Disclaimer- I don't own Warhammer 40k, nor do I profit from this work... are you happy giant corporation?
Why was man created on the last day? So that he can be told, when pride possesses him: God created the gnat before thee."- The Talmud
B-63 prided himself on being a top rate guardsman, he had gone through training that had broken him for a long time, but he overcame it, he had fought enemies that would tear lesser men to pieces, and he had put holes in them. But as he stared down the man in front of him he had to reach far into his reservoirs of courage and professionalism. After all he had never, in his entire life, which he was sure was going to be shorter than the norm, thought that he would be talking to an Inquisitor.
These types of meetings simply didn't happen, guard legend speculated that should one ever run into an Inquisitor they wouldn't be living for much longer. He was getting the sinking feeling what with the way his day had been going so far that it may not be a legend.
"My lord-," he began.
"Ah, if you must, I'd rather Dauntless or Inquisitor if it makes you more comfortable. Never been partial to the whole 'lord' title, I don't like the pomp and circumstance it implies," Inquisitor Dauntless interrupted kindly.
B-63 almost gaped, but held his face impassive. "Very well Inquisitor Dauntless, how can my troopers and I help with the current matter? Whatever it may be matters not to us, you only need say so and we shall do it."
"Magos Chevel told me much about you Watchmaster, and I must say her very generous accolades still don't do you and your squad justice. If you would like to help then have your men join my storm troopers to secure the immediate area, I've business here and If you wouldn't mind I'd like for you to join me. I believe the least I could do is show you the reason for your sacrifices," Dauntless stated.
B-63's spine prickled, learning of certain secrets was liable to get you killed, but he wondered if it would be an insult to refuse the Inquisitor's offer. Ultimately he settled on the option he felt would lead to less grief later on, though it could of just been his curiosity that prompted his choice.
"You heard the Inquisitor troopers, join the storm troopers and secure the area, all of you," B-63's order was followed as B-80 began to get everyone else to move about to the storm troopers who had been going about their business to make the area as defensible and to clear out any obstinate survivors still clinging to life. The squad blended seamlessly with the professional guardsmen and B-63 watched as they began to take up guard positions with the red-clad storm troopers at the entrances and exits.
"On your lead Inquisitor," B-63 gave a respectful gesture. Dauntless gave a nod and made his way toward a hololithic projection table in the middle of the room, Kerelia followed along beside him while B-63 trailed respectfully behind. The other five people of the Inquisitors retinue found various tasks to keep themselves busy as Dauntless went about his business.
"Magos, if you please," Dauntless asked politely.
"Why of course your lordship," Kerelia ever chipper went to work on the unfamiliar looking controls of the hololith, after a flurry of manipulations with her mechadendrites and a bang on the side or two, the projector fired up and presented what appeared to be a maze of some sort in the air. The projection was unlike the usual B-63 had seen before, it was crisp and looked as though it could actually be solid. Nothing like the usual flickering, sometimes fuzzy images common on the projectors he was used to.
"We are right here, where you see the red dot," Dauntless pointed to a slightly more open area on the holo-map that indeed looked like their location, complete with small human-shaped representations of the many people in the room. "And down here is where we want to go, where the whole reason for this campaign lays Watchmaster."
"And what would that be, if I may ask," B-63 inquired, his curiosity piqued. Kerelia looked over to Dauntless, a silent question on her excited face, the Inquisitor nodded encouragingly for her to begin. She turned her ecstatic visage to B-63, the smile practically going up to the rough edges of her glowing green optics.
"Surely you've noticed the Navy's reluctance to bombard cities during this campaign B-63, and how advanced the enemy is?" Kerelia began, B-63 quickly noted that she was playing her usual game with him, she couldn't help it, and ever since he had met the infernal woman she just couldn't stop badgering him no matter what the circumstance.
"I'd have to be very thick not to have noticed Kerelia, this entire campaign has been one long meat-grinder for no apparent reason, it certainly isn't because of lack of resources, or bad leadership," B-63 stated. "Now mind not dancing around it and just tell me already why command is willing to put up with all these casualties, they're usually much smarter than this."
"63, come on try to think back on everything we've ever talked about technology-wise, what comes to mind that would cause such a situation," the cog-girl probed.
B-63's eyes went wide for a split second as the pieces snapped together for him, a conversation held long ago popping to the forefront of his mind.
