A/N: To explain, this isn't actually an official story, as much as it looks like one. I have too many official stories as it is.

I have introduced one of my friends to the Fantasy Flight Warhammer 40K series of booked based RPG games, and he has gotten scarily hooked. What was meant to be a nice way for me to distract myself from the fun with the house, has instead turned into a frantic attempt for me to keep ahead of the plot of our weekly sessions.

To aid in my memory of what has happened in the story (as opposed to what I originally wrote), I have written this as something I can look back on for plot purposes. It was only after I wrote it I realised what I had done, creating another story when I already have far too many, but it is too late now XD.

So I thought, publish it and see what happens. Worst comes to the worst, nobody likes it and it keeps it's original purpose quite nicely.

The story is based in the Jericho Reach, and begins on the world of Kaggeran, which is a large Agri-world in the far north west of the region. We begin before the arrival of the Imperial Crusade that sweeps in to try and retake the sector, where Kaggeran's Schola Progenium facility is one of the few remaining 'lights' in a sector that has fallen into darkness and heresy.

We will be following Private Godwinne Marn, and his exploits as part of the 1 Royal Kaggeran Guardsman Regiment. Given this is based in the Deathwatch universe, rather than the official Only War universe, we will also be introducing a Deathwatch Team as well at some point, but we have to get there first.

As this is based off the game, if anyone likes the sound of the scenarios that happen, I would be more than happy to pass along the basic info for running it.

Defias Out

It was just past dawn, the light of Kaggeran's twin suns just breaking through the clouds, when Private Godwinne Marn strode through the halls of the training academy that had been his home for the last three years. Passing a pair of Training Academy officers, Marn made sure to follow regulations and stop to salute, despite the amount of gear he was carrying making the task remarkably difficult.

The two Lieutenants, dressed in the predominantly black dress uniform of the Royal Kaggeran Regiments complete with dark red lapels and linings, responded in kind with small approving smiles, the moving slightly in their passage through the corridors to make getting past them easier for him as he relaxed from the salute.

He was working his way towards one of the hangar areas that were scattered throughout the main body of the Schola Progenium Training Academy, which also served as Planetary High Command for the official Kaggeran Guardsman forces. When he had been picked from his fellows during Basic Training almost 4 years ago, Godwinne had honestly thought he had done something wrong, as the Rangemaster Sergeant ordered him to take a hastily written note to Captain Hollis.

"Private Marn, you are five minutes early, glad to see you aren't letting your training go to waste on your first day as a proper Guardsman of the Imperium." As he reached the doors of Hangar bay 5, Godwinne found the man in question waiting for him, the Captain dressed as always in his combat armour rather than his dress uniform.

"Captain Hollis sir!" Captain Hollis was a bull of a man, one of the tallest men Godwinne had ever met by at least 3 inches, and bulky enough that his armour had to be handcrafted for him as regulation gear just did not fit.

"At ease Private, given your earlier than expected arrival we will be able to get underway straight away. Get your gear stowed aboard." At almost 50, Captain Hollis was surprisingly scar or battle wound free, a single long scar down his cheek and into the body of his chest that was one of the Captain's favourite stories to tell whilst perusing sword and other close combat drills.

'A Guardsman's best weapon is his lasrifle, the Emperor's gracious gift to us poor Guardsman that you should thank him for each and every day! That said, when defending against a Xenos sympathiser's broadsword, one should use the blade that the Munitorium has graciously provided each and every one of you. The Emperor does not look kindly upon those who break his presents, though he has given me a second chance to make it clear to all of you that anyone else who tries the same as me will not be so lucky!'

Stepping through the archway at the Captain's instruction, Godwinne didn't have to think very hard in where he was meant to go, as there was only a single complete Valkyrie in this particular hangar. There were 3 other Valkyries in various states of assembly or repair littering the hangar, which was a poignant reminder that Godwinne was quite lucky to be getting airlifted to his posting with the Royal Kaggeran 1st Regiment.

