I own neither, as per usual. Honestly, I'm just saying this to be on the safe side, don't know if I have to do it absolutely every chapter.
The four squads unloaded outside the building where Third's Rhyhorn was idling. "Everyone in, and stick together" ordered Novus. "Anyone see anything moving, confirm its identity before you shoot."
The Astartes released a collection of psychic types and progressed into the building. Mentis stayed with Seventh Squad as they walked through the darkened rooms, occasionally spotting an unpleasant body of some civilian or Guardsman, indicating that the Originem Mortis forces had been here. But what of Third Squad?
Suddenly, the vox was alive with chatter. "This is Second!" came a voice. "Engaging multiple hostiles! We're-" The voice was cut off with a sickening snap. Novus chucked another of his Pokeballs. "Bronzong, find them!"
The steel bell floated away into the darkness, using Flash to illuminate its way. As it went off, it illuminated an area covered in thick red liquid.
"Wait, Bronzong!" barked Novus. The Pokemon stopped. Seventh Squad approached the puddle of blood.
"That's Third, all right" muttered Mentis, staring at the corpses of three Tactical Marines. "Where are the rest of them?"
"Well… it's no good looking for them, clearly" Novus said. "Alright, everyone, retreat. Head back to the vehicles. It's too dangerous in here."
"This is Eighth!" another voice screamed from the vox. This was extremely unnatural. Astartes did not fear anything. What could the Originem Mortis forces have to cause so much panic? "We're under attack. Requesting immediate backup!" Followed by several gunshots, then static.
"Damn it…" growled Novus. "Bronzong?"
"Zong!" the bell responded, floating back to his master.
"Cover us" Novus ordered. Bronzong brought up the rear as the squad retreated back to their vehicles.
A body dropped from the ceiling. Another member of Third Squad, with a rather unfortunate lack of head or right arm. The squad shifted their bolters up as a pair of Originem Mortis marines leapt down, one of them swinging a chainaxe which decapitated Five in a single blow. The other was accompanied by a graceful-looking Gothitelle, who brought up her arm. Eight stopped firing his bolt pistol and began lifting the weapon towards his own head.
Bronzong fired a Flash Cannon at the Gothitelle, but it was no good. Eight brought his pistol to his head and fired. As the body dropped to the floor, Novus cleaved one of the marines in half with his chainsword and yelled at his squad to focus their fire. Another Flash Cannon from Bronzong-this one aimed at the Gothitelle's trainer-did the trick, vaporizing the marine where he stood and allowing the squad to down the psychic Pokemon.
As soon as the eight survivors had made it into the daylight, they were on their bikes and heading away from the building. Fifth Squad had made it out as well, and were already speeding away on their Rhyhorn. The other squads had not reappeared.
"Over there!" said Mentis a few minutes later. Novus looked and saw a large force of Imperial Guardsmen fighting a group of Originem Mortis marines-or rather, being slaughtered. He swung the landspeeder around. "Fire!"
The four surviving bikers of Seventh raced towards the furious melee, as the two landspeeders opened fire with their heavy bolters, tearing the enemy apart.
"Halt" Novus held up a fist and dismounted from the speeder. Mentis kept the engine running, all the same. "Guardsman!" he called to the nearest officer.
"S-Sire…" stammered the Guardsman. He got down on one knee. "Praise Arceus. Thank you. You saved us."
"You're welcome, Guardsman" Novus cut him off. "But praise won't win this war. Where's your commanding officer?"
The Guardsman pointed at a flayed corpse a few meters away. A Crobat was flying above the body, occasionally flying closer and nudging it as if hoping it would wake up.
"Right" frowned Novus. "In that case, you'll have to tell us, where's the nearest aircraft depot?"
The Guardsman pointed at a building in the distance. "There, sir, but it's been taken over by the enemy. Nightshade Company assaulted it, trying to recapture it, and we haven't heard from them since."
"A minor problem for us" Novus declared. "Put your faith in our lord Mew that we will succeed. Gather your men, Corporal."
"S-sire?" asked the Guardsman. "I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. I'm a mere private."
"Not any more, Corporal. Gather your surviving forces. We're getting off this planet, and coming back with reinforcements, and to do that, we need to take that depot."
"Sire!" The Guardsman snapped a salute and went to marshal his forces. Novus turned to the rest of the eighteen-strong group of Marine survivors. "Alright, everyone. Check your weapons, make sure you and your Pokemon are fed and rested, and prepare to take that depot."
Sorry this one's short… had a lot of work to do this week. Should be one more chapter on this arc, then after that I can't promise regular updates for a while. Sad face.
Happy face, though, I have a new member of the Advisory Council of This Story. Welcome Iron4, also of Spacebattles.
