Five

"I hate this planet."

-Lieutenant Taan Darrick, Cadian 88th Mechanised Infantry

'So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen.' Hamilcar spoke in Ponnim, the language of Qart-Hadasht, to the assembled officers after they had seen the recovered PDF footage. 'This is what we will be facing.'

Wide eyes turned from the hololith to their commander, a stunned silence followed as they were processing the brutality they had just witnessed.

Major Philosir was the first to break the silence. 'By the Throne,' he spat, appalled at the loss of Imperial life he just witnessed. 'Looks like we'll have our work cut out on this one. Those PDF troopers were just torn to shreds.' He ran a hand over his stubbled chin, deep in his thoughts. 'Still, nothing we haven't faced before. If the Emperor is with us we will make them pay in blood for every life taken.

Hamilcar regarded his second-in-command with an appraising look. Very little could shake the major after his years in the Guard, he could just as well have commented on the weather instead of the massacre he just witnessed for all the emotion that appeared on his aquiline face. Though this bellied Philosir's true nature, he would go to the warp and back for the men and women under his command.

'What are Lady General Morana's orders?' A gruff voice asked. All eyes turned to commissar Chenkov who made for an imposing sight in his peaked cap and black storm coat. He shared none of the features of the men and women around him. He was native to the world of Roskan and his pale skin and blonde hair made him stand out like an ork at a beauty contest. After eight years with the Qart-Hadashtim he had learned their native tongue well, though even his accent marked him as an outsider.

The stern commissar regarded everyone with his ice blue eyes. 'I have no doubt they will be carried out to the letter.'

'Indeed they will.' Hamilcar, nodded at Chenkov. 'We have been ordered to move up north along with armoured elements of the PDF.'

There was some grumbling at this, which was silenced by a glare from Chenkov.

'Aye, I admit that I would much rather advance with proper armoured support from an Imperial Guard regiment.' Hamilcar conceded, his distrust of the quality of the PDF plain for all to see. 'But as you are aware our armoured regiments still need to translate from the warp along with the rest of the battle group. It might be days, even weeks before they arrive. Which is why we are to head north with the locals, link up with the Athonians and dig in.'

'Digging in, sir?' Lietenant Arisha asked with a hint of trepidation, her sing-song voice seemed ill-suited for the harsh tongue that was Ponnim. She was slight of build like most Kan'anim, the noble class of Qart-Hadasht and the delicate features on her face were set in a worrying expression. Everyone in the Guard knew what "digging in" meant. It meant months or years spent in mud and filth while shrieking xenos or foaming heretics hurled themselves at you intent at tearing out your throat.

'Not to worry, we won't be doing any actual digging,' Hamilcar said. 'We are to move into one of the garrison fortresses of the PDF that is still holding out. They are still sending updates, but they are becoming erratic at best. If that fortress falls it will create a dangerous salient that the enemy could and will exploit. Speed will be of the essence, so the Munitorum has gracefully agreed to provide us with the rust buckets they call transports and the local tank crews will do their best to make sure to catch any shell meant for us.'

There were some dark chuckles at this remark.

'That will be all.' Hamilcar said. 'Get your soldiers armed and ready to march. The Emperor protects.'

'And lady Tanit provides.' His officers intoned.

Sergeant Yahsa entered the regimental communication hub. It was a fortified bunker filled to bursting with bulky vox equipment and an ocean of assorted cables which snaked across the floor and walls. Officially she was here to make sure the vox caster of her squad was securely stored and in working order. In reality though she was on the hunt and she had spotted her prey, he was sitting on a makeshift seat and maintaining an ornate vox caster.

No way out, she thought and allowed herself a smile.

She moved up stealthily behind Hanno who was checking his vox equipment. Apart from being the colonel's adjutant Hanno was also the regiment's chief vox-operator. In battle it was his duty to make sure Hamilcar had clear lines of communication with the rest of the regiment. It was a task Hanno took to heart and could get quite engrossed in, completely losing himself in the slight tweaking of dials and calibrations.

A mischievous twinkle appeared in Yasha's eyes.

'We need to talk, Saint.' She whispered in Hanno's ear.

The adjutant nearly jumped out of his seat.

'By Tanit's tits!' He swore as he recognized Yasha's face. 'You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. What's wrong with you?'

'Just honing my skills.' Yasha replied innocently, her well-proportioned face taking up a beatific expression. 'You look like you've seen some shit.'

'You have no idea.' Hanno snarled, turning his attention back to the vox caster. 'Now, if you don't mind, this fine piece of equipment won't fix itself.'

'Actually, I do mind.' Yasha replied with a hint of steel in her voice. 'I don't much like being kept in the dark. You saw something in that briefing, something that scared the shit out of you. I want to know what it is.'

Hanno sighed and looked at Yasha. Thick black curls cascaded around her hear shaped face. Her full lips were pursed into a line, a sure sign the sergeant was angry.

'Look,' he said. 'I'm sure Philosir will fill you in when the time comes. He's your commanding officer, not me.'

