Nam Imperator
Chapter 6 – Badly-plotted ending
I clenched my fist in anger, who does he think he is, talking to me like a long-lost friend. The only way I can put what was happening in words is the use of a cliché; I felt my blood boil at the very sight of the man. He let his arms drop to his sides, it would have pained me to describe the action as graceful but in a situation such as this, you really don't have time to pick up a Vocabulorum Lexicon and find another word suitable.
I fingered the trigger of my rifle, if; at the stake of my life that I was able to get a shot off and splatter this traitorous cur's brains across the room, I would have done it. Had it not been for the countless barrels pointing at us and the numerous heretics standing in our way, it would have been as simple as taking a Lho-stick from a rookie. Not that I have, or ever will require to take one of the putrid things.
The traitor motioned to a couple of the carapace-clad heretics to move towards us, which they did so with great haste. "Sergeant, I would prefer it for all our sakes that you allow my men to relinquish you of your weapons."
The crack of readied weapons homed the threat in his order. I knew it would go against everything I stood for but I had to improvise, I hadn't counted that the traitor would be here. I gave a slow nod, we might be at a disadvantage but I wanted to place the traitor on the back step. "Fine, but we keep our pistols."
The traitor gave a small smile, as if he expected me to say that. "Naturally."
A fireteam moved forward, the leading member raised his hand for me to pass the weapon over. I gave his gas mask's tinted eye sockets a glare as I handed across my rifle, I could really kill the bastard but I swear he was laughing at me from under his helmet, I gave a small thought that I would get my revenge, I'm pretty sure you would have done the same.
"Remove your helmet sergeant." The officer, or what I would call an officer, ordered. His other hand was outstretched, his rifle hanging limp on his chest. I slowly unclasped my helmet, the seal wheezed as it was removed. I didn't pass it over, instead, I hooked the back onto a clip onto my belt designed for the helmet, I gave him a grim smile, he lowered his hand and moved off to the side.
"It's him." I heard the officer say as he moved back. They must have wanted me to remove my helmet so they could check my identity, a bit bureaucratic for chaos.
I saw my team gingerly pass their rifles over to the heretics, I bet that some shared my feelings, at both them and me for giving such an order. I gave a grimace as I realised if word of my action got out, I would be court-marshalled and shot as a traitor and heretic before the commissariat. Screw it, I had to complete the objective, primary and secondary.
There was a sharp clap and I snapped my head around in the direction of the noise. The heretic had clapped his hands, still with that cursed grin. An orderly moved forward or what I could tell he was one, he wore decorative clothing of bright colours, strange but it disgusted me thoroughly. He held a glass tray and placed it down on top of a console; with calculated precision he measured out a glass of some liquid from a large decanter, I would have guessed it to be some Amasec drink. I've never been into the alcohol craze, you should just pop down to the Monthus Manufactorum district for an hour; every border guard and foreman would be absolutely smashed, even on duty. I detested the stuff, it muddled your brain but thankfully the commissariat declared a ban on all alcoholic beverages across the sector, it helps with the morale, at expense of combat efficiency. But in this time, brutal madness is a fine substitute to tactics when it comes to the one against one in the battlefield.
The orderly passed the beverage across to the heretic, who took it without a second thought. The orderly removed the tray and slipped back to wherever he had appeared from. The heretic moved past the hulking, retched form of the Traitor Marine, whose helmeted head followed my every moment. The heretic swirled the dark liquor in the glass for a moment before taking a calculated sip from the glass. "You know sergeant, you have become a, what's the word, a figure of hatred among my... our forces." He gestured to the Traitor Marine for the last part.
"With your record, being one of the first mortal soldiers of the hated enemy to single-handedly to take down two of my friend's companions, the first two to fall in this campaign. Also in such a dishonourable method too, a lascannon? My, it seems a bit over the top. However, that is not the only reason to why you, sergeant, have been singled out by us. You are, metaphorically, a thorn in my side. My psykers had, kindly informed me before I had a bolt put through their loyal, faithful heads, that they feared a mighty war would break out, they outlined two key figures; me and you. Luckily I was able to find out everything about you through the PDF, and placed you near all the major battles I could afford to do before this holy uprising was sprung, in an obvious attempt to kill you. Which by the look of it, you see; has failed every time.