Whilst Imperial Doctrine dictated that Guardsmen were to be taught on a 'need to know' basis, being separated from the Imperium for almost 5 Millennium meant that Kaggeran High Command had relaxed quite a lot of what was considered 'classified' or above now. This wasn't necessarily out of their desire to be 'open' or 'inclusive', but given the limited manpower they now had, if information was kept a secret then it would quite likely end up becoming forgotten or lost.

Though no-one would speak of what events lead to the withdrawal of the Emperor's main forces from the region, the briefing they all received as part of basic training made one thing clear if nothing else. The Imperium were trying to get back to Kaggeran, and the Jericho Sector in general, but foul Warp Magic and Heretical treachery had lead to the Sector being cut off from the Imperium.

Until the glorious day that the Imperium would return to reunite the Jericho Sector with the rest of the Galaxy, the faithful Progenium forces on Kaggeran were the Emperor's sword and shield, and would do whatever they needed to do to keep their Beacon of Faith lit until that day came. It was for that reason that Governor King Karaz, of the nearby Hive World Argoth and in charge of Kaggeran as well as the other colonised planet in their system, had brought almost half of the primary Hive's PDF forces to Kaggeran.

Or at least, that was the official teachings. Though, given how keenly any questions regarding the establishment of the Kaggeran 'Monarchy' were avoided by the Schola Progenium teachers, Godwinne got the feeling that there was another reason behind the Governor's 'tactical redeployment'.

"All ready Private? Captain Hollis, I didn't realise you were... " Still, his was not the rank to be questioning ancient history, as the Pilot visibly panicked at the second Guardsman sat in the back of his aircraft.

The two of them weren't exactly uncrowded in the space, with several boxes of what Godwinne recognised as specialised ammunition and weapons strapped into the rest of the space of the Valkyries interior, which were manufactured in the Schola Progenium's fiercely guarded Manufactorum facilities deep underground the Progenium's main facility.

"Pilot Biliac, that is entirely the point of a surprise inspection… And if I think you are going to use your Comms unit to let that idiot Vaughan know we are coming, then I will throw you off this craft and fly us there myself. Am I understood?" Whilst Captain Hollis was considered a relatively relaxed and friendly Commander, it was understood by every single person who passed through the Progenium's halls that when the words 'am I understood?' passed his lips, he was deadly serious.

"Of course Captain, not a word to the Pri-Colonel unless he specifically asks if you are aboard the Valkyrie…" Whilst not a complete promise, the restriction seemed specific enough that Captain Hollis found it acceptable, as he gave a gruff nod before settling back into his seat across from Godwinne.

Moments later and the Valkyrie's engines burst into life, the noise filling Godwinne's ears and blocking out everything else. As the Valkyrie exited the hangar, Godwinne found himself in awe of the scene below him.

Situated on the highest point of a large island just off the main landmass of Kaggeran, the Schola Progenium was stylised as a glorious fortress/cathedral cross, gothic architecture and towering spires mixed with defence emplacements and battlements in equal measure. Though Godwinne had no other experiences to base his view, he struggled to imagine that a more impressive building complex was possible, short of the Emperor's Palace on Terra of course.

The hill the Schola Progenium was based upon wasn't a mountain, but the large complex still dominated the skyline, as the Valkyrie passed over the training grounds and other facilities that made up the expanded grounds of the Complex. From the maps that the Progenium's adepts jealously guarded, the Progenium and the various expansions that occurred over the millennia covered almost 100 square miles, and that was ignoring the vast underground facilities where the majority of the heavy weaponry, vehicles and precious relics were kept.

Despite the size of the complex, the Valkyrie's speed soon had then jetting out over the surrounding farmland, tended for by the members of the Schola Progenium's unofficial '3rd Regiment'. Though the farmers and workers weren't officially part of the Kaggeran Progenia Guardsmen, each and everyone of them had still recieved basic training, meaning that if the call came they could fall back to the numerous 'muster shelters' spread throughout the farmlands and arm up.