"I think he's got it," Dauntless stated with a good-natured smirk.
"You're not telling me… not on this backwater, what I'm thinking surely can't be right," the veteran grenadier rubbed his temples, an old nervous habit.
"Well one thing is for sure they're not using heretek, despite the xeno presence. This is an old Imperial world after all, probably cut off during the age of strife," Kerelia began.
"The xenos here were probably an indigenous species, and the humans unfortunately built a civilization with them. Warp storms would have kept them from traveling out of the system until recently and thus we have the world you now wage war for, and as I'm sure you've put together their technology predates their current civilization," Dauntless continued.
"But still… the possibility is what, one in a million?" B-63's disbelief still persisted.
"Actually one in nine-point-eight million, but that's beside the point 63. We've hit the jackpot, we have very good reason to believe that in this facility is built on top of an STC installation, and not just any STC, if what we've been seeing is any indication this particular one may very well be mostly intact housing hundreds of discoveries we've never seen before. Improvement on current basic flak-armor able to take more punishment than our best carapace can, weapons that can give humanity a real edge against both xenos and chaos." Kerelia was beyond excited at this point, her optics practically shining in an almost human way.
"Magos Chevel is correct Watchmaster, this could well be the discovery of the century, and best of all this technology will be able given my authority to spread throughout the whole of the Imperium, within decades we may very well be able to arm the Imperial Guard as well as the Astartes. Think of the lives the improved armor alone would save, the battles it would win for us, I can assure you that this will change the galaxy. All we have to do is secure this world," Dauntless elaborated.
B-63 shook his head, taking the opportunity to finally put his mask back on, the situation was just getting to be too much and not having something to obstruct his unpracticed facial muscles was embarrassing to his pride. "Alright, you've got my full cooperation—not that you didn't before—but perhaps we should verify that the situation is as you say first before we start talking about changing the galaxy Inquisitor."
Dauntless smiled, "You're a pragmatic man Watchmaster, I believe you and I are going to get along quite well. As for verifying the situation that is what we're going to do now, we simply need to get to this area on the map, it'll be a few floors down, and there'll no doubt be more resistance as we go along. If you're ready I'd like to be going as soon as we can."
"On your word Inquisitor," B-63 said calmly.
Looking to her right Fenria noted that Jericus seemed to be doing well, though he had not been physically hurt himself he had watched B-80 go through what was without a doubt some very brutal treatment. Despite the things they saw daily during training there had been special mention given as to the effects of torture, or watching it for that fact. The Korps did its best with to train its troopers to resist torture; however it had to come to the ultimate conclusion that even with all of its indoctrination that some things were still going to leave mental scars that could not be initially overcome.
So it came as a very pleasant relief that Jericus did not seem rattled by the event, though she had noticed his augmetic wrist was 'twitching' for lack of a better term, it was really more of a quick rotation. Though that had been a small tick of his for almost as long as she knew him, meaning that he was nervous, but not overtly so because of the recent events.
Worry had been forefront on her mind ever since she had woken up in that room, it had been her to wake up first, and then she had quickly woken B-63 and the others. Together they had gnawed and otherwise gotten out of their restraints, they had set up by the door to resist whoever was bound to come for them. The absence of Jericus and B-80 had alerted them to the fact that they were obviously being held somewhere for interrogation.
She couldn't put into words the relief she had felt when she heard his voice, and recognized his face. She had only seen it twice before that point, on the Ipsum when he had his slight lapse in his composure and practically ripped his mask off, and soon after the augmetics were integrated. He'd always had trouble adjusting to circumstances; though that was part of the reason she felt they bonded as much as they did. He was always resisting, never overtly—otherwise he would've been shot long ago—but he certainly didn't seem to quite march in line with everyone else, so to speak.
Looking at his face now she was thinking about the difference between his current appearance and when she had first seen him, the bulky augmetic 'eye' was surrounded by scar tissue, faded now, but still apparent. The ironic thing about that was it wasn't even a result of the wound that had taken his eye simply that the augmetic was just a bit on the large size, and thus some more room had to be made. The rest of his face looked mostly the same though, save for the beginnings of a beard as they hadn't the time lately to tend to grooming habits.
Splitting off her attention between keeping an eye on Jericus and adequate focus on her current duty Fenria was content to feel calm in the moment. After all despite the admittedly bad circumstances the luck of the squad seemed to still hold, no casualties and they were now in a relatively good place with the arrival of the storm troopers. Although whether it would stay that way for long was debatable, but she chose to think of the present and overcome obstacles as they came along.
