16
Sergeant Darsys ran through the wastes of Heshaasol VII. A group of Hormagaunts leapt out of cover at his squad. His plasma gun pulped the lead Hormagaunt. His squad's hellguns added to his plasma fire killing the rest.
He only had a moment to wonder were the higher bio-form leading the Hormagaunts was before his question was answered. A Hive Tyrant with an even larger group of Hormagaunts in tow came over the ridge.
The Tyranids were too fast and there was nowhere to run. There was nothing to do but make a last stand. Firing into the swarm of Hormagaunts he prepared himself to die for the Emperor.
Just as he was prepared to die, lascannon fire staggered the Hive Tyrant. Over another ridge, to their rear a group of Guardsmen with a heavy weapons team came to their rescue. The Hive Tyrant roared at the heavy weapons team before the lascannon took its head off. Without higher bio form to lead them, the Hormagaunts scattered in all directions.
Sergeant Darsys and his squad struggled up the ridge towards their rescuers. The commanding officer came out to meet sergeant Darsys' squad. The squad stopped in front of the officer and saluted. "Sergeant Darsys Kasrkin squad with the 41st" Sergeant Darsys reported.
The officer, a colonel, regarded them with a dead eyed stare "At ease. Is your squad all that's left of the 41st?"
"Don't know sir, we lost track of the others during the retreat" Sergeant Darsys responded. The colonel nodded "All right were headed back to a rear position, fall in, you're part of the 63rd now."
Though they constantly heard Tyranid calls in the wastes, their trip back to the 63rd encampment was uneventful. Sergeant Darsys found the encampment to be a mass of shoddy tents. A mixture of Guard and civilians shuffled around the place. The dead eyes of the men and women he saw hopelessness having taken firm root.
They set up their tents and settled in hoping to rest. He joined gossiping with the others. He learned that there was one warp capable ship still in orbit. The ship would be last ditch effort to rescue those who could be saved. Supposedly, a noble named Lord Foucault, had personally requisitioned a shuttle to take him and his large security detail up to the ship.
After a while Sergeant Darsys was summoned to the command tent to meet his new commanding officer, Lieutenant Soladon. "As you may have heard, there are many transport shuttles preparing to take whoever they can up to the ship in orbit. Luckily for the people of Heshaasol VII someone in the Inquisition has provided this last rescue attempt. This will be the last chance for any to escape." The lieutenant waved at a large map on a table. He pointed to an area that was a few kilometres away. "In this area a group of Tempestus Scions is trying to evacuate a group of civilians. I would like you and your team to help support their extraction." The Lieutenant paused "This may be odd, but you have a choice. You are also being requested to join Lord Foucault's security detail. We can't afford to send anyone else to support the rescue effort if you take the Lord's offer"
Sergeant Darsys met the Lieutenant's gave "So I have a choice between helping some of the Emperor's people, or babysitting a pompous Lord?" The Lieutenant made a quiet laugh in the back of his throat "I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Lord's offer. The security detail job will be much safer than helping a group of peasants."
He knew if he accepted Lord Foucault's offer no one would come for these people. He would probably survive the war living that life. However that life would have been the life of someone who believed it was acceptable to give up on the people of the Imperium. "I will not give up on the people of the Imperium, even now" Sergeant Darsys responded simply. The Lieutenant shrugged "Very well, just so you know I will not order any others to follow you. Those who go with you shall need to volunteer" The officer met the sergeant's gaze then after a pause shrugged. The Lieutenant handed Sergeant Darsys a sheet of paper "If you must here are the details of this extraction." Sergeant Darsys saluted and then left to gather his team.
As Sergeant Darsys went around asking for volunteers he found mostly only sullen stares of those who had given up hope. However his squad took up the call as did a decent number of Guardsmen, including a few heavy weapons teams.