Several minutes of travelling went by, over a mixture of farmland and the woodlands in which game and other animal were allowed to flourish, which was the other role of the 3rd regiment's troops.

"Nearly there… where… set down?" The pilot's call over the comms was somewhat mumbled by the noise of the engines and the wind, but Godwinne guessed that he was asking the Captain where he wanted to set down.

Leaning slightly out of the Valkyrie, Godwinne caught sight of what could only be the muster grounds of the 1st Regiment ahead. Rows upon rows of regulation tents and prefabricated buildings, optimising the space needed for nearly 5,000 troops, whilst maintaining enough space for the men and women of the regiment to move around easily during a potential attack.

"Private!" The yelling voice of Captain Hollis had Godwinne jerk his head back inside the Valkyrie, though thankfully it seemed he had not missed any other calls as the Captain looked amused rather than annoyed.

"Where… based?" Remembering his muster orders from this morning, Godwinne shouted as loud as he could, certain that the disrespect of the shouting was less than making his commanding officer struggle to understand him.

"1st company Sir!" He would have specified that it was the 3rd Platoon's 7th squad, but the angry look that crossed over Captain Hollis' face as he revealed his company stopped him in his tracks.

"1st… Pilot...Prin… Compound!" Hollis stood as he started shouting to the pilot once more, moving to enter the cockpit area with a thunderous look upon his face.

It was to Godwinne's surprise that they passed over the main body of the camp over the next couple of minutes, the rows of ordered and uniform tents morphing into an array of far more varied and sized tents, including a multi-coloured monstrosity that offended Godwinne to his very core. As the Valkyrie began to set itself down, not too far from the massive tent, Godwinne realised why Captain Holt was pissed.

Whilst the Schola Progenium's 2nd Regiment were composed and lead by the Schola's own officers, the 1st Regiment was a compromise that had been struck between 'The Kingdom of Kaggeran' and the Schola Progenium millennia ago. Godwinne didn't remember all of the details, but the 1st was 'lead' by a member of the Kaggeran Royal family instead of a normal Progenia Colonel.

In addition, two Companies of the 1st Regiment were predominantly raised from the Nobles based in the City of Argoth Prime and it's surrounding towns and villages, supported by members of the Progenia primarily in Leadership and Specialised roles.

Godwinne had assumed that, given the Leadership of the Regiment was considered nothing more than a formality according to the Progenia teachers, that the two Argothian Companies would be lower tier Companies in the Regiment. Unfortunately for him it seemed, the 1st Company was in fact one of these mixed units.

Which meant he would have two or three of his brothers with him, the rest would be to quote Sergeant Marix:

'A bunch of ass kissing snot bags, who get away with everything but murder…'.

And that was one of the politer things his Drill Sergeant had to say about the former Hive Worlders, and pretty much every insult he had about a trainee's performance included them or the Royal family itself in one form or another.

"Private Marn!" Captain Hollis strode back through from the cockpit, jumping off the Valkyrie the moment it touched down and turning expectantly.

It took a moment, as grabbing and hefting his gear as well as his weapon was harder in a Valkyrie than in a dorm room, but Godwinne managed to get it done and jump down from the transport without making the Captain wait too long.

"I am going to go speak to Colonel Vaughan, as well as carry out some inspections along the way. You are to report to Sergeant Faydra Mord of the Third Platoon, and you are to ignore any instructions or attempted orders from anyone else other than her or another Captain. Am I understood?" Godwinne jumped to alert, stowing his lasgun on the ground leaning against his side so that he could salute.

"Understood Sir. Permission to ask for directions from other Guardsmen?" Captain Hollis shook his head, before pointing off to the North, where the edge of the 1st Regiment's camp was, a series of watchtowers indicating the official 'edge' of the Schola's encampment.