Overcoming sudden adversity was another tenant of their training, or at least keeping a level head during traumatic events. Glancing to her left Fenria observed the carapace clad form of a storm trooper, their fatigues were a dull crimson—not unlike that of the Randon, same color, but several shades darker—their armor was well kept, and Fenria had heard their gear was filled with all sorts of technological achievements made and sanctioned by the Mechanicus.
She had noted the very precise, fluid way they had gone about securing the room when they had entered, it was so practiced as to indicate a lifetime of training. Overall she counted their strength at about three, maybe four squads, quite a few in the case of storm troopers who normally operated in very small groups for sensitive missions behind enemy lines. Storm troopers had been mentioned in detail by the superiors in the 82nd should the regiment ever have to work with the vaunted warriors of the Emperor.
It was obvious that the Death Korps held storm troopers in very high esteem, though from scuttlebutt on the Ipsum which she had occasionally overheard such was not the case with most Guard regiments. The comparisons were quite similar to the insulting/endearing nicknames and descriptions given about the Death Korps, but no so much the endearing half. Although usually storm trooper carried the nickname 'glory boys' or 'big toy soldiers' by the rest of the Guard, specifically the Hoarfell who all around have quite the distaste for the elite troopers.
A third take on the subject were the Randon, who for the most part seemed to care very little about storm troopers. Much speculation went into why this was among the rumor-mill; it seemed to boil down to that the Randon were just too nuts to even notice the rivalry between the regular Guard and the 'big toy soldiers'.
Despite the many negative feelings directed at them Fenria found herself to be of the positive opinion toward the crimson clad elites, so far from what she had seen of the battle beforehand they seemed quite capable. Plus the fact they had gotten this far behind enemy lines and all but taken the previously secure installation was testament enough to the fact.
Back to the present, the storm troopers were moving, the squad they had attached to was moving at a good pace into the hall ahead. It was to the left of the one they had emerged from, so they weren't going back to the holding/interrogation area. Fenria stood still, as did Jericus, it wouldn't do for them to be going anywhere else without specific orders from the Watchmaster despite having been told to help with securing the room, so they waited.
Fate would not have them wait long, Fenria noticed as a now fully masked Watchmaster B-63 came up between the two of them. Her peripheral vision—for once not obstructed by mask lenses—spotted the rest of the squad around them too, all geared up and ready to go. She assumed the Inquisitor and the magos were not far behind, along with the rest of the storm troopers they had brought.
"Time to move out troopers, you two are going to be with me. Squad's taking up middle of the formation with the Inquisitor and his retinue, we're to help out as much as we can, priority is defense of the Inquisitor and his team of specialists, the storm troopers will take care of the rest," he was quick and to the point with his orders.
Fenria nodded, glancing that Jericus had done the same, feeling the urge come over her she couldn't help replacing her mask on her face. That old group inspired pressure to become another blank in the squad winning out against her minds small rebellion. She noted that Jericus seemed to grudgingly do the same.
"Ready when you are Watchmaster," she voiced clearly, the muffled effect the mask had on her voice more familiar now than her unaltered vocals had been since she had taken it off.
"Off we go then troopers," B-63 walked past them, B-80 with him, they fell instep behind their superiors. The rest of the squad was behind them, the Inquisitor and his retinue followed closely after them and the rest of the storm troopers taking up the rear. Again they were traveling through the corridors of the complex, though Fenria gathered that they were going deeper into the installation rather than getting out.
B-63 hadn't told them what exactly they were looking for, so that meant it wasn't important for them to know, but that didn't abate Fenria's curiosity. When they came to the first colossal set of stairs she had a sinking feeling about what they would be running into as they descended into the bowls of the building.
The stairs leading down were quite wide, as though to accommodate a large number of people, if there was a lift of some kind she bet they weren't using it so as to give as little notice as possible to possible enemy defenders. Either that or because too many things could go wrong on a lift, it could be booby-trapped and take them all out in one fell swoop. In any case the stairs would at the very least give them the high ground in the case of a firefight, though without much if any serviceable cover that advantage may not be too great.
