Nam Imperator
I hereby announce that I do not own anything about and the Warhammer 40K universe, they are owned by their respective owners. I however, would like to claim ownership on the character names and planet name of this story.
Any references to names is purely coincidental (If any are made).
Please enjoy and review, constructive criticism wanted, This is my first story.
Chapter 1 - Let them come
By order of His most Holy Majesty the God-Emperor of Terra
Has requested the viewing of the following Internal PDF records:
Audio recording of first engagement
Archival ID: Ea634-aS123-GD17I
Location: Bocanh V Northern PDF HQ
Date: 296 M41
Recorded by routine system protocol, process ID 56
Stored in Maria Island Storage facility, zone 12, rack 12304.
+++ Communications opened at 0843 hours. Encryption level Omega +++
"Surveyor Station 16, this is Baseplate, we're identifying a series of faults across our survey systems. We are detecting massive interference over section 11-AB6, please verify, over." Speaker verified as Colonel Garry Hathorn, Northern PDF HQ.
"Baseplate, this is Surveyor Station 16, we can confirm that the faults are wide spread, all non PDF vox frequencies are unresponsive; possible jam in civilian communications. Unregistered PDF deployments across the sector, PDF units are mobilising. Reports of PDF Divisions 4-9 attacking allied units, damn it, we must evacuate the base-" Verified as Station Advisor Armahn Helasin. Signal lost at 0846 hours – vox relay destroyed.
+++ Warning: Unregistered data stream detected ... Systems compromised – System locked – Missile command protocols initiated - Launch Detected – Arrival time 1 minute 50 seconds, counting +++
+++ Omega-Zebra-Alpha security clearance detected - overriding all running processes – communication opened with Southern PDF HQ – codename Powerhouse +++
"Shit, Powerhouse, this is Baseplate, we have the Northern PDF forces mobilising without official command, its a damn rebellion! Unable to maintain control over the region. There is a missile launch, our defences are down; only the bloody Governor could have done this, curse the bastard! Mobilise your forces Powerhouse, may the Emperor be with you. This is Colonel Garry Hathorn, may the Emperor walk with yo-"
+++ Communication lost at 0848 hours, explosion recorded at site of Northern PDF HQ, attempting to contact remaining forces ... failed. Nuclear missile launch detected – target – PDF base Hallmah. Casualties: 30,000 personnel, estimated +++
- Present -
The earth trembled under such an intense bombardment, the exploding shells lit up the sky in a deathly spectacle. For with every rumble the shells fell closer to the zigzagging lines of trenches and fortifications; their guns primed and ready, with the mutter of prayers and the barks of orders, soldiers readied themselves for the coming onslaught.
I trudged down the length of muddy trench under my command, it was in a sorry state. The sucking mud consumed everything; in some places even the duckboards where gone to my surprise. With the heavy rain pattering off the gleaming barrels of my squad's various weapons, oblivious to the coming battle, I took one last look at the full length of the section, seeing if any last gaps in our defences could be filled with things other than men, sandbags and weapons. Of course, we weren't the only hapless souls defending this sector; all-in-all the men in this gloomy 2 mile stretch amounted to about 1200 men accompanied by 800 tanks and 300 self-propelled anti-tank guns, a rather large Battalion to my eyes.
Oh yea, me. Hmm, I'm just a pretty ordinary Sergeant, whose name is Boris Vladimir. Don't say it, I know want you're thinking. Boris. Yes sir, blame the parents. Well the troops only know me as Sergeant Vladimir. Thank the Emperor. Also I'm 28 years old; Terra standard. I'd like to think I am fit, well you have to be for this job. My guard-issue shaved head of black hair is neatly covered up by my helmet and I have sparkling blue eyes filled with great intelligence. Cough, cough. But I'm going off track; I have a battle to win, I can taste it.
As the enemy bombardment ended, peace reined for a moment across the putrid landscape, before our Earthshakers fired in return, sending a deep rumble across the crater blasted landscape. After only a month in this sorry position (the previous division was obliterated during a bombing raid) I had started to appreciate why the artillery pieces of the Imperial Guard had such a name; my bones knew especially.
As my eyes wonder over to inspect the heavy bolter position, the vox-bead in my helmet mounted headset sparked into life. "Sergeant Vladimir, sir. You have Major Galmann on line 7." I tapped the bead to acknowledge my squad's vox-caster; a young Private Andrew Grain. Then I fiddled with my portable vox-set attached to the breast of my armour.
"Alpha-One, this is Squad Bravo-Dagger-Six, ready for the message over." I spoke into the mike after checking the frequency was on the right setting.
"Bravo-Dagger-Six, this is Alpha-One; Major Galmann speaking. I hope your position is up for it sergeant, aerial reconnaissance indicates that the main thrust is coming at your sector. At least 2500 men with tank support." There was a pause as the static reigned for a matter of seconds. "We're going to try to bring up the reserves to support you but don't hope for much, Emperor be with you, over and out."
I strengthen my hold on my holstered autogun, the adrenaline rushes around my body at the very thought of battle. The ability to smash the Emperor's glorious wrath down upon these heretics was too promising to let slide professionally! But first I have to inform my men. Flicking back to the squad communication I started to speak; "All right you sorry sods, the Emperor has smiled upon us today, we have been granted the honour of facing the main enemy force," a cheer sounded in response. "while they outnumber us in both men and machine, we have the Emperor's eternal light to guide our fire and blades. Let them come, like cows to slaughter. For the Emperor and Imperium!"
