A fugitive is a man who is on the run from the law or a higher power. But what if that man is on the run because he has been wrongly accused? Is he still a fugitive.
The high pitched whistle and whooshing of air was usually the only way to know when a mortar or larger bomb would drop in front of the bunker. And when it did a man had a fraction of a second to eat dirt or have flying shrapnel and whatever was out in no mans land explosively thrown into his face and upper body. Cameron ducked down again as he heard the sound and watched as part of the ground outside the duarsteel fortification flew in and over his head. The wave of air was deafening for the past 2 hours Cameron had not been able to hear other than the incoming projectiles. The blasts and thunderous roar of his emplaced heavy bolter had all but rendered him of his senses. Cameron was cut in dozens of places and had taken a heavy piece of metal to his arm but he fought on. 3 men lay behind is firing step mutilated and killed by the blasts in the original salvo of destruction. Now Cameron was the only one left in this section of the fortress outer defenses.
The fortress was an entrance to a secured underground hive on a now besieged planet torn by war. The imperial guard had been called into this production world when rebels had taken up arms and started to destroy any sign of the empire and claim the planet "katoo" a word in the native tong for freedom. Now the rebels had equipped themselves with weapons and machines of war mostly badly maintained and lacking in sophistication of the imperial army. But nonetheless they fought on and they had taken a heavy toll on the levies 12th battalion. Now the imperials were on the defense and awaiting the help from white scars the famous space marine regiment. the bunker Cameron was in was one of hundreds that dotted around the outside of the portion of hive that was above ground. And for the last 3 hours it had been holding back the rebels keeping them away from entering underground and slaughtering the local loyal populace.
But just like the mud and flying metal shards of death all this flew over Cameron's head. He was here to fight and that was all he knew. He dragged himself back up to the gun mount and resumed his position, looking through the heat sensitive optical sights he looked back out onto the plains and saw a squad of men running for cover behind a burning non standard chimera.
"not today" he thought and fired. The roar and kick back of the weapon was testament to the destructive power Cameron saw out on the field. 5 men at the rear were torn apart limbs and blood flew. The bullets churned the ground making huge pock marks and kicking up dirt. The rest made it to the chimera running with renewed vigor. Cameron switched his aim and punched holes into the burning bodies sweeping it left and right. Until he hit his mark. A brighter that usual spark and all of a sudden twenty meters around the tank was a a inferno the propellant tank in the turret had been hit and Cameron watched with a satisfied smile as the survivors rolled and beat at themselves as they slowly cooked to death.
The radio next to Cameron chattered and buzzed. Cameron only noticed it when the incoming light caught his eye. He leaned over and read the piece of paper scrolling out of the little box and could not believe what it said.
Retreat. One simple word and yet it had so much impact. Cameron could not understand, they were holding the rebels at bay retreating would only let them into the city and cause a bloodbath. But then again he didn't really feel like staying in his bunker. So he unfastened a few grenades primed them and threw them into the giant ammo hopper in the floor of the bunker and ran out the door back toward friendly lines. The bunker exploded 10 seconds after Cameron was clear but he did not look back he only knew that he had to get back to the next fortification.
And he ran behind him more shells fell and more fires burned. In the puddles he passed he got small glances of the hell that lay behind him oddly silent because of his deafened state, all he could do was hope that others had made it out in better shape than his crew had. The fortress was only a hundred meters in front of hi now. He saw it coming up and a side door opening on one of the main gates. Me made a burst of speed and made it to the gate panting and wheezing. The men on the other side were shouting but he could not hear them he could only look questioningly at their angry faces. Then a commissar stepped forward pulling out his bolt pistol and aiming at Cameron's head.
Cameron heard the roar of the gun. And all he felt was the deep embrace of death.
But death would not claim Cameron. for the emperor had greater plans for him.
This is the story of the fugitive.