Soon enough the architecture of the walls and ceiling above them began to change. Intricate fittings and what looked like piping ran the length of the arching ceiling and walls going forward beyond them into the depths of installation. Fenria was mesmerized by it, the sight reminding her of the manufactorums of Surris, though much more unobtrusive and sleek. The feeling that they were entering a place of technology was palpable to her though, even if it looked different from what she was used to.
Reaching the end of the stairs the strange mechanical architecture continued into the massive vaulted hallway before them, large enough to fit a baneblade with room to spare she felt very exposed along its length. The hall made an abrupt turn up ahead of them, a dozen meters or so, the storm troopers on point slowed and approached the turn cautiously. One produced some kind of device from his webbing and carefully held it around the corner.
Probably something to help discern if there was any danger waiting for them, finding what he was looking for he placed it back in his webbing and gave the signal. Stopping all at once the formation stood idle waiting for the information about what they would be facing. Fenria watched as the storm trooper who had given the signal appeared to converse over his vox-bead to the rest of the squads, and probably relay the information to the Inquisitor.
They hadn't tuned their own beads to whatever channel the elite guardsmen were on, and given the apparent disparity between their equipment they most likely wouldn't have been able to anyway. Thus they were left in the dark until they heard the detail out loud.
She looked on as Watchmaster B-63 went past her and to the Inquisitor who she now knew was indeed getting the report from the trooper ahead of them, his hand coming down from his left ear where his vox-bead must reside.
"Seems the inhabitants of this rock have a rather tough defense prepared for us ahead Watchmaster and plenty of room and no cover between them and us to tear us all to pieces before we can close with them," Dauntless his confident façade never leaving his face.
"How are we to proceed then Inquisitor, I don't suppose you have anything that can help in this situation?" B-63 queried his tone respectful.
Smiling broadly the Inquisitor gestured behind him to the ogryn standing behind him looking up at the ceiling in buffoonish wonder, a very large shield held idly by its left hand. "That is what my dear friend Aryn is for, Aryn please go help your friends up ahead, they'll let you know what to do."
The massive bulk of armor covered abhuman looked down at the Inquisitor with wide eyes. "Yes sah, goin' righ' now," he said slowly and began to amble his way toward the storm trooper squad on point waiting by the corner, as he passed Dauntless gave him a friendly pat on his massive armored bicep.
"Don't forget to put your helmet on Aryn," Dauntless called before the behemoth got out of earshot.
"Was jus' gonna put it on sah," Aryn lifted a massive slab of a full-faced helmet from his belt and placed it atop his head with his unoccupied hand.
"The shield will provide cover for the rest of my men to close and secure the position; while they have the enemy engaged we'll make haste behind them to sweep up the rest. Aryn's shield is custom made, had a refractor field generator put into it, gives quite a bit of additional cover to the sides too, a nice bonus when you have to move a whole squad behind the lovable oaf," Dauntless grinned at his clever solution to assaulting defended positions without cover.
Fenria watched as Aryn got to the front of the formation of storm troopers, shield in one hand and ripper-gun in the other. Hitting a rune on the shield the massive slab of adamantium flared to life as rippling energy sheathed its surface and continued to bleed out around the sides to provide a larger cover area. The lead storm trooper behind gave Aryn three taps on his massive back—more like punches really—and the ogryn gave a war-cry leading the squad out from behind the corner.
Not a moment later did they hear the sounds of enemy hyper-rounds as the firefight began; Aryn continued to bellow at the top of his lungs, though the sound got farther and farther away as the group progressed. Fenria was a little worried, they couldn't see what was happening, and her squad was cut out of the loop so to speak.
After a few moments of listening to the sounds of intense fighting and ogryn war-cries the other storm troopers began to run past them and round the corner, clearly having gotten the go ahead through their vox-net.
"We shall take up the rear of the assault Watchmaster, I do hope you don't mind," Dauntless walked by his strange pistol drawn, though his posture suggested he didn't plan on using it. The rest of his retinue came up behind the man their own movements suggesting quite a bit more consideration for walking into a firefight.
"Form up around the Inquisitor and his retinue troopers," B-63 stated loudly as he passed. Fenria followed the Watchmaster as did the others soon providing a forward layer of human shields for the Inquisitor and his retinue as they went around the corner to join in the fray. Fenria's heart rate jumped, her body preparing the familiar adrenaline rush in anticipation of combat, she breathed deeply to steady her body's natural response, to master it and use the strength and focus it would grant her without impeding effectiveness.
