Chapter 43: Warrior Ground
Reviewers:
Marine Brother Shran: Thanks for your support. A really bloody battle you want. Read and maybe you'll like what you see. By the way, which chapter do you hail from Brother Marine? Et Imperator.
Skyrosa: Read and find out.
BGTom: I see. I thought only A-Wings could do the slash. Thanks for clearing that up. You're right, the Empire is gearing up, but I have several ideas of my own for the Imperium.
Vortex Inferno: Sorry about the Orks. I'll try and make them better in future chapters. Oh, and by honor I meant that Klingons don't usually gang up on their foes.
Silvanas: Thanks. Dune sounds good, but someone told me it's the most politically complex universe anywhere. So send me the address of that site and I'll see what I can do.
Grufbar: Good idea. Starcraft is looking likely.
Lennox: Most of the leaders will probably support the action against the Nietzscheans. I'll try and take my time with chapters from now on.
Darth: My pleasure.
Liljimmyurine: That's a great idea. They can fight right alongside the Klingons.
The BEE: Et Imperator!
LXC: You got it!
Imperium drop ships screamed through the upper atmosphere, trailing fire from reentry. Ground fire and the remaining fighters attempted to bring down as many ships as they could, but all they accomplished was to put on a light show for the ground troops as their fire bounced off shields. Drop pods hit first, fired from orbit, and from the swirling dust emerged Space Marines of the Black Dragons chapter, their combat blades glinting in the light of the enemy fire. They would be the spearhead.
General Gran, the Nietzschean in charge of the defense of base Alpha, watched as massive transport vessels dropped to the ground. From them emerged waves of men in black combat armor. They each carried a rifle, a pair of handguns and a pair of knives tucked into their combat boots. The General's armored units moved up and fired fragmentation grenades, cutting dozens of the enemy troopers to pieces and splattering their blood onto their comrades. Cries of anger and pain rose from the enemy. Then the General saw black shapes moving faster than any man should be able to move.
Corporal Tuck Drennel hit the dirt as enemy fire passed over his head. He saw dozens of his friends cut to pieces. He felt something warm splatter on his face and his hand came away crimson.
"Open fire men! Take them out!" He called out, shouldering his pulse rifle. The latest deign, it fired high yield energy rounds, each having the force of a bolt shell. It also incorporated a grenade launcher, which he fired into the enemy lines along with the other men on his regiment, the 427th Gudranite Rifles. Then he saw Space Marines moving up. They had what looked like curved swords sprouting from their forearms and elbows. They raced ahead, yelling battle cries. Tuck ordered his men to follow them in. They'd draw fire which would allow his men to get in amongst the enemy. He switched his firing selection to armor piercing rounds and targeted an enemy tank that was butchering B Company. Shells pierced the vehicles armor and detonated its ammo magazine, ending the vehicles' life in a fireball that briefly illuminated the battlefield. His squad took cover behind a pile of broken concrete and gave the Black Dragons some covering fire.
Sergeant Drake of the Black Dragons Dragon Claws unit ran full out, heading for the enemy lines. Three of his battle brothers fell, but that only made those who were felt more determined to reach the enemy. He shouldered aside a barricade that had been set up and he was in with the enemy. He swept his blades around him and cut five enemy troops apart, their bright red blood leaking down his black armor and their bodies crumpling to the ground. More of the enemy rushed him, swinging forearm blades of their own but they were just bone and they bounced off his armor. He swung his Adamantium sheathed blades and disemboweled them.
General Gran watched the massive figures in armor slice through his men. They had protrusions similar to bone blades, but these were longer and sheathed in metal.
"Move the second line up. Tell them to focus on those armored monsters." He ordered. He stuck his head above the reserve trench and began shouting orders. Then the head of the officer next to him exploded, showering the General in blood and bone fragments. He swiftly ducked. The enemy had snipers! He listened to his comm. It was not good. The black troopers had created a sizable breach in his main line, and the enemy foot soldiers were flooding into the gap. Also, a third wave was catching up with the second. It was made up of troops who had wrinkled foreheads and dark skin. They wielded two handed blades in their hands, and when they reached the trench, their blades glowed a faint blue and they began carving his troops into pieces.
