his desk, The captain beckoned Storn to come in while he poured himself a glass of bourbon.
"Captain the orks ambushed us we had to pull back my regiment was demolished someone has sold.." Storn shouted planting his hands on the captains desk and staring at the captain intently.
"I know. I got the communications while I was in the bathroom, but I also know that several regiments did come back." The captain said taking small sips of his bourbon.
"but who sold us out?!?" Storn shouted
"I don't know all I know is that we were just ordered to evacuate the planet."
"evacuate the planet? But why we can destroy these orks!" Storn said slamming his fist on the desk but also thinking what he was going to do.
"talk to inquisitor Kryptos if you want more information."
"No thanks I have some business to attend to!" After saying this Storn left for the sniper barracks, Storn reached the barracks and found it completely empty. Storn ignored the fact that no one was there and immediately got to work on making some special bullets for what he was going to do. Storn took his belt of bullets off and began replacing each bullet head with a red tipped bullet, in the last couple of spaces in his belt he put 2 blue tipped bullets. Storn than strapped the bullet belt on making sure he had those shells and 300 in a backpack. It was night when Storn left the base and went into the woods he had taken his regiment the day before, after a long walk Storn spotted the walls of the ork fort. Storn slept in a tree that night awaiting daybreak and the time for revenge against the orks that killed Bear. When the sun rose that morning Storn woke and glanced at the walls of the fort than at the sun even the sun this morning seemed stained with blood. Storn saw his chance to get his revenge opening before him, the orks doors opened wide to let out a scavenging party. Storn climbed down and moved through the shadows to the orks open doors. Storn got ready than fired his rifle at the scavenging party picking off the ork in the back than ran inside before anyone had a chance to close the door. Storn got inside just before the doors closed to keep enemies out, he chose a nice spot to snipe in a dark corner of the base under some stairs. Storn chose a red tipped round and put it in his rifle aiming at the ork barracks, soon an ork came out from the barracks with some light armor on. Storn fired at the center of the orks armor, the bullet hit the ork and he lit on fire running around trying to put himself out but soon fell victim to the flames. Storn chose another round and fired at a passing ork bringing him down, all of the sudden an ork warboss came out from his separate lodge with heavy metal armor on. Storn took one of his blue rounds and fired at his chest, the bullet pierced the armor the warboss and the wall behind him. The warboss fell, the orks suddenly scattered returning fire in random places that they thought this enemy sniper was. Storn picked the orks off 1 by 1 until they fled over the walls to the safety of the woods. Storn came from his hiding spot and searched the grounds for anything of use to him. Storn heard some shouting from one of the buildings and opened the door cautiously, finding no one in there Storn ran down the concrete hallway to a cell that had Bear in it!
"well hello there. What might you be in for?" Storn asked looking at Bear as he woke up.
"Storn? Geez I thought I was dead! Well lets head back to base." Bear said as he stood up waiting for storn to open his cell. Storn found a keyring on a dead ork outside and began riffling through the keys until he found the one that said masta sell key on it than unlocked Bears cell. Bear opened the cell door than hunted around for a moment to find his gear. Bears gear had seen better days but it was still all intact, Bear hefted his Autocannon and shouldered his pack. As soon as they were outside the gates the ork scavenger patrol immediately ran off into the woods. Bear opened fire and cut down 3 of them before they could disappear into the undergrowth. After that Bear grinned to Storn, after walking back for an hour in complete silence they made it to there headquarters. Several soldiers in black and red uniforms were outside waiting for there return, inquisitor Kryptos stepped out from the pack to greet them.
"Sniper Storn you are under arrest!" Kryptos said as the guards circled Storn and handcuffed him. "you are under arrest on the charges of ignoring orders and attacking an ork fort also you are charged with making hellfire rounds which have been banned from all use except that in the assassin temples. Guards take him away!" Bear tried to knock the guards away from Storn but one of the soldiers hit him with a stun rod and knocked him out. When Bear Came to he was lying on his bunk, he was a little stiff but nothing at least was broken so he got up and decided to go find Storn. Bear found talked to a few soldiers which told him that Storn was being held in the prison just below the base, Bear was going to see Storn but the guards would not let him pass saying that the prisoner was not to be seen by anyone. Bear argued with the guards for some time before they let him pass on account that if they didn't he would bash there faces in, Bear got into the prison elevator and went down to the third level and found Storns cell at the end of the hallway. Storn was pacing his cell when Bear stopped by.
"Bear how did you get past those guards?" Storn said trying to look down the hallway to see if bear killed them or not.
"a little threat goes a long way! How you doing storn?" Bear said trying to press his face against the bars but realized that they were charged with electricity so that Storn could not escape.
"alright i guess but somethings going on around there there are too many odd things happening close together! first we find the orks have imperial guard tanks, our counter attack on their forts and bases get ambushed, we are ordered off the planet just when were destroying the orks and i am thrown in jail for basically rescuing you using illegal rounds. i think kryptos is up to something and i want you to find out what it is, during the trial or whenever you can get into his office and search through his files for anything that might tell us what he's up to." Storn said first glancing down the hallways to make sure no one was eavesdropping than glancing around his barren cell for a camera of some sort. the cell though was pretty empty except for a bed in one corner and a toilet in another corner. Storn looked back at Bear who was nodding that he understood what to do. Bear walked away just as the guards were coming to get him out of here before the inquisitor came to question storn, the guards practically cringed with fear that one false move and Bear would make there face pulp. But Bear had his mind occupied with ways to get into the inquisitors office, Bear thought the captain might help him out telling him at least where the inquisitor's office was. Bear got into the prison elevator and punched the button for the captain's floor, when Bear reached the captains office he wasn't there his secretary told him he was in a meeting with the other commanders and the inquisitor. Bear got directions from the secretary to the inquisitor's office and walked off determined to get to those files before kryptos got back. When Bear reached the inquisitors office no one was there, Fortunately for Bear the inquisitor was preparing to leave the planet so his files were all on his desk. Bear immediately plunged into the boxes of files looking for some shred of evidence that would prove storn innocent but found none in the first few boxes. It wasn't until Bear went onto the 4th box of files that he noticed an odd letter in the trash, the writing was barely legible but Bear could read it fine.