"Head North and then towards the River, Sergeant Mord's squad are an untrustworthy bunch of fuckers even by Argothian standards, so they are pitched right on the edge of the encampment where they can't cause much trouble. Remember this Private, they may be your squad, but unless they are Progenia then they aren't true Guard brothers of ours." Captain Hollis said all of this rather louder than he perhaps needed to, even as the pair of them walked away from the small landing area in the middle of the camp, causing more than one of the Argothian Guardsmen to glare in their direction.

"Sir, yes Sir!" And with that, Godwinne guessed he was meant to leave the Captain to his work whilst he carried out his orders.

Turning down one of the larger established roads that lead to the area Captain Hollis had indicated, Godwinne quickly began to see the stories he had been told weren't as made up as he had first thought.

There were several obvious games of gambling he could see as he walked up the path, the Guardsmen making no effort to hide their activities. And, judging by the sounds coming from one large tent he passed on his left, either Guardsmen were having sex with each other or the Argothians had snuck in some camp followers of a sort.

Godwinne knew that he had a sheltered upbringing for the most part, it was something that the Progenium had made clear even if they hadn't really elaborated on the 'realities' of life outside their walls, but there were so many things going on that his head was already starting to hurt at trying to comprehend the number of regulation breaches he would report to his Sergeant when he arrived at wherever his squad was based...

Then, just as he passed one of the watchtowers and was debating whether he needed to stop and ask a Guardsman for directions, the smell hit him as an errant gust carried it in his direction. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, which did not help the urge to throw up the now persistent smell evoked, Godwinne now remembered exactly why the limits of the camp were originally where they were.

The 'waste' from the Progenium was piped into what had effectively become a series giant cess pools to the North West of the Camp, where it was treated, filtered and recycled by the large water recycling plant he could see squatting on the edge of the River Gadaris. The smell was prolific, but the predominantly Westerly winds meant it usually wasn't an issue for those on the base… unless you were a bunch of city dwellers that needed larger than normal tents at least.

At the top of the small descent, which had been artificially created to defend the camp from Gadaris flooding into it during the wet seasons, Godwinne could see the large series of 'pits' in which the Progenium waste was stored in stretching away along the banks of the river, and thankfully the camp stopped before it actually reached them.

Not by much though, with the razor wire and fox holes stopping barely 200 yards from the nearest pit before following the edge of the treeline that headed in land, the defences seemingly last minute additions to the camp's defences. Where it was mostly ammunition storage and other non essential land out this far, Godwinne could see a cluster of Guardsman issue tents on a plot of land about half a mile from the nearest cess pool, near the first of the fox holes deployed facing the tree line.

"Someone in the Administratum must really hate me…" Godwinne knew it wasn't worth moping over his assignment though, and he would merely have to do what he could to make a good job of matters, to try and catch the attention of one of the other Company Commanders.

Breathing deeply in an attempt to bolster his courage, and regretting it a moment later as the smell made him choke once more, Godwinne moved down the nearly deserted path towards the little circle of tents that he suspected was to be his new home.

"Sarvus!" The cry shocked Godwinne into raising his rifle, the feminine voice filled with fury, before someone was bodily thrown through the tent's back wall next to him.

For a moment, as the body of a Guardsman hit the ground with a thud and rolled rather unceremoniously along the ground, Godwinne honestly thought they might be under attack. That uncertainty lasted until another Guardsman stalked out of the new hole in the tent, the mark of an Imperial Guard Sergeant on her combat armour only adding to the terror the cold fury on her face invoked in him.

"I should have you flogged, then courtmartialed and then shot! It is bad enough that you are drunk when we are due to start a patrol mission in four hours, but if you try and grope me again I WILL ensure that you get thrown in a Cesspool as punishment, even your cousin the Prince won't save you from drowning then." Given the Sergeant was wearing her combat gear in a near immaculate manner, despite the fact she had just seemingly thrown a man a considerable distance given her relatively light frame, Godwinne took a guess and assumed she was a Progenia Guardsman rather than from Argoth Prime.

"Private Second Class Marn, reporting for assignment Sergeant!" He didn't raise his voice, given they were only ten feet apart it wasn't needed, but the Sergeant spun around as if he had just bellowed his introduction right in her ear.