The men chorused the phrase back at me, pride swelled in my chest as they turn back to the front; figures of all sizes had started to appear over the shelled landscape, explosions popped up, sending huge plumes of smoke and mud into the air.
The situation faced by the Imperial forces across the board would be considered unsatisfactory by many. With the Planetary Governor, a once respected Graham Lexicus XI; now a traitorous shell of a man had abandoned the guidance of the Emperor and turned to loathsome chaos ways. His betrayal had encouraged the corrupt cartel leaders and PDF commanders to join him. We, the Southern PDF detachment; 12th Bocanh V PDF Army Group, effectively the all the Imperial forces currently on Bocanh had moved up to face this traitorous foe; planning to purge these traitors and resecure the Emperor's land.
Meanwhile, the friendly barrage stopped as soon as it had started. I fumbled with my autogun, yes one of those. We hadn't been graced with weaponry such as the lasgun but the men sitting comfortably back at HQ had bestowed us with heavy weaponry and Carapace armour instead of the standard issue flak vests. While these new suits weighed a tonne and made us untrained men (in using this equipment) look clumsy. To prove my point, my vox-operator stumbled over to me, I turned to regard him as his saluted.
"Sir, the heavy weapons teams report the advancing enemy are in range. Your orders?" He asked me, I edged up onto the fire step and peered over the parapet. With the smoke clearing across the muddy terrain you could clearly see the heretics moving with their tanks rolling up behind, it was surprising to behold that they still kept squad formation, 2 metre spread. That threw my gibbering-fiend stereotype off the table.
"Blast the bastards to hell, tell the AT teams to prioritise the tanks." I told him as I stepped down from the step. He saluted again and started informing the men. Taking the chance before the heavy bolters started, I looked at the men in my section of trench. "When they are in-range, give 'em all you got!"
Then the bolters started, the din was deafening but after a matter of seconds I could already see the results. The heretics dropped in their dozen, the shells exploding among their jumbling bodies; armour, flesh and bone was shredded before my eyes. Through the falling defiled corpses more came, the landscape was now crammed full of running men with the tanks not far behind, no matter the number of heretics cut down, the mass of troops was seemingly unending.
All the more to kill then. Smiling I pulled my autogun to my shoulder, the iron sights at eye-level. With my trigger-finger posed to fire I yelled out. "Fire. Fire at will!" The retort was extreme, the shells from our autoguns peppered the oncoming heretics; who fell into the mud as torsos were ruptured and limbs ripped off. I sighted an oncoming heretic, his unprotected head clearly in my sight; with a crack my autogun recoiled and his head was obliterated into a gory mess. Smiling savagely I took down three more in a similar fashion. It was exhilarating, as the spent casings fell to my feet it was starting to become clear. No matter how many we killed, they would reach our lines.
A searing beam of light cut across my vision; it cut through a tank and ripped the turret off a heretical Leman Russ. Now the enemy was no more than 20 metres from us, growling I flicked my weapon onto full auto and let it rip into the coming heretics. The hail of shells cut more down, their flak vests were unable to stop the onslaught. Reloading I holstered the weapon onto my back and tugged my chain-sword and laspistol from their holsters, thumbing the activation rune on the side of the cross guard the weapon revved into being.
Then they hit us hard. The heretics piled into our trenches while yelling blasphemous war chants. Firing my laspistol in my right hand I punched a heretic down with two las-bolts. With a yell another came at me with a bayonet. Growling I deflected his strike and shot him straight in the face, emptying his skull. With the swing of my roaring chain-sword I dismembered another heretic leaving him headless.
Looking along the trench I saw similar fighting between both sides, it saddens me to say that I saw a couple of my men lying in the sucking mud but we were crushing them.
With a flash of blue plasma, and my dismay; two guardsmen disappeared as their bodies were vaporised. I spun to acquire this new threat, there he was. With blasphemous markings carved into his skin, a heretical officer marched towards me. Readying my blade I stepped forward as he lunged. Blocking his strike from his power sword, I kicked at his knee, with a crack of bone he fell and brought his plasma pistol to bare and fired. Rolling away from the shot, it melted away a patch of mud.
Firing my laspistol I blasted his weapon from his hand. But ignoring his cracked knee his stood up and it was blatantly obvious that it was a bionic. Feet slipping in the mud I lunged at him, swinging the chain-sword at his head. Which he blocked with a bone jarring strike and he smashed his fist into my face.
Where I promptly tumbled into the mud, mentally cursing I blinked away the rain and blood. With my chain-sword discarded out of my reach I fumbled for a weapon. Oblivious to the fighting around him, the heretic advanced towards me.
Feeling the cold metal of a pistol grip, I grinned as he brought his sword to bare. I pulled up the pistol, a plasma pistol to be precise and aimed it at his head. "Die heretic." I snarled as he registered my new weapon, his facial expression said it all.
And I pulled the trigger.
Well that is my first chapter done, tell me what you think. Until I finish off the second chapter, cheerio.
I've been over this chapter and hopefully corrected most of the mistakes, I will be doing the same with chapter 2 too. If any remain, feel free to contact me.
Emperor of Man