Chapter 8:

Canndenburg Resistance

Canndenburg continued to burn in the distance. It was inconceivable that the poor helpless souls locked in those cages wouldn't be caught up in the inferno that now engulfed the town. The members of the unit couldn't do more than spare a thought for the wretches of Canndenburg. And perhaps offer a prayer to the god emperor for a quick death. Judging by the flames raging out of control, they would have their final release from the clutches of the arch enemy. Captain Dennon had to stay focussed on the mission. She couldn't afford the luxury of regret or the desire to pity those unfortunate souls. Only the destruction of the Behemoth Siege Guns could make this mission worth the risk and the pain involved.

The unit made its way through the edge of Sharnswood Forest. The forest lay to the north of the town, twelve hundred square miles of dense woodland, unlike Rorkers it had never been logged by the loggers of Canndenburg. Captain Dennon took out her binoculars and stared into the night, back towards the town. Surprisingly the fire had not reached the cages and seemed confined to the southern part of the town for now. Traitor guardsmen worked frantically to douse the flames.

What drew her immediate attention was the convoy of vehicles travelling in column and leaving the town heading in the direction they had just travelled. She counted a dozen armoured half tracks packed, each packed with troops. They would be at the woods in a matter of minutes. Searchlights shone into the night, scanning the edge of the forest. Flare guns were fired into the night sky lighting up the entire area. Before Captain Dennon could issue orders to meet the oncoming enemy, the forward two half tracks and the back two were engulfed in flame, each being hit by missiles from an as yet unseen source.

Panic and confusion seemed to affect the half track drivers as they swerved wildly to avoid the burning and exploding vehicles. Again the convoy was hit from both sides, the flash of missiles being fired followed by the resulting explosions as the krak missiles impacted upon the half tracks. Only five remained now, disgorging their troops. Captain Dennon saw the burning bodies of traitor guardsmen as they fled the destroyed vehicles, themselves engulfed in flame. All eventually fell to the floor, nothing more than charred remains. Without warning the whole area around the half tracks lit up with the flashes of dozens of las rifles. Traitor Guardsmen tried to return fire, guided only by the flashes of light as they took a bloody toll on the chaos forces without them even seeing their hidden killers.

She watched as the drivers of the remaining vehicles were systematically slain one by one until all of the vehicles either remained still or swerved out of control and came to a halt as they sent traitor guardsmen diving for cover. The massacre that followed was quick, bloody and ruthless. Captain Dennon estimated the attacking force at approximately thirty attackers, but there was no way to be certain. She issued orders for the unit to deploy into squads one hundred metres inside the forest. She couldn't take the chance that the attackers could be hostile to them. Perhaps they were criminals or bandits, there was no point taking unnecessary risks.

Within minutes the attackers had closed in, a bloody hand to hand combat ensued as bayonets were drawn and the surviving traitor guardsmen were slaughtered to the last man. Captain Dennon smiled at the shear temerity of what had just happened, it took courage and skill to attack with such ferocity and precision, and perhaps a good dose of hatred. She could only think that they were either resistance fighters or Special Forces troopers that had been ordered to disrupt the enemy behind their lines.

She continued to look on as they took the remaining five vehicles for themselves, and gathered up the weapons and useful belongings of the slain troopers. Minutes later they were driving away from the scene. A commotion coming from the woods spoke of trouble brewing. She wondered what was happening and wandered into the woods her helmet giving her an accurate reading of her troops' position in the woods. What drew her attention were those surrounding her troops. Whoever they were they were exceptionally good at stealth tactics to have managed to get the drop on the veteran Rangers. A standoff had developed and one of the men in an old officer's cap walked forward.

"Major-Commissar Braden Geldenoff of the 259th Cadian Mechanized Infantry Regiment at your service, captain." The man said as he offered his hand to the weary captain.

"Captain Kara Dennon of the 23rd Cadian Rangers Battalion." She replied offering her hand in greeting, but still unsure at the wisdom of this approach.

"Pleased to meet you, captain. Now can you tell me what the hell you were thinking?" He answered and gestured towards Canndenburg by pointing his index finger and seeming to demand an answer.

"We needed a distraction, major. Though I cannot discuss the specifics we are undertaking an important mission for Cadian High Command." She said with a hint of uneasiness at even revealing this titbit of information.

"And the people of Canndenburg, who are still imprisoned there. Included members of my own unit, what of them?" He questioned with an accusing glare.