They abandoned the straight column pattern in favor of a more spread out formation as they charged down the hall in the wake of their comrades. They didn't have an ogryn to hide behind after all and it wouldn't do for enemy fire to take out more than one of them because they were too close together. The wide hall offered plenty of room for them to get clear lines of fire past the storm troopers ahead should they need them.
Though from what she could see of the melee ahead of them between red clad storm troopers and the urban camouflage patterned of the enemy armor Fenria knew they wouldn't be firing on the enemy from a distance. Aryn was a sight to behold as he used his shield to bat enemy troopers away like insects, one sent flying hard into the far wall with a resounding crack and ragdoll slump.
The storm troopers likewise continued to impress, their close combat skills were deadly, focusing on grapples and combat knives or otherwise shooting with pinprick accuracy at enemy troopers that were less than a hairsbreadth away from them. From first hand experience Fenria knew how hard it was to keep that kind of purposeful accuracy when someone was bearing down on you with a knife at less than two paces. They were making the whole thing look easy.
Ahead the rest of the storm troopers charged into the fray, leaving them behind to guard the Inquisitor who was content to let the battle play out without his participation and by extension theirs. The enemy defense had been well put together, though they probably hadn't had to deal with an ogryn before. Overrun the Endurholdgun forces about a full squad strong hadn't stood a chance once the storm troopers had closed with them and they couldn't used their emplaced guns to their best effect.
By the end of the small fight only three storm troopers had lost their lives, two more were wounded but still able to fight and the enemy troopers were all dead. Bodies either smashed or torn to shreds surrounded the bulk that was Aryn, the ogryn grinning broadly at his Inquisitor happy with his accomplishment. Fenria watched as the storm troopers gave the body's one last sweep, as was proper to take care of any possible living and then move on ahead without prompting from the Inquisitor to continue to clear the halls ahead.
Aryn stayed behind to rejoin the retinue where the two bearded men gave the giant friendly punches to his arm and verbal accolades.
"The captain shall go on ahead of us with his troopers; meanwhile I'd like to get a better look at some of the enemy's war-gear. I haven't had the chance to with how busy I've been since landing on this rock, not to mention I'd like to collect some biological samples from both human and xeno alike. Cohabitation can have some interesting effects, or so I've been told by colleagues, I'd like to find out first hand. Gunter, Schmidt if you'd be so kind as to use the collection kits I've given you," the two bearded men stopped their praise of Aryn to go and walk among the bodies to collect their samples.
"Watchmaster If you would be so kind I'd like for your squad to collect some of their small arms for me, I'll be taking them once we're out of here of course," Dauntless called over his shoulder as he, the guardswoman, and Chevel began to make their way toward the bodies.
"Of course, trooper you heard the Inquisitor, grab a weapon each. Different ones if you can tell, B-80 you stay back, I don't want you carrying too much gear quite yet," B-63 ordered.
Making her way toward no particular body Fenria soon found herself searching through the dead xeno's armor and webbing for any particular kind of small arm. She hadn't seen one before so she figured one would be something in which the Inquisitor would be interested. Near the small of its back she found her prize, it looked like a pistol of some kind, familiar in its blocky appearance, but decidedly one of the enemies hyper-round weapons and not energy based. She pulled it from what seemed to be a magnetic clamp of some kind to keep the pistol in place.
Jericus next to her picked up what looked like a variation on one of the basic rifles the enemy used, though it was shorter and the barrel wider, a scattergun perhaps. Regardless of what it was he stowed it across his back as best he could, magclamps meant no slings to carry the weapons. Fenria had the easier option being able to simply store the smaller weapon in her webbing, after figuring out how to put the safety on. Despite the advanced nature of the weapons they were after all still made for human hands by humans, therefore the basic operation was similar enough to figure out.
"I think we've gotten quite enough, its time to catch up with the Captain," Dauntless stood from his inspection of one of the fallen xenos, wiping his hands against each other as he did so. Everyone seemed to jump at the Inquisitors order and beagn to finish up whatever they were doing if they hadn't been already. Fenria took a breath and one last look at the fallen enemy before rising to her feet and falling into formation again with Jericus, B-80, and the Watchmaster.
Dauntless decided to leave the cautionary circle of human shields they had given him and lead the group ahead, his retinue mixing with the squad. Kerelia took place beside B-63 and started to converse with the Watchmaster despite his protests against it.