"Sounds like some badly plotted story doesn't it sergeant; the good, honourable, soldier being hunted by the unknown enemy until now, who reveals his master plan to a vain attempt to up his ego before his prey dies. However, I will come out tops, and this is how, having cornered you here I can eliminate you from the face of this planet and I will be able to complete my masters' wishes to the fullest, without any intervention from you."
He paused for a moment, I honestly couldn't believe what he just said, all of this, to kill me? Taking another sip from his drink, he took a deep breath, as if he was readying himself for part 2 of his speech, Emperor save us, this was getting worse and worse.
"Lexicus!" The Traitor Marine finally growled to the traitor, finally interrupting his speech, as even the soldiers were getting tired of it. "The great arch-enemy draws near, we need to finish him now! Unless we get caught unaware, and you know my lords and particularly the Gods do not take kindly to failures."
"Yes, yes. You have made your point many times, and it is frankly becoming irritable. I have factored their participation into the plan, we know they won't be here for another hour, then we can deal with them later."
Great arch-enemy? I was struggling to see who this enemy was. While I could have hazarded a guess, as I probably think you do as well and a quite accurate one too. Well, you are sitting comfortably in your seat reading this, I hope. I would have scratched the back of my head, almost like doing a tough questionnaire given out by the commissariat to test your mental strength and faith, throne, the wording on those were done to catch you out; they were horrible.
"Ahem!" The traitor governor cleared his throat, as if sweeping past the anxiety of the Marine. "As our sergeant has expressed, I fear our time for chit chat is drawing to a close."
I angled my right hand slowly towards my belt, aiming for the grenade snugly placed there, I was knew they were going to realise my actions well before I completed them. "Right you traitorous bastard, considering you've done all the talking around here, I want to ask one question."
I had to keep them talking and their eyes off my hands. He gave a small, strained smile, any glint to his gentlemanly presence vanished. "Of course sergeant, think of it as your last famous words, I will record them. You won't be forgotten, the man who was killed to stop the potential future of my great campaign. Once I have finished with this world, I shall take on this worthless Imperium in the Gods' names. I shall write history with this, my truth will be the truth and there is nothing you, the Inquisition or that False-Emperor can do about it. Because you will be dead, rotting on a stake as your skull is claimed for the skull throne."
What on Terra did he sound like, I gave small grimace in disgust at what he just said. If that was my fate, so be it, but I'll take this traitorous cur with me. However, if that were to happen, my service to the beneficent God-Emperor would end, not what I want, nor you I hope, because how would I be able to write my memoirs?
I dropped my left hand to my side and it hovered over my hidden combat blade. It was more of a habit to include it, it wasn't part of the standard equipment but it helped; especially in situations like these.
"So, if this is my last moment, before you wipe me off the face of the planet. Tell me, what is your plan?" I saw that a vein visibly pulsed on the traitor's temple. To me, it looked like a question he was not expecting, suck on that you traitor!
He gave an audible sigh, is whole demeanour changed in a flash, gone was the politician, in it's place was a rugged, weary man whose new posture boasted years of military training.
"The NCOs never learn their place." He growled, unclasping his robe, he let the item fall to his feet, revealing carapace armour plates of the highest customisation and construction, under this he wore black fatigues.
I tensed sharply, my hand gripped the grenade hard as his robe hit the floor, every soldier around us brought their rifles to bear and I gathered that over 20 barrels had squared onto our heads. His hand stayed level to where he had risen it to, as if a drop would signal our death. This was getting really weird, as if these bastards wanted to draw out everything with a dramatic action.
"I believe the time has come sergeant, let's end this badly plotted story with a bang, hmm?" He flexed his hands and I heard a couple of soldiers cock their rifles. "For the dark Gods, I will close this pesky chapter and end it with your death."
Now let me tell you, my world froze as he sharply dropped his arm. My whole body tensed in its last symbol of life before the weapons fired. Which they did. To a devastating effect.
XXX
Oh, well, if you thought I would die, then, sonny or lassie, you're wrong. If I had, how could I tell you this now? That I will ask.
XXX
The weapons roared in fury. As I realised, they were adding insult to potential injury/death. They were raking the walls behind us in a vertical, downwards motion to us. Those bastards.