'Don't give me that crap, Hanno.' Yasha snapped. 'Philosir is alright, for a Kan'anim anyway, but he'll just stick to the technical side of things, like where to shoot the big ugly xeno where it hurts. I have a feeling you actually saw what these things can do. I want you to tell me what we're up against because I know you won't use officer-talk.'

'And why, pray tell, would I do such a thing?' Hanno asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

'Because you're Lybim like the rest of us?' Yasha offered. 'Us poor and downtrodden types need to stick together.' She caught his dead pan stare, so she added. 'And because I know about that little fling you've got going on with the chief medical officer.'

'So?' Hanno snapped, becoming irritable at the whole discussion. 'We're both adults and it's not like we're breaking any regimental regulations.'

'No,' Yasha conceded. 'But I do wonder if she knows about the other "liaisons" you picked up during our many deployments.'

A look of horror flickered across Hanno's face. 'You wouldn't.'

'Give me what I want and we need never find out.' Yasha said. 'Seems like a small price to pay to avoid Melita's wrath.

'Fine,' Hanno relented. 'But if this gets out Hamilcar will throw me to Chenkov.'

'Do I really seem so untrustworthy?' Yasha asked with feigned hurt.

The corporal grunted something unflattering before he tweaked the settings on his vox caster and flipped a switch.

Sergeant Yasha heard lasfire, animal snarls and screams that made her blood run cold.

'Lady Tanit protect us all.' She muttered.

'Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately.' Hanno said.

Chenkov looked at the assembled squad before him, they were not armed and armoured like most Guardsmen in the 49th Rifles. They wore baroque, bronze carapace armour, their faces hidden behind full visor helmets. They each carried a hellgun attached to a bulky backpack by two thick cables, ensuring they would never be without ammunition even when deep behind enemy lines.

In Ponnim they were called the Dorkim Qdosim which in Low Gothic translated to the Sacred Band. They were the elite of the Qart-Hadashtim regiments, each man and woman utterly loyal to the Emperor, the Imperium and their homeworld. In that exact order.

Outwardly they resembled the stormtroopers of the Militarum Tempestus, but these were not orphans claimed by the Imperium's many wars and turned into cold blooded killers. They were soldiers elevated from the ranks and given the best and most grueling training the devious drillmasters of Qart-Hadasht could devise. They were expected to perform missions deemed beyond the capabilities of the common Guardsmen. Which was exactly why they now stood before the commissar in full combat kit.

'Sergeant Maharbaal,' Chenkov nodded at the squad commander, identifiable by the holstered bolt pistol and the power sword that hung in a scabbard at his hip. 'Step forward.'

At this one of the ten figures stepped forward and removed his helmet with a hiss of pressurized air escaping. A handsome, bearded, face with green eyes returned Chenkov's stare.

'Commissar Chenkov, sir.' Maharbal said and snapped a smart salute. His voice betrayed his Kan'anim heritage, it was rare for one of the ruling class of Qart-Hadasht to hold a rank as low as sergeant. But though the members of the Sared Band were held in great esteem by all people of Qarth-Hadasht, it was unthinkable for a Kan'anim to follow orders uttered by the lips of a Lybim.

'Today is a good day, sergeant.' Chenkov began. 'It would seem the colonel has seen fit to give you and your troops an opportunity to serve the Emperor once again.'

'Will this involve explosions and the use of excessive force, sir?' Maharbal asked without even the hint of a smile on his face.

'Any objections?' Chenkov asked with a slight smirk. He had come to appreciate Maharbal's peculiar sense of humor.

'Of course not, sir.' Maharbal replied. 'It's just that an explosion now and then keeps us sharp.'

'Indeed.' Chenkov allowed himself a smile. 'You will no doubt give thanks to colonel Hamilcar that he chose your squad for an infiltration mission behind enemy lines then.'

'It will occupy my waking hours, sir.' Maharbal retorted. 'Though I suspect you will have more specifics.'

'That I do.' Chenkov replied. 'We have reports that some PDF elements are still operating behind enemy lines. Somehow they avoided being ripped to shreds by these xenos monstrosities. You are to locate any survivors, and evac them to safety.'

'Sounds easy enough, sir.' Maharbal said and turned to indicate his soldiers. 'My Qdosim are up to the task.'

'Of that I have no doubt.' Chenkov said. 'However, one more concern arises.'

'Sir?'

'High Command has deemed the information these troops may carry as a strategically valuable asset. Anything else you might encounter is deemed secondary at best. Are we clear?'

'Yes sir.' Maharbal said with no expression on his face. He knew what Chenkov meant. Leave any surviving civilian you may encounter to die. Or do you want a repeat of the Mombassa Incident? 'Crystal.' The Sacred Band sergeant added.

'Glad we see eye to eye.' Chenkov said. 'I won't keep you from your duties. Make whatever preparations you need. A Valkyrie will be waiting to take you and your squad to where you are needed.'