Enemy of my enemy

by Mart Marbles

When freshly colonised world of Dybylle finds itself under attack of orkish invaders, it falls to a newly promoted inquisitor to save it. Unfortunately, inquisitor's job is full of surprises and it seems there are things far more terrifying than orks lurking under the planet's surface. Faced with such impossible odds, is there even chance for a victory without compromise?

1. Prologue

Let me start with saying that this is the first thing I have ever written or "published" so please be gentle with me.

Also, excuse any of my heresies against English; it's not my first language.

Please, enjoy the first chapter of my story and stay tuned for more.

Prologue:

If the recruitment posters were to be believed, the planet of Dybell was a paradise, nothing short of ancient Terran myths. The posters promised whole kingdoms worth of arable land for anyone willing to partake in the colonisation effort. A new beginning for those who needed it, their past sins and transgressions forgiven as long as they threw everything they had away and decided to start a new life on Dybelle, condescendingly called the "virgin among planets".

Along with posters, the recruitment campaign was also supported by hundreds of preachers in the streets, more or less forcefully conscripting anyone desperate enough for a fresh start.

The official reasons behind the recruitment efforts were as numerous as they were vague. The Ecclesiarchy claimed it wanted to spread the Emperor's light to every corner of the sub-sector. Planetary officials, on the other hand, had stated that they wanted to use Dybelle's rich mineral resources.

The truth was even more pragmatic. Planetary governor of hiveworld Kalfus Prime Isidys Limner and his friends, mostly chosen representatives from Kalfus Secundus and Kalfus Tetrus, simply tried to solve the ever-present problem with hive's overpopulation while winning hearts of their obedient subjects.

Needless to say the bold move paid off the in the end.

The recruitment campaign was massive, both in scale and success. In the end, dozens of ships took off from the sub-sector's hiveworlds, each carrying thousands upon thousands of desperate, yet hopeful souls.

They were promised paradise, but too late had they realized, that only thing waiting for them is purgatory. Just a dust ball of planet, so unremarkable and plain that it couldn't even bear the tittle of death world, even though living there meant death for many.

Yet people still tried to make something out of it. With technology in one hand and devotion in another, the new citizens of Dybelle started with slow and agonizing process of terraformation. Most of them knew the hardships of life all too well to be scared away by the impossible odds. As harsh as the conditions were, they were nothing worse than those they were used to. Still, the religious fire that brought them to the planet served them well in those first years of colonisation.

Though they were lacking in almost every department, unfortunate people of Dybelle managed to survive the initial challenges of their new home. Massive plains were slowly transformed into humble fields and former landing zones became the first settlements and towns.

Either through sheer luck or Emperor's providence, colonizers managed to survive and even thrive in their newly found home.

Now, nearly a century after the first humans settled there, the fragile miracle of Dybelle and its hardy people face the direst of threats.

May the Emperor protect their souls.