I was about to rip the grenade from its comfortable position on my belt, the most amazing thing happened. Well, it nearly killed us.
The whole roof collapsed in a white, blazing explosion. Followed by the sharp thrust of some unknown and foreign rocket engines. I swear I got a small tan, or my armour did during those 5 seconds of thrust.
With a resounding boom, the thing smashed into the floor, crushing both heretics and innocent consoles and systems in the process. I scrabbled myself out of the rubble, for a moment, my mind couldn't make any sense and words would have been lost in a mindless mumble. The blur of sweeping down draft sent dust and smoke billowing my way. I frantically ripped my helmet from its perch and clasped it onto my head, the seal hissed as the filters brought clean, fresh air into my lungs.
The visor switched on thermal goggles inbuilt into the visor, for once I was able to clearly discern figures in the gust of dust and smoke.
I noticed, I may have tugged my grenade from my belt, I had lost it in the madness that surrounded me. Which I hasten to add, is starting to become a recurring thing for me. Losing stuff, my lasgun, my grenade and all that is holy in this battle.
No sooner had the thermal vision flickered on, a figure stumbled into view barely two metres in front, his back turned, no ID strobe flashed on his armour, an enemy I say old boy, charge!
I tugged my combat knife from its holder and pounced, the heretic gave a strangled yell as I crushed his neck with my arm, arching him backwards, I rammed the blade into his back; through his armour and between the rips straight into his heart. I removed the blade as quickly as it went in, I let the body collapse to the floor, the enemy was dead already.
I spun to acquire a new target, I saw it in a thermal figure 2 metres away, they were struggling to get out from under a slab of rockcrete. I moved over and as the red figure, that is only what I saw looked up at me drunkenly and raised his hand in a vain attempt to stop me. I knelt and plunged the blade into his throat with a spray of blood, the figure tried to push me away my his blood soaked hands slipped on my armour.
I felt his final shudder as I twisted the blade, severing all chances of a medic helping him. The bastard deserved it.
As I pulled the blade from the now darkening figure, I felt a person stumble into me, with a sharp turn of my head I saw no ID flash, another enemy, how many were there?
The heretic must have gathered the same conclusion, he tried to raise his rifle to fire, I struck the heretic with my palm on the nose, there was a hearty crack that crept through the noise of the autocannon nearby, I quickly stabbed into his groin, I hoped I got my target; the heretic let out a squeal and as he bent over, I brought my left elbow into the side of his head.
As he stumbled sideways, the blade slid from his groin, my hand was slick with blood. I brought the blade down onto the back of his unprotected neck. It killed him instantly.
I paused, as the body slipped to the floor, the thermal vision suddenly flickered off in a hiss of static, the view left to me was the gentle clearing of smoke and dust.
I frantically searched for the flashing strobes of my team-mates, they weren't hard to find; Wolsey, Hardrada and Sergi had grouped together to my left. Jefferson stood to my right, smashing the brains out of a heretic, I left him to it as I moved over to the rest.
They all stood staring at the mighty object which had smashed its way through the side of the tower. With gleaming silver metal, the dark interior stood empty with the doors that dwarfed any man in my squad. It looked like a drop pod, the ones used by the glorious Adeptus Astartes, I didn't know which chapter, but the presence of Imperial insignia smothered my doubts to whether they were enemies or not.
"Sir, the enemy have escaped!" Hardrada informed me.
"Of course they have you dumb twit." I gave a sigh internally at the obviousness of the statement. "Jefferson, get over here now!"
Jefferson spun from his now dead foe. "Sir?"
"Those bastards are going for the roof, we need to move. And I mean RUN, scavenge weapons and ammo from the heretics you kill on the way." I took my autopistol from its holster, checking the weapon worked, I turned and gave my orders.
"We have to finish this today, those heretics must be heading to the roof, they're going to escape and that cannot happen, you are soldiers of the God-Emperor, we shall not fail." I took two steps forward, and looked back at them, they looked ready. "Let's cut off the head of the snake, after the buggers!"
We weren't heading to a bad plot end, but rather the end of a traitorous, bad bastard.
Sorry about the long wait, hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was kind of rushed, any mistakes, you have my apologies.
Emperor of Man