To: Inquisitor Kryptos From: Ork warlord Junstrick the wild
Inquisitor we will fulfill our end of the bargain but you must get these imperials off da planet so we may take over after that you will get your pay and none of us shall attack another planet again these were our terms so you must fulfill your half or we will have to take drastic measures to ensure that you won't speak again! This is your final warning! A sniper got inside one of our forts today you must get the others off the planet and then meet us at field of bloodings! -Junstrick the wild
Bear grabbed the letter than left going to wait for the captain to show him this bit of information, unfortunately the captain was still in his meeting for several hours but Bear waited for him to come when the captain did come back it was past midnight and the captain was about ready to get some sleep. Bear stopped him and showed him the letter which immediately got his attention, The captain made a few phone calls and went himself to arrest Kryptos than to free storn. The captain and Bear met up with a squad detailed to arrest Kryptos and together they marched to the office where kryptos was. When they arrived kryptos was sitting behind his desk looking extremely calm despite the fact that there were several men here detailed to arrest him.
"you are under arrest for traitorism and heresy!" the Captain shouted at kryptos, but Kryptos simply waved his hand as if dismissing them than picked up a little pouch from his desk. Kryptos opened the pouch and threw some white sand on the floor muttering random gibberish, even though Bear and the captain refused to believe that he was casting a spell the other men looked at each other reassuringly. The inquisitor obviously knew how much soldiers put into superstitions and luck so he used it to his advantage getting up and chanting more gibberish. The captain just shook his head at this but 2 of the men had already left convinced that he was casting some mighty spell. The inquisitor than stopped and shouted boom at the top of his lungs which not only practically deafened everyone there but the soldiers that were so convinced that he was casting a spell actually dropped to the ground thinking they were dead. Kryptos than took this chance to escape running past the guards and bear to the stairway and was out the door and into the woods before the soldiers could recover. Bear was the first to recover and quickly ran to the outside door to find that kryptos was already gone, Bear than ran down to storns cell and got the guards to release him. Storn said thanks and quickly went to the sniper barracks to get his gear that he was told was there being maintained, Storn ran into the barracks ignoring the other snipers and grabbing his rifle and camouflage jacket than running back to bear and his captain.
"Kryptos isn't gone yet I need to find him!" Storn said loading his rifle and putting on his jacket. Bear started rummaging through his pocket till he found the note that he found in the inquisitors office earlier.
"Storn i found this in the inquisitors office earlier it tells where he is supposed to meet the ork warlord. you should go there and put a bullet in his head!" Bear said handing the note to storn and watching storn read it grab a radio from a passing soldier and run off into the woods. 2 hours later storn found the valley, which had the inquisitor and the ork warlord; Storn climbed a tree and took position aiming at the inquisitor first. Storn than muttered "eat hellfire kryptos!" the shot ripped through the inquisitor's head and splattered his brains all over the ork warlord, the orks immediately went into panic while the warlord kicked the inquisitors corpse muttered something unintelligible and began to rally his troops for a final push against the imperial forces. Storn picked up his radio and sent out a signal for air assistance.
Captain Gremmer was leading his flight of lightning's on a last patrol before they left the planet when he got the call and responded.
"This is captain gremmer with my patrol who is this and what do you want?" Gremmer replied raising his visor to look at some of the scenery outside the cockpit.
"This is sniper storn requesting air support captain against an ork army at the field of bloodings. Hurry!" storn replied over the radio.
"Well well well the infamous storn i heard about your arrest but anyways is this authorized by command?" replied gremmer still watching some of the scenery pass. the reply was what he expected storn had replied "no its not." Gremmer grinned at this than signaled to his other pilots to listen in on the radio. "Well if it isn't authorized storn than were in! Alright boys we have a target in the field of bloodings lets push it up and kill some orks! Wedge formation, hellstrike rockets armed. Sniper storn get out of there were coming in to bomb the place with hellstrike rockets." the reply was simple but direct storn just said "alright thanks guys." gremmer grinned switched his guns to manual than put his visor back down so that auto targeting would kick in. the field was flooded with orks gremmer made a pass firing his autocannons into the middle of the ork mass while his other flight members started firing off there hellstrike rockets incinerating a ton of orks that wouldn't move. Some orks fired back but the lightnings were too fast to shoot, The second pass over the field gremmer found the ork leader and fired his hellstrike rockets right into him than began blazing away with his autocannons on the rest of the orks the other flight members followed suit and by the end of the second pass most of the ork army was dead or dieing. Storn was watching this from a nearby tree nodding as the lightning's killed ork mob after ork mob, storn than climbed down and headed back to the Base. When storn finally got back an hour later storns captain was outside with bear and about 5 pilots, the captain stepped forward as storn saluted him bear than took his place next to storn.
"Sniper Storn, Sergeant Bear you both have served us well by rooting out heresy in this base, for bravery in battle you both are awarded the star of terra where it with pride." the captain pinned the medal to storns chest first than to bears, after this was done the captain turned to the pilots who now took off there helmets. Captain gremmer grinned at storn than nodded respectfully to the captain. "Captain gremmer you and your patrol are also awarded the star of terra wear it with pride, but next time try and let us know before you Bomb an ork army." the captain said this than gremmer started laughing at this.
The End I will make more Storn fics later on if I get good reviews.