You sound surprised, W40kFanatic… Just because EC didn't turn out well…
There was a jolt as the Relentless exited warp space. In front of the Vipers' fleet lay Paroliant.
And between them and it lay the Ork fleet. Swarms beyond number of Savage Gunships, Ravagers and Onslaughts surrounded no less than ten Kill Kroozas and four Terror Ships.
This was going to be nasty.
"Sir, Diamond Asp orders that we make a Cobra Strike on the planet and then try to isolate the Ork fleet until the 475th Cadian and Battlefleet Solaris arrive."
Torlus looked at Kaltharus apprehensively. "Cobra Strike?"
The Company Captain's expression was invisible behind the Terminator helmet, but the Inquisitor sensed he was grinning. "You'll see," he replied. "Let's just say that it's a tactic we developed for reinforcing blockaded ground troops without fighting through the blockade. It's dangerous on the way out, but it saves half the damage at least. I presume that you will be joining the ground troops?"
Torlus nodded.
"Then get to the Drop Pods. And be ready for a hard fight – nothing that can't fit in one will be getting to the surface."
Boss Golg Skullhamma grinned at the sight of the forces approaching them. "Now we got sum humies to batter! Da Warboss said dat dere would be sum coming'!"
"Not dat many, boss," said one Ork disappointedly.
"Dose are da Marine boyz! Not many of 'em, but dey put up a good fight! Load all gunz! Waaagh!"
The battlecry was taken up throughout the Terror Ship, and it shook from the vibration.
"Uh… boss… dey're comin' in awfully fast…"
Travelling well in excess of standard planetary orbit speed, the Viper fleet slammed through the blockade, taking little damage from the surprised Orks. Lance and torpedo fire sprayed from the Marine warships, and as they reached the outer edges of Paroliant's atmosphere, slammed the engines into reverse. Drop pods streamed down to the planet, and the ships pulled away to try and break out of the blockade once more.
Torlus gave a yell of exhilaration as the Drop Pod flew through the planet's atmosphere. He'd been in a few Drops before, but they produced an adrenalin rush every time.
A few of the Marines in the Pod gave him disapproving looks, but said nothing.
"Thirty seconds to impact," said the Pod's Machine Spirit calmly. "Orks detected in drop zone. We fight with honour, for we fight in His name."
There was a jolt as the Pod's engines kicked in to slow it from fatal velocities, but when it arrived, it was still enough of an impact to forcibly stand Torlus up.
The panels of the Pod opened, and with a roar of "Our fangs shall strike you down!", the Marines leapt out of it, bolters spitting death into the Ork lines. There was a jolt as the Deathwind launcher spat missiles at the xenos, and the sound of various other Marine ordnance filled the air.
Torlus checked the needle pistol one final time, and leapt into the fray.
Lasfire from the beleaguered defence corps joined the cacophony, and for a moment it looked as though the Orks would retreat.
And then no less than four Battlewagons roared over the hill. Shootas, zzap guns and rokkit launchers blazed at the Space Marines.
There was a flare of light, and five units of Terminators teleported into the fray.
"Devastators! Target the Battlewagons, don't let anything distract you!" roared Selarus. "Everyone, get ready for impact!"
Orks leapt from the huge constructs and charged, a mighty "Waaagh!" coming from their throats. The Vipers and defence corps lowered their weapons, and a deadly hail of lasfire, bolts, autocannon shells and promethium washed over the Orks.
More Trukks leapt over the ridge and yet more Orks charged into the fray.
"Inquisitor! The left flank!" yelled Kaltharus. With startling speed the Captain and his Terminator squad ran towards the indicated area, where the defence corps were locked in close combat with a huge mob of Stormboyz.
An explosion rocked the battlefield as a well-aimed lascannon shot ripped apart a Battlewagon.
Torlus fired the needle pistol into the mass of Orks charging the corpsmen, and as they turned to face the new threat one of the Terminators fried them with his heavy flamer.