She seemed to reign in her temper by the time she whirled in his direction though, and her face seemed to brighten up as she checked his gear.

"Progenia Guardsman?" Godwinne nodded and was surprised to see a smile appear on the stern woman's face, making him realised that she didn't actually look that much older than he did.

Apart from a few short strands of straw blonde hair that made it's way from beneath her combat helmet, the Sergeant would be considered a quintessential Kaggeran native, barely shorter than him and built in a light build that was considerably at odds with Captain Hollis' stature. Her gold flecked green eyes seemed to approve of him as she nodded her head off behind him.

"Looking for the 7th Squad I assume? I did ask for another Progenia recruit but I didn't think I would actually get one. Sergeant Freyda Mord, you can stand easy Private, I just have to finish reminding Private Savros here that he isn't 73rd in line for the Throne out here…" The mention of the Guardsman she had manhandled brought Godwinne's attention back to the man in question, just as he finished staggering to his feet.

"Don't know what you mean Sarge, I just wanted to give a hand ha ha ha…" Godwinne wanted to hit the man already, and he wasn't entirely sure whether it was just because of his disrespect for their senior officer, or the grabbing motion he made as he completed his 'clever' pun…

"Please ignore him Sergeant, I will get him sobered up in time for patrol and out of your hair." The new voice came from a wiry individual, who looked the image of the seedy gambler types his mother had warned him about in her childhood stories, but she stepped forwards and elbowed the wind from Savros' lungs before he could do something else that would make the good Sergeant carry through her earlier threat without the slightest hint of dishonesty.

"Thank you Private Jessilea, I swear if it weren't for you I would have shot him months ago, damn the consequences." The newly named Jessilea beamed at the praise and went to salute, only for her elbow to crack into Savros' nose and send him tumbling to the floor.

"Sorry Savros, I didn't mean to do that, please don't get mad at me…" Despite her earnest apologies, Godwinne caught the slightest of sly grins on Jessilea's face before it morphed into concern, a sign that her clumsiness was perhaps slightly less accidental than her words implied.

"Private Marn, with me. I will show you the main camp, and then where your stuff can be put once I find your squad partner, she will show you the rest." With that, Sergeant Mord turned on her heel and strode back through the rent in the tent, not even pausing as she threw a comment over her shoulder.

"Private Savros, the cost of repairing your tent will be coming out of your allotment of amasec and other supplements for the next two months…" Even as Godwinne made to follow her, he could hear the drunken mumblings of Savros take a distinctly mutinous tone at her announcement, but there was no time to think on it further as he stepped through the improvised doorway.

The tent was obviously for two guardsmen, lightweight metal beds an obvious indication if nothing else, though one side of the tent looked like a group of children had decided to see how much destruction they can cause. Savros' he assumed, as the other side of the tent was immaculate, though he thought he could easily count more than normal requisitionable gear tucked away in various parts of the gear.

"As you probably heard Private, Private Savros' is a Royal family member, though so far down the list the Xenos would have to pretty much wipe us out for him to be in with the chance of inheriting the position. He was a childhood friend of the Prince though, so he thinks that offers him protection from pretty much everything, and Lieutenant Rogers agrees for the most part. Jessilea is a servant's daughter who was 'enlisted' to provide Savros with a servant. Mostly a good girl, but never ask her to hold a knife for you." The fact the Sergeant was so disparaging about her own men to a newcomer surprised Godwinne, he had always thought Sergeants tried to protect their squad's image even from their higher ups.

"I don't want to lie to you Private, this isn't going to be a cushy post if that is what you were hoping for, but it is well known that any Progenia who can make the cut in an Argothian Company is more than just your average Guardsman. We are here to show these… others how Guardsmen are meant to act…" Godwinne was tempted, for all of a fraction of a moment, to ask if throwing people through walls was considered 'how true Guardsman should act'.

