That's right… Chapter 2 with only one review! HA! Wait… What! Only the brave Colonel Marksmen was hard-core enough to submit a review while I was writing this! Pugh! You pansies!
To the Colonel: Thanks for the tips; I intend to make full use of them.
Allright, on with the story and remember these words of wisdom: RED WUNZ GO FASTA! (I've always wanted to say that)
Chapter 2: Once More into the Breach My Friends!
Nikolai wanted to ask questions, like, why were the space marines here? They wouldn't gain much glory helping a piss-poor planet like Moldova, and why were the marines seeming to study their every step, even now, he knew, a space marine in his armor was studying him, but all these questions and thoughts were interrupted as the screams of men and artillery shells drove Nikolai to take cover in a nearby trench, where he ran smack into Mikhail, that darn Apothecary he met hours earlier.
"Ah! Brave Guardsman Nikolai! I see that once again the foul orks are attempting another attack! One that we shall repel in the name of the Emperor! Recite your litanies! For the holy words will work wonders against these heathen xeno!" The Space Marine exclaimed.
Nikolai mouthed the words, "Bringer of death, speak your name. For you are my life, and the foe's death" Nikolai thought it sort of morbidly romantic.
Romanticism did not belong in wars.
Out in the distance he heard the all to familiar cry of 'Waaaagh!' and, when looking up, saw the all to familiar tide of green skin brutes, of course, most of these were gretch, they weren't into the orkish mobs yet, he heard the rack-a-tack of auto cannons ripping through the gretchin, the slam of mortars, and the firing of lasguns, the gretchin were making their way toward the line, inch by inch, but that was not what Nikolai was focused on, it was the huge machine in the back of the horde.
Nikolai nudged Mikhail, "Uhh, Sergeant Medical Officer, Sir? What in the Emperor's name is that!"
The Space Marine boomed, "Cursed Xeno! That, Brave Guardsman Nikolai, is an accursed Orkish Dreadnought, if it is not destroyed by our heavy weapons, then we will have to engage it glorious hand-to-hand combat Brave Guardsman Nikolai!"
Hand-to-Hand! Was the Apothecary nuts! Nikolai hoped the heavy weapons would actually do something worth while and blow up that hunk of metal before the Apothecary began charging into the green tide, which, Nikolai was sure of; the Apothecary would not be hesitant to bring the guardsmen into the fray as well.
"Why won dis ting go fasta? We 'ainted it red an everyting!" a Lootaboy near the Orkish Dreadnought questioned his Nob leader.
"I don't know, Mekboyz 'robably don't know 'ow ta git dis ting workin' right anyway,"
As almost on cue, the Dreadnought launched its rocket launcher at the line of human defenses, of course, he undershot and blew up a group of gretchin, which the Lootaboyz found uproariously funny.
"Dis ting may not be fast, but it can be funny!"
"Shuddup! Be 'uite so 'e can do it agin!"
Meanwhile, back at the human lines, Nikolai found that shooting the ork horde was getting a bit boring, but, at least it was better than the apothecary ranting about the Emperor in His Infinite Grace and Glory So That Upon His Glorious Golden Throne He May Guide The Loyal and The Just to Extinguish All That Would Threaten the Glorious (But not as glorious as the Emperor, because that's just heresy) Imperium of Man, just thinking that made Nikolai nearly yawn, then he noticed something bad.
The Dreadnought had almost reached the bunker, it was only twenty meters from it, and the Apothecary drew a chain sword, not a good sign, mind you, and began, "Brave Guardsmen! We shall soon go to the fray to fight the filthy xeno creation! You must not falter! You must no-"He was cut short as two Krak Missiles and one Lascannon shot completely obliterated the Dreadnought.
"Well, Sergeant Apothecary, Sir, I don't think we have to charge anymore," Nikolai said.
"Yes, that is true, Brave Guardsman Nikolai," the Apothecary said, an obvious hint of sadness on his voice that he could not bring righteous justice upon the filthy ork invaders.
Slowly, the ork tide began falling back, the guardsmen were victorious, but soon, and all of the survivors of the 607th were called to a meeting of 'Utmost importance' as the Commissar said it.
When the men were all assembled, they saw a man clad in Terminator Armor, it was beautiful, the armor gleamed and Purity seals were pinned all around the armor, an insignia of a crossed blade and hammer on the shoulder pad signified the wearer as part of the Emperor's Dragoons, the armor was an incredibly dark blue, with jagged gold lines going from the neck crest, to the neatly shined boots, Nikolai never noticed the marine's armor before, and he was, well, dumbfounded, marines practically made an art of war…
The man in the Terminator armor began, his voice booming across the chamber the men were situated in, "Brave, brave guardsmen of Moldova, I am Supreme Terminator Captain Riker Illin! You have fought valiantly along-side us and have prevailed against the xeno invaders, therefore, I have a special announcement to make, and you are to be relieved by the 708th Moldovan Rifles division!"
The men were nearly overwhelmed, they were already retiring? It was only five years of service! A brutal five years, yes, but five years! Guardsmen were known to serve over forty years at times! Their luck! Of course, this excitement faded as the captain continued.
"Most of you ask yourselves, why are you being relieved? The answer is simple; the Emperor's Dragoons need your aid in the coming struggles they will face, a Crusade against the foul enemies of the Emperor!"
That was why they were here! Conscripting guardsmen to go on a crusade! Nikolai pinched himself, Crusades were worse than being here! And to think, twenty or more years with the chance of being grouped with Mikhail's division! It nearly made him think of suicide!
When the meeting was over, the Guardsmen were told that they were to board the shuttles to the Emperor's Dragoon's fleet; Nikolai spent most of the time looking at the planet he would never see again, and thinking of the horrors that awaited him.