Characters
Helikian Guardsmen
Sergeant Munzn, Robert (20) - In charge of Moon Squad onboard the Emperor's Light
Sergeant Fell, Yzir (26) - In charge of Sun Squad onboard the Emperor's Light
Corporal Zhell, Darius (21)- Fireteam leader in Moon Squad onboard the Emperor's Light
Trooper Lyth, Dak (16)- Trooper in Moon Squad onboard the Emperor's Light
Sergeant Hilko, Dak (22)- In charge of Light Squad onboard the Emperor's Light
Imperial Navy
Captain Alexander "Ship Master"- In charge of the Emperor's Light
Pilot David- Personal Pilot of The Drake
Tarthian Guardsmen
Commander Sosa, Igguda (51)- In charge of the Tarthian Home Guard
Iron Drakes
The Chapter Master (?) - Unnamed Chapter Master of the Iron Drakes frequently referred to as "The Drake"
Amongst the stars we went
We expected to find a new world
It was on a world of death
It was on a world of hope
It was the home of the drakes
-The Historian
A/N 4/14/2020
Any new readers I would request you put a bookmark here and wait another month or so as I finish up the last 3 chapter's rewrite. While they follow the same plot thread. The writing and subplots change greatly. Those returning readers. I have changed a good bit of
Robert's Orgins
The Role of Helikians
Cutting out the crazy subplots that went nowhere
And quality of life things like basic grammar
Best TSITH
Helikia was rich in resources deep under the canopy of treacherous deadly fauna and within the view of terrible predators. Once before the war, Helikians freely gathered its wealth with great machines. Now, they cowered inside their cities barely able to scrape deep enough into the dirt to provide a dying economy with its greatest import "steel". The steel in question was, of course, its soldiers. Thousands of years ago the planet found at the butt end of an unholy alliance made by the Burning Star Region to prevent to one-time empire from growing. With time, Helikia found itself with no export it could take from the deadly fauna and the simple solution was to sell its youth. The only resource anyone was willing to buy from Helikia.
A Helikian was expected to serve Holy Terra as either as one fortunate to be a manufactorium worker dying young with the hope that the next day would grant him a larger ladle of soup or a larger tear of bread, or a Helikian trooper who services alongside his company were sold to the highest bidder for their private army, crew complement or a more official trade between Helikia and an outside bidder. At 14 being a head taller than his peers which was not saying much. It came to no surprise to Robert when he was conscripted and sold to the Emperor's Light under a 20-year contract which stated simply a small company of Helikians would serve on the ship with the expectation of hard work and humble living conditions in exchange for a shipment of grain to Helikia.
Fortunately, Life on the Emperor's Light was a rather simple affair for the Helikians on board. They were conscripted and brought on board when the ship's crew took a particularly nasty boarding action. The ship while receiving relatively little damage took major manpower losses for the armsmen for such a new crew that it was decided to take on men and Helikia was chosen as the ideal location due to its reputation in the local star cluster as reliable soldiers sold at cheap prices. The men brought on board were taken from all ages in hopes that they would live long enough to become part of the ship's ecosystem. The result was Helikians were taken aboard before they even finished training individuals like Robert.
14 years old and deemed above average in size and therefore fit for active duty. He said a quick goodbye to his uncle and for the last few years, he spent it fighting all types of scum in the lowest decks of the ship. Robert found himself a master at door to door tactics, and he was promoted accordingly to his talents with the promise that one day he could manage his very own deck if he pursued it. It was hard not to be proud and self-assured being promoted to a rank many others spent lifetimes trying to achieve. It would be a lie to say it didn't affect how Robert spoke to others despite his own protests.
Still, it wasn't enough for him, Robert like many of the Helikians onboard still dreamed of the worlds below. The fierce fighting in cramped corridors and the suppression tactics done day to day made them weary and hopeful that one day their talents would be acknowledged and buy their way back to the soil of some verdant world where their talents were no longer needed, but they would only be called upon to chase away particularly troublesome youths and that was all. A simple boring life where he would even have time to spend learning frivolous things like his letters and numbers.