"If you're looking for a rescue party, major, I feel you will be sorely disappointed. All intelligence indicates an enemy assault is likely soon, any chance of a rescue died with that."

"There was never any hope of rescue, captain. We had resigned ourselves to that fact. But you have just made any attempt for us to rescue our people near impossible. They will pay the price for your brazen attack on their troops."

"And yet your own troops didn't seem to have any qualms about attacking the enemy troop convoy, major."

"We spotted an opportunity that could be exploited, we traded nothing for five half tracks mounted with heavy bolters, I'd say it was a fair trade, captain."

"And your regiment, major. Where are they?"

"They were mostly killed during the early days of the invasion. They tried hard to defend those people of Canndenburg that still remained in the town. But our forces were green recruits and heavily outnumbered, inevitably we were destroyed."

"And your men who just attacked the convoy, and these others?"

"We number no more than three hundred and thirty troops, remnants of the regiment. But also sewage workers, factory workers, farmers, hunters, police officers, even a few PDF troopers. They are the survivors of Canndenburg. We've been an effective resistance movement since the invasion. You've seen how good my men have got at what they do."

"How do we resolve this standoff, major?"

"We take you to our camp and help you with your mission. My men are the best you'll find for anything in this area. We know the land and the enemy positions. Although like you say, the number of enemy forces in the area has increased drastically over the past few weeks. It seems they are planning a major push all along their line."

"I'm not sure I can risk walking my entire unit into a camp, without knowing for certain …."

"You have no choice, captain. If truth be told we need your medics to take a look at some of my men, it seems they are suffering from some unknown illness, and my squad medics don't have the necessary skill or medicines to deal with the problem. And we can't just let you wander around without knowing what you are doing. It could mean that if you are captured you would reveal our position to the enemy."

"I don't know your position, major. I don't appreciate being threatened either."

"If you come along without any trouble we will allow you to keep your weapons. If you refuse we have a serious problem."

"You risk endangering this mission, major."

"I have asked little of you, captain. Surely you can see that we need your help. I can offer scouts and men for your journey, to wherever it happens to be."

"I will agree to this, major. I have no wish for this to end in bloodshed or the loss of any lives from either side."

"We are on the same side, captain. Have your troops follow us. I have no intention of herding you to our camp like wayward sheep."

Twenty miles along the twisting and turning path through the forest they had travelled before coming to the camp. Although calling it a path was stretching the imagination a little too far. Day was breaking over the treetop canopy, eight hours they had travelled virtually without the chance to stop.

Yuri wondered if there wasn't an easier path, the half tracks wouldn't have been able to take this route. He was tired, hungry and thirsty. He couldn't help but think that these Rangers and resistance fighters were nothing more than slave drivers for insisting on them travelling through the entire night without resting for more than a few minutes every hour.

The camp reminded him of a crude version of Hill 666. It was dug out with sandbagged gun emplacements and trenches. The entire area had been logged, an amazing feet considering there was little in the way of heavy equipment with which to do the heavy lifting. Wooden shelters dug into the earth must be the makeshift homes of this bunch of rebel fighters. An area in the centre of the camp was set aside for vehicles. He noticed a road going off to the north of the camp and the five half tracks alongside an assortment of other vehicles.

The unit was led to a long mess hall perhaps a hundred foot long and fifty foot wide built completely from cut logs. The captain, commissars, officers and sergeants went with the major to the command bunker.

Yuri sat at one of the benches, five twenty man benches in a row ten feet apart. It was enough to sit the entire unit in the otherwise empty mess hall. Yuri sat across from Jen and Leon.

"This is my good friend, Trooper Erina Varghas." Leon said as the young woman sat down next to him.

"Hi, Erina." Jen said as she tucked into one of the packets of dried rations. Just add hot water and eat, it said on the packet.

"This is Yuri and Jen, the two scouts from the 35th." Leon carried on, gesturing to each in turn.

"Pleased to meet you, Erina." Yuri said with an interested look in his eyes. Jen noticed and kicked him under the table. She looked at him and gave him a not too unfriendly stare. She was ever protective of her best friend Dina, Yuri's wife.

Erina nodded and smiled at each of them and then sat down taking out one of her own ration packs.

Major-Commissar Braden Geldenoff sat back in his wooden chair taking in the people before him. He looked at captain Dennon seeming to be waiting for her to speak.