"Forward!" General Kolgoth ordered. He had been returning from the battle for Cardassia Prime, which had led to the surrender of their alliance. Lord Admiral Madthayn had contacted him and requested he participate in a battle in another galaxy for another Earth. He had of course agreed and his fleet had arrived over the planet only minutes after the main assault had begun. He had just reached the trench and the enemy came at him. He blasted two with his plasma pistol before activating his power Bat'leth and cutting the others in two. Then a very large one came at him, a sword clenched in both hands. Kolgoth took the challenge and deactivated his Bat'leth's power field.
The enemy came at Kolgoth with a lightning quick slash of his blade. Kolgoth parried with his own blade and tried to take the enemy's hands off, but he dodged and gave Kolgoth an elbow to the jaw. While Kolgoth was regaining his balance, the Nietzschean swung his bone blades at Kolgoth, ripping open a gash in the warrior's side. Kolgoth, blood running down his side, cried out in rage and swung his blade with all his might. The enemy blocked but Kolgoth the shock of the impact to spin around and plant his Bat'leth in the enemy's chest. The enemy, not dead yet, took advantage of Kolgoth's weapon being lodged in his body and attempted to take his enemy's head off with hi blood soaked sword. Kolgoth, reading the move, ducked and the blade passed centimeters over his head. Then the General withdrew the Bat'leth from the Nietzscheans's body and took his head off with one quick swing. The enemy's body fell to the ground, blood fountaining from his severed neck.
"Fall back! Fall back!" General Gran ordered. The enemy had broken through his lines at three points, and the black armored warriors were proving nearly impossible to kill. The regular enemy troops were more vulnerable but there seemed to be an endless tide of them. Suddenly five men appeared from thin air in front of the Nietzschean command staff. They wore armor similar to the black warriors, but theirs was blue. One of them wielded a long staff that cut through his bodyguards like butter. General Gran drew his pistol but the staff wielding warrior melted it with a blast of lightning, then knocked the General out with a punch to the face that knocked out most of his teeth.
Ultramarine Librarian Gothen slung the General over his shoulder and requested transport back to their battle barge. They vanished in a surge of blue light.
With their leader gone the remaining Nietzschean forces were cut off from direction and were systematically butchered in short order. A few surrendered, though they would soon wish they had died with their comrades. This same battle was repeated all across the planet. Nietzschean blood soaked the ground of the planet, a payment for what had been done to both it and its people. Tens of thousands of starving, shivering human slaves were freed and taken to medical ships that were arriving in orbit. The Nietzscheans were all either killed or taken to the wormhole to be handed over to the Inquisition.
On board Andromeda, Harper was shaking with excitement. Several of his friends from years ago had been rescued and were receiving medial aid. Suddenly he was contacted by Admiral Hampton. He transported over to his ship and met the Admiral and several of his head engineers.
"We want your help with a project Mr. Harper, one of the engineers said, smiling.
"Oh, what can I do?" Harper asked. The engineer whispered in his ear and Harper nearly fainted. When he was fully conscious again, he grinned from ear to ear and his eyes lit up.
"So will you help us?" The Admiral asked.
"You bet!" Harper replied, imagining the end result. He was quivering with anticipation.
Several hours later Harper was on a shuttle heading to a massive shipyard being built in orbit of Earth. This would be the main shipyard for the new Commonwealth. The wormhole had been shifted and moved to the Terran system. Harper had been granted a commission of Chief engineer of the Imperial shipyards. He immediately began work on what he knew would be his greatest project yet.
"Man, Andromeda's gonna die when she sees this," he said to himself, imagining his work taking shape. Soon, his dream would be a reality.
How was that? Sorry if it was a bit short. Tell me if I can improve it. Well, now Earth is free and Harper is working on a super project. What will it be? You'll just have to wait and see. Next chapter we return to the 40k galaxy for the beginning of the final battle against the Chaos gods. Stay tuned for Throne of Blood. See ya then, and don't forget to review!
ENTILZA