From his tent, Lord Foucault watched as Sergeant Darsys assembled his team and prepared to move out. He had heard what the fool had decided. Lord Foucault knew that in this galaxy establishing a legacy was everything. This Sergeant Darsys would die a hero, he would also die a nothing. It would be difficult getting out of the system with a hive fleet present but Lord Foucault knew he would make it. Lord Foucault felt it was his destiny to establish a legacy that would last longer than any the Imperium had witnessed.
There was a sound behind him, he turned just in time to see his servant in mid fall. As she fell, she spilled his caffeine all over his jacket. Bristling with rage he stood, he slowly wiped the caffeine off his jacket. He paid particular attention to wiping his personal crest. He was quite proud of the crest, an Aquilla circled by a serpent biting its tail.
"Get down" he barked at the girl, he would punish her in the way he would dislike to be punished most. When she was on her hands and knees in front of him he took his boot and wiped it off on her head. "Get up" the girl stood, eyes downcast "Get yourself cleaned up. When you come back I shall expect you to dress me again."
When they finished readying themselves, Sergeant Darsys' team moved out. They had to make the trip on foot. After some hours of marching with the calls of Tyranids echoing through the wastes, they approached their destination.
As they neared the area they heard the sounds of a pitched battle. The team came over a hill and looked down on the Tempestus Scions they were trying to rescue fighting off a horde of Hormagaunts. A Tervigon leading them roared at the defenders.
Sergeant Darsys directed his heavy weapons teams to fire on the Tervigon. The heavy weapons teams set up their weapons and began pouring autocannon and lascannon fire at the Tervigon.
The Tervigon staggered its armour absorbing the fire. It roared again and a section of the Hormagaunts charged up the hill. The rest of Sergeant Darsys' team formed a perimeter protecting the Heavy weapons teams. They poured fire into the advancing Hormagaunts.
Sergeant Darsys shot down one Hormagaunt, and swung his weapon at a second target. Too late did he see how fast it was coming. The creature barrelled into him knocking him down. Sergeant Darsys kicked the Tyranid up so he could place his weapon under its chin. He pulled the trigger drenching himself in the innards of the Hormagaunt.
Sergeant Darsys stood up just in time to see the Tervigon brooding another wave of Hormagaunts. They could not survive another wave of Tyranids. Some autocannon fire knocked a plate off the armour on the Tervigon's head. Sergeant Darsys supercharged his plasma gun and fired at the opening. He breathed a sigh of relief as the plasma hit home.
The Tervigon fell over its brain reduced to smoking ash and the brooding stopped. The surviving Hormagaunts ran off in all directions without the direction of the Hive Mind.
Sergeant Darsys' group made it down to the Scions and the civilians they were defending. The defenders were sheltering in a large crater. The Tempestor made his way to the lip of the crater to meet Sergeant Darsys. "Sergeant Darsys with the 63rd Shock Troops here to support you, transports are on the way to pick us up." The Tempestor nodded "Tempestor Ventarax with the Alphic Vipers, we thank you for the support."
They took their place along the ridge of the crater defending the civilians. As he stood guard he noticed how there was no celebration among the civilians. The sound of the weeping civilians and the body language of the Scions under scored the despair hanging thick in the air.
Eventually another Kasrkin from his team relieved him from guard duty. He sat down to take his break next to a guardsman named Trooper Berian. Sergeant Darsys sat feeling the loss of morale trying to find a way to improve it. Trooper Berian began humming an Imperial Guard war hymn.
Sergeant Darsys recognized it as "For the Guard." He decided to try something, he began to sing.
"For the Guard, for the Throne
We all Serve as the Emperor's own."
As he sang Trooper Berian looked over at him for a moment and then joined in.
"On the battlefield demanding
We die standing."
The rest of the Kasrkins joined their voices to the chorus.
"For holy Terra for Mars
We conquer the stars."
Now the Guardsmen were singing along.
"Bringing all into the Emperor's light
We shall not break, we shall not bend
For the Imperium we defend
We stand in the fight."
Finally the Tempestus Scions sang as well. As the next chorus began those civilians who knew the song joined.