"This has just been one sideways disaster after another huh," Fenria glanced over as Jericus spoke having almost forgotten about him. His voice was low so as to allow some privacy, though they were spaced out and not particularly near anyone. B-80 was with the Watchmaster and Kerelia a little ways ahead of them, F-920 with the rest of their squad on the left flank, and the retinue members seemed to chat quietly amongst themselves.
"Yes and now we're going even further into this Emperor damned place for whatever it is the Inquisitor is looking for. Would it be safe to say this is the reason for the way the campaign has been going so far?" Fenria sighed back, if she was honest with herself despite claims to the contrary she too was curious as to why they were fighting so hard for Endurholdgun. After all it was obvious that the humans of the planet were not going to give up the fight, they'd have to exterminate all of them to be able to colonize the world.
"Guess well just have to keep quiet and find out then huh," he ended the conversation as they heard the familiar sounds of a firefight ahead, the storm troopers having found more trouble. Soon enough they were in view of the battle up ahead, dug in defenders, no less than three mounted weapon positions, all spewing forth deadly hyper rounds. And what seemed to be the enemy's version of a plasma gun, though mercifully none of the strange arc-energy weapons seen during their initial storming of the city.
Luckily the storm troopers were very well armed with plasma and meltaguns of their own supplementing their advanced hellguns. Meaning that they were doing quite a bit of damage and had the high ground on the inclined ramp they were fighting their way down, on the other side of the coin though they were facing off against an enemy with superior cover and armor with no available cover of their own.
The better quality carapace armor they wore helped to mitigate some of the hyper-round shots, but the plasma was getting through and slagging troopers left and right.
"Looks like we've arrived just in time, Watchmaster I'll need you and your squad to supplement my agents. I see one of your own is a sniper have her hang back with Lieutenant Virtanen she's an excellent shot as well and I'm sure they can take out some important targets, have the rest follow my men Schmidt and Gunther." Dauntless said loudly not a hint of panic in his voice. "Oh and Aryn please go forth and provide our faithful storm troopers some assistance will you. Watchmaster you and your Corporal will be with me and the Magos if you'd be so kind."
The ogryn merely grunted his understanding before making his way forward at a speed that bellied something of his size. Storm troopers parted for the welcome bulk professionally and with frightening calm despite the losses they were taking. Fenria stayed back with the somewhat haughty looking guardswoman in the tri-fold hat and they took up firing position to begin picking off enemy troopers.
Fenria noticed Dauntless beginning to stride forward, pistol drawn yet again and seemingly heedless of the incoming enemy fire, B-63 and B-80 more cautious as they advanced by his side while Magos Chevels mechadendrites flowed around her form, weapons coming to life from their ends to spit exotic energy at the enemy. The Arbitrator kept a steady pace at the Inquisitor's side as well shotgun at the ready as they steadily approached the fight.
Last she allowed herself a glance at Jericus' back as he went forward into combat behind one of the bearded agents—Schmidt if she was right—as they crouch ran to be with the rest of the storm troopers and join what would no doubt end up a close in melee.
Breathing out she allowed the steadiness of the familiar pre-shooting action to calm her nerves and sighted in on her first target…
A/N: Well technically a day late, but I feel I made good time, apologies for the roughness of this. Had a busy two weeks and wanted to keep on schedule, so I haven't been able to proof read this as much as I usually do. But I wanted to get it to you guys as soon as I could and I probably would've missed the mistakes anyway, lol. With that in mind kindly review if you please, I'll take... let's say six more, yeah that sounds reasonable.
BIBOTOT- Yes indeed the Inquisition! As for the xenos I will most likely get into a nitty gritty explanation about them in the future, however they are simply an indigenous race of Endurholdgun who grew a close relationship with the stranded humans who after hundreds of generations have grown quite attached to them. Thus when the xenophobic Imperium shows up and wants to exterminate them the native humans wish not for their friends to be on the wrong end of xenocide. Probably should've made that plot point more clear though, sorry for that.
SgBriggs- Could've sworn I've mentioned you before. Ah well here's another mention for ya, glad you're enjoying the story and I hope it won't disappoint with the next few chapters, though I feel they'll be quite thrilling myself.
Brodur- You're new! I welcome you to the story and hope you've been enjoying it, thank you kindly for pointing out the error in ch18 I've taken care of it and your review is very appreciated.