For the last 6 years, that dream came no closer with their duties as a whole being odd mixed bag of all sorts. The shipmaster received orders that seemed to stretch the crew to their limits in knowledge and ability. After a particularly brutal brush with death, the ship was ordered elsewhere with only half rumors being left in its wake. Shipmaster Alexander was a figure all Helikians spoke of in loud proud words for a man with steel nerves and a heart for his crew. An opinion that saved dozens of bulkheads as the armsmen died before retreating, losing many of their brothers in the process leading them to this new honored mission.
A mission to follow an Astarte. Rumors circulated that the last battle placing them in dry dock for months was the reason they were chosen. A strike cruiser without a chapter to serve was an uncommon oddity usually chalked up to an administrative error or waiting to be assigned a chapter, but the majority of the crew for a time wondered if it was their fate until the Astarte arrived. His thunderhawk pilot was ruthlessly questioned by the armsmen for even the smallest detail and every crew member even those unruly mutants seemed to be filled with the Emperor's light as they seemed to work with gusto or in the mutant's case find work to somehow make the ship seem to run like a sailor's dream.
It wasn't but an hour later Captain Alexander came to Robert's hab unit. "Sergeant Munzn! I require your services if you are willing."
"Shipmaster, we are always willing to help you. You have done more than enough for us"
"Ah yes, the past should stay in the past. I'm sure you've heard of our destination? I don't recall ever hiding such facts from the crew. I'm sure even you Helikians have heard." Robert nodded in affirmation.
"I need a squad of hardy troopers to be ready when we arrive. I know not what we are doing there, but I will not have Astarte find this crew wanting and wait for any task. I cannot have armsmen training for every task and fulfill every daily duty. I want your squad to prepare for ground operations. I understand you have the youngest Helikians under your command. I trust you can prepare them for ground operations by the time we arrive."
"Absolutely of course I need-" Captain Alexander listened to the lists of requests agreeing to the requests as none were unusual for the Helikians requesting. Additional rations, additional range time, the use of the training ground within the ship, exclusion from the time-intensive tasks and more of the like. Every request was granted as not once had the armsmen broken trust with the shipmaster. The time they spent off duty was exclusively used for training and the shipmaster had yet to find a reason not to trust them, unlike Hilko's men who used their time to gamble and shoot the breeze.
For months, the men drilled from any and every scenario they could contemplate for possible threats on land. It was three days before they reached Tarth they stopped training and remained on standby for the Space Marine. The moment Tarth was a glimmer in the view screen. The Helikians stood in formation waiting for Astarte to appear at the hanger bay after Captain Alexander issued his final warning.
Upon the Astarte's entrance to the grand hallway. Robert snapped a quick salute without a thought resorting to the ingrained training within him to hide the nervousness of his task to aide the Space Marine. Doing his best to breathe deeply lest his voice crack, Robert spoke with what authority and professionalism he could summon.
"My Lord, we were informed you wished to journey to Tarth. We are under orders to escort you to the planet." A nod was given. Licking his lips, Robert questioned if he should continue speaking before a deep baritone voice rang out. Its inflection was tainted by the sounds of his vox speakers. For a moment Robert considered holding his hands over his ears before he stilled himself and future embarrassment.
"I do. I hope that the colony we find is peaceful, but its current state is unknown. I may need support should it be compromised." A quick flash of what compromised could mean to a demigod before Robert's pride spoke for him.
"If there's any trouble we will make sure it will be of no concern for you. If the threat proves too great we are made of Helikian steel." Robert proudly raised his head to meet the lenses of the Astarte. "We do not bend easily no matter the odds. That is if the foe is too numerous for you to handle" The Astarte made a gesture for them to follow, and started down the route leading to one of the hangers already designated for the Astarte. Unknown to the Space Marine, the Master at Arms had ordered the blockade of the paths on the route to prevent hysterical crew members from wasting the honored marine's time as he went planetside.
"I hope that it will not come to that. What is your name, Armsman?"
"Sergeant Munzn of Moon Squad milord. I've served on this ship for six years." A look of curiosity flashed in Munsn's eyes. He couldn't help but hope that if this was their new home. After 20 years perhaps he could find a way to the planet and live there where the trees were green, and the sky was blue. "What is on this planet Tanth? Cannibals, mutants or traitors?"