"For the Guard, for the Throne
we all serve as the Emperor's own
on the battlefield demanding
we die standing.
For holy Terra, For Mars
we conquer the stars
bringing all into the emperors light.
Though the bodies pile high
our enemies can't deny
we stand in the fight.
For the Guard, for the Throne
we all serve as the Emperor's own
on the battlefield demanding
we die standing.
For holy Terra, For Mars
we conquer the stars
Bringing all into the emperors light.
With fury and flame
in the Emperor's name
we stand in the fight.
For the Guard, for the Throne
we all serve as the Emperor's own
on the battlefield demanding
we die standing.
For holy Terra, For Mars
we conquer the stars
Bringing all into the emperors light."
As they neared the end of the song the alarm was raised. The Guardsmen took up positions to face down the swarm of Tyranids. They continued to sing as they poured fire into the writhing swarm of Hormagaunts.
"No matter what is lost
our enemies tally the cost
of when the Guard stand in the fight."
At last instead of singing they all shouted as the last lines became their battle cry.
"For the Guard!"
Their resolve renewed, they were set on holding on to whatever they could. It was all anyone could do in the madness of this galaxy.
The Tyranids were a sea of, claws, and jaws. Goading them on was a great Hive Tyrant wielding a set of massive boneswords. A Hormagaunt tried to rush past Sergeant Darsys. He kicked it down, pinning its head down with his boot his plasma gun pushed to its head he pulled the trigger.
A cheer went up from the survivors as the transports finally began to roar over their heads. The ships landed and deployed their ramps. With the Guard covering the retreat, everyone made their way into the ships. Sergeant Darsys lagged behind making sure everyone made it out. Just as the last ship was preparing to set off a small girl tripped, sprawling on the ground before the approaching Tyranids. Firing into the swarm Sergeant Darsys rushed to the girls side. He picked her up and pushed her towards the ship. He turned to see the ship lifting off with the ramp slowly closing. He picked up the girl and hurled her up to the ramp.
As she caught the ramp he was bowled over by the swarm. His plasma gun was knocked away. With Hormagaunts on top of him he pulled out his combat knife and las pistol. He slashed and fired wildly into the swarm. His helmet was torn off, he looked up to see the girl still looking down on him from the edge of the closing ramp.
He didn't want the memory of him to be to be terror in his face as he died for her. He wanted her to know he was glad to give his life for hers. Dying to the Tyranid swarm would not be a good way to go. Still he would rather die this way a hundred times than spend one minute of the other life. He smiled and nodded at the girl. Shouting "For the Guard!" he slashed and stabbed at the Hormagaunts as the ramp closed.
Thane stood looking up at the statue. He thought an impressive Impressive monument to the Imperial hero Sergeant Darsys. Everyone in sub sector Castellum knew the story of Sergeant Darsys. The sub sector owed its prosperity to the work of the Administratum official Eawynn Dammark. Lady Dammark's parents had died in a Tyranid invasion. Dirty and dishevelled she had looked like nothing but a common peasant when she was rescued. After being rescued she was sent to the Scholam Progenia where she was fast tracked into service with the Administratum.
Lady Dammark had spent her whole career remembering the Kasrkin sergeant who gave his life to save her. In his name she had spent her whole career doing her best to help those who seemed the least important.
Thane noticed that some filth was stuck to his boot. Near him were some broken pieces of a statue that had been demolished to make room for the new statue. He vaguely remembered that the statue that had been demolished was of some lord. Thane thought he heard the lord was also a survivor of the invasion. The forgotten lord had dishonoured himself requisitioning teams for his security detail away from those supporting the evacuation. Thane didn't really care about the lord, he was of no consequence. Even if the lord hadn't been dishonoured all anyone would remember of him would be his monuments. He wiped his boot on the head of the broken statue. Thane noticed another piece of the broken statue, a crest depicting an Aquilla circled by a serpent. What people really remembered were ideals. Ideals like those of Sergeant Darsys who gave everything for the people of the Imperium were what mattered.