"Understood Sir, I live to serve Kaggeran and the Imperium, which Company I do that in makes little difference to me." Godwinne wasn't quite sure he believed his own sentiment, but it was true enough on the basis of things that his doubt didn't enter his tone.

"A noble sentiment Private, we will see whether or not you maintain that optimism. Now, these are Privates Godwin and Victrus, along with Corporal Quinille." She gestured off to a trio of roughly dressed and presented Guardsmen, all gathered round the fire and cooking… something.

Godwinne didn't quite want to ask what the hunk of flesh on the fire actually was, and didn't get the chance as the newly named Quinille looked him up and down for a moment before speaking.

"I take 3-5." The strange announcement was quickly followed by the other two taking 0-2 and 6-8 respectfully, though Victrus looked disappointed about getting the higher numbers.

"Ignore them Private. Now, Private Jet should be over… here we are. Private Jet, Private Xandra." The Sergeant lead him off to the far corner of the the circle of tents, where a separate pair of tents were a small distance outside the general circle, one with the patch on the top of it denoting it as the Sergeant's own tent.

Sat on a pair of small chairs outside the tent were a young man and woman, both of whom jumped to their feet as the Sergeant addressed them, the small books they were perusing making their way back to the chairs when the Sergeant waved them to relax.

"This is Private Marn, to replace Private Horic after the incident last week. Private Marn, this is Private Regina Jet, fellow Progenia graduate who has joined us as the the Platoon Medic in training. Private Fortunus Xandra is probably the only Argothian I have met so far that hasn't done something that makes me want to shoot him, so I have him studying under Private Jet to make something useful of himself." Fortunus nodded his head in greeting, a slight redness on his face showing he was quietly pleased with the Sergeant's backhanded compliment, whilst Regina stepped forward and offered her hand in typical Progenia greeting manner.

"Nice to meet you Private, what number did Quinille give you?" The question took a moment to register, but I smiled and accepted the handshake I was offered before giving my somewhat confused answer.

"3-5, though he didn't expand on what he meant. Given what I have seen so far, I am assuming it is a bad thing?" Regina laughed at my comment, the sort of melodic laugh that encouraged others to join in with her, before nodding her head.

"Only if you believe them. Remember the 15 hour rule the instructors told us about?" I nodded once more, the first fifteen hours of combat were the most likely to kill a rookie Guardsman, and given the hint I took a guess at the rest.

"Number of hours before I get killed?" It was morbid, certainly, but it wasn't like Godwinne had come into this ignorant of what his likely exit path was…

"Number of minutes before you do something stupid, though they usually then do a second bet with number of hours till you get maimed or killed, I'm still only on my 3rd hour, so don't think you're alone in this little 'game' of theirs." I grinned despite myself, the way Regina was talking made it clear that she was more than happy to help him prove the three wrong on both accounts.

"As nice as this is, Private Jet can let you store your gear, and then head out the back and show him the lay of the land. I want him familiar with the defences and outskirts before we head out. Just because the Colonel doesn't respect the standard doctrines doesn't mean we will. Private Xandra, you're with me, I have a bunch of reports to take to the Lieutenant." Saluting, as was expected even if the Sergeant hadn't explicitly dismissed them, Godwinne waited until the Sergeant had left the area before relaxing a little with a sigh.

"Not exactly what you expected from your first day right? Come on, leave your stuff here for now other than your combat gear, we will take a walk along the edge of the camp. It will let me fill you in on the details without having to deal with the smell, and give you an idea of what the nicer side of camp looks like…" It sounded a hell of a lot better than unpacking his gear for the next hour, which fit with the Sergeant's orders, and now that it had been mentioned the smell was still burning the back of his throat and nose.

"Sounds like a plan Private Jet, thank you for taking the time to walk me around." Private Jet smiled before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of things Godwinne had never thought he would be happy to see in his life.

"Call me Regina, nose plug?" With a joyful nod Godwinne quickly stuffed the two small devices up his nose, whilst it didn't completely stop the smell it dealt with the worst of it, though his voice gained a nasally edge he wasn't quite comfortable with.