"We do not know, and that is why we are going in prepared." They made their way to the hanger, the mighty adamantium slabs that protected the hanger during battle slowly opening, the smell of ozone filling the deck as the energy fields that held the void at bay increased in power. The planet coming into view. The marine made his way to the same thunderhawk as he had before, its engines already primed. The armsman loaded in behind me, making no fuss about the too large seats and lack of human harness. They were already informed on the issue and made no fuss in fear of possibly angering the demigod.
The ride down was a gut-wrenching affair. The armsmen are trying their best to not stare at the Astarte or trying their best to hide their nervousness of the task. A rumble took the ship as they hit the atmosphere causing most to struggle and maintain their meals for they were far too used to the lack of atmospheric disturbances while aboard the Emperor's Light.
The men struggled to their feet upon landing excited to finally have their feet upon the soil of an Imperial planet. The men briefly jostled around and cracked jokes before their eyes fell on the Astarte and they returned to the grim-faced professionalism. The Astarte was unphased walking out before the ramp fully fell timed perfectly that the ramp touched the ground the moment his foot rose to walk upon the landing zone.
The men followed behind the Space Marine. Their lives had been spent so long suppressing other humans. The act of looking friendly and blending in was lost on the Helikians as the casually placed fingers on triggers and shoving those citizens aside if they stepped too close to the Astarte or their rifle. Eyes of distrust roamed over the contingent as the question of Tithe arose. The armsmen did little to ease that as they openly held their rifles at the low ready.
The colonists, more gathering in the space between their rockcrete homes, parted ways as their leader came forward. He was a large man, stocky from a life of work. An Imperial Guard tattoo under one eye. He was wary, a las-pistol was unfastened in its holster, but his hands sat on his waist. A habit that many Imperial officers had gained during their time in the guard mostly due to the fact a bulky belt usually sat on their waist holding a saber or such. A habit formed from laziness as one let his arms uselessly rest against their battle belt and look impressive to their enlisted soldiers.
"Greetings Lord, I am Eric Abistos, leader of this settlement," He paused for a moment. "I must be frank my lord, we have not had any visitors since our founding, thirty years ago. Might I ask why you have come here?" the Helikians nervously eyed their opposition. The voice of the Astarte doing little to ease their worries.
"I will get right to the point. I am an Adeptus Astartes, a warrior of the Emperor of Mankind. I have come here to build a Chapter of Space Marines, to safeguard this sector of space and the wider Imperium. I am now the ruler of this world by the orders of the High Lord of Terra." Eric wasted no time in sinking to his knees, as did the others around him. The guardsmen relaxed a little upon seeing there was no direct threat with the civilians in a more than vulnerable position.
"Forgive me, my lord, I have not heard the tales of the Astartes in so long, I had almost forgotten them." Many of the men and women made signs of the Aquila, their long-awaited purpose finally revealed to them.
"We have long awaited the day our founders' words would come true, that we would be the builders of an empire." Ah yes, a former commissar no doubt. Only one of them could survive this long and think they were somehow the cornerstone of fixing the Imperium.
"And builders of an empire you will be." From the chapter master's waist, he reached into a small pouch and withdrew a scroll. The significance wasn't lost to the armsmen as they were well aware of the power of any writing with a seal of approval.
"This is the full extent of my orders, I would like to discuss them with you, so that we may go forward together in this endeavor. I am a foreigner to this planet, there is much you can tell me." Eric's wrinkled face pulled into a grin.
"It would be my pleasure, my lord, if we may speak more inside." The Chapter Master nodded and turned to Robert behind him.
"Sergeant Munzn, if you could take your men and make a report on the defenses here. Afterward, you may stay on the planet if you so wish, I will need soldiers here as well." Robert saluted and started giving orders to his men checking the perimeter first as the Space Marine followed Eric into his home.
The Helikians walk around the town and couldn't help but shake their heads. The rooftops were slanted or just built for the elements. They lacked the flat surfaces or gently sloping roofs that Helikian architecture favored to allow improvised machine gun nests. The workers were protected by lazy boys and led by lazier men who didn't want to work in the mines. Instead, they took up the use of poorly maintained laspistols to protect what they could from