And then they were in combat. Three Orks charged the Inquisitor, and he despatched the first with a needle before slicing through the other two with his power sword. Kaltharus was locked in battle with the Stormboy Nob, an ugly brute with huge tusks. Chainfist met power klaw with a vicious crackle – for the moment, they were evenly matched.
Another explosion rocked the landscape as the defence corps destroyed another Battlewagon with a lucky autocannon shot. The corpsmen, who had been getting slaughtered by the Orks, cheered and fought back with renewed vigour.
Kaltharus finally found an opening and killed the Nob with a punch that literally weighed a ton. "Everyone down!" he roared, and fired his plasma cannon at the next mob of Stormboyz. The Orks retreated in disorder, and were cut down in hail of fire.
Two more explosions marked the end of the remaining Battlewagons to missile fire, and the Orks abruptly started pulling back.
Torlus was just about to relax when a mechanical clank of tortured metal filled the air.
Six Killa Kanz were clanking their way towards their flank, shootas blazing. Corpsmen died in swathes as the primitive weapons cut through the ranks, and even one of the Terminators fell as the slugs found a weakness in the armour.
Kaltharus charged, and got off one plasma cannon shot before engaging the metal behemoths. Two of the Kanz blew apart in the detonation of super-heated gas, leaving four swinging their claws threateningly.
The Terminators swarmed the things. Although the power fists made them slower than their vehicle opponents, they also made them far deadlier. Two more Terminators fell to the constructs, but all of the Ork craft were ripped apart in seconds.
Torlus looked over the battlefield. For the moment, they appeared to have won. The Orks were retreating everywhere.
"Only a temporary victory," commented Kaltharus, as though reading his thoughts.
"Don't lecture me, Captain," replied Torlus. "I may be Ordo Malleus, not Ordo Xenos, but I know enough about Orks to know that they'll be back. In greater numbers."
Kaltharus removed the helmet, and bowed his head. "My apologies, Inquisitor. I must report to Master Selarus and see what our next move is."
Warboss Varg Bonesmasha grinned viciously. "More humies? All da better to smash! Dose Marine Boyz will give us a good fight. Ov corse, if dat's okay wiv you?" he added sarcastically to the tall figure standing in the shadows.
The figure smiled. "Do what you wish, Ork. We will not stop you. All that we requested is that you attack this planet."
"Damn right you requested!" roared the huge Ork. "Nobody orders da Orks! Wot I wanta know is when yooze Chaos boyz are gonna inta-sept all dose new humies on da way here!"
The Chaos Sorceror smiled indulgently. "Honestly, Ork. To listen to you, one would think that you were scared of facing too many Imperial lackeys."
To his credit, he didn't even flinch as the Ork roared in fury. The Warboss's power klaw smashed through the nearby Trukk without the Ork even noticing. "Da Orks is scared of nuffing and nobody! Got that, saw-sor-or? I just don't want to lose too many of da boyz before we goes onta da next planet! If wot you say is troo, den we'll be facing too many bash without losin' too many to attack dat wolfie-world! I bin wanting to smash da Wolves good an propa, and if you lose me dat chance, yooz gonna pay!" Varg turned to see the wreckage of the Trukk. "Who did dat! Get it repaired, you zoggin' grotz!"
The Sorcerer smiled to himself. So easily manipulated, the Orks. Something like a Khornate warrior – point them in the right direction, and then get out of the way.
The thought of manipulating the Khornate fools made him smile again. War was such a base instinct. Why Khorne inspired such loyalty in his minions was beyond him. No subtlety.
The Warboss noticed the smile. "You laughin' at me, humie?"
"Of course not, Warboss," said the Sorcerer placatingly. "But I'm afraid you must excuse me. I must converse with my masters."
Bonesmasha sneered, and waved an arm in dismissal.
No doubt about it, thought the Sorcerer. The Orks could be anticipated to react the right way. Though it would be a good idea to stay out of the way of them when the Imperial reinforcements arrived.
Yes. When they realised that they had been betrayed by the Thousand Sons, they might get… aggressive.
Hope you don't think I stole that scene from Dawn of War – the similarity is unintentional, I assure you.