They stowed his kit on the bed in the tent, before Regina led him round the tent and towards the lines of razor wire, the woman talking the entire time.

"The woods are quite heavily populated with animals and other critters, we make sure to kill off any predators that might get large enough or dangerous enough to threaten a Guardsman. The Lieutenant lets a squad go into the woods every second week, and if you have a good hunt you can trade any excess game with the other squads, so it is quite the sought after task. There are several paths into the woodlands, which is why there are the gaps in the razor wire, though each is guarded by a fox hole. Strange we haven't been hailed yet…" Godwinne was looking at the woods, taking in the sight of his new surroundings, which was the only reason he caught it in time.

The burst of red was the only warning he had, though his training kicked in and he dragged Regina to the floor, a bolt of red passing through where her head had been a moment before.

"Attack!" They were too exposed here, Godwinne's mind registered even as his eyes remained fixed on the woods, shadows of movement making it clear this wasn't a single attacker at work.

"Move, to the foxhole!" Regina nodded in response to his order, or he assumed that was what the movement he felt against his shoulder was, the woman breaking into a straight up sprint as Godwinne raised his rifle and sighted a figure he had seen moving at the edge of the woods.

There was no time to perform the breathing drills the Progenium taught to aid in accuracy, though he did remember to fire in short bursts rather than fully automatic. A trio of bolts flew across the short space between his position and the woods, the first two catching the figure in the chest whilst the third went over it's shoulder and slammed into a tree trunk.

He was rolling even as he released the trigger, knowing that his fire would attract a lot of the wrong type of attention, slipping into a crouch as he prepared to run to the foxhole. At least two bolts of las energy slammed into the place he had been lying, and as he forced himself to run at least a dozen others whizzed around him.

Thankfully whoever was shooting were terrible shots, otherwise he would never have made the forty yard sprint to the first foxhole. It was of a simple construction, a dug out hole which was elevated on the side facing the woods with a mixture of sandbags and compacted earth. Regina had already moved to the firing step, firing in rapid bursts for several moments before ducking back as Godwinne dived into the hole head first.

"Xenos sympathisers!" Trying to ignore the pain that his face dive into the earth had caused, Godwinne brought himself up from the floor, to find himself looking at one of the fox-hole's on duty Guardsmen.

Or at least, what was left of one of them, half of his face missing from what looked like a single bolt to the head, the remnants of his guard helmet melted at the edges of the contact point. Coldness swept through Godwinne as he came face to face with Death for the first true time, but the sounds of lasbolts hitting their cover made his training kick in, even if his mind was still dealing with the death of one of his fellow Guardsmen.

Stepping up to the firing point once more, Godwinne grabbed the periscope viewer that was near the base of the sandbag wall, which he could use to get an assessment of the situation before sticking his head over the parapet once more.

Raising the periscope and putting his eyes to the lenses, Godwinne found himself looking at a scene from his nightmares. All along the forest line, bolts of red lasfire were pouring forth in numbers that tactically meant a large scale assault was about to commence. Dropping the periscope and grabbing his lasgun, Godwinne was about to step up and shoot once more, when a strange whistling sound entered his ears.

"Incoming!" He would have paid it no mind, but Regina obviously knew something he didn't as she threw herself back into the base of the foxhole, dragging him with her.

Then the earth shook, and everything went to hell…

A/N: This is going to be an interesting one for me, primarily because i have never been very good at describing death and dying. And in the 41st Millenium, especially in a Guard Regiment, there is a A LOT of it.

One of the main interesting points for this story, in my opinion at least, is that the Kaggeran Guardsmen will have a hell of a lot of a better idea of 'classified info' than the average Guardsmen. And once they get out into the main body of the Imperium, assuming that the game gets that far, then the questions they ask are going to get a lot of attention.

Anyway, let me know what you think… Or don't, I just won't put any more up unless I think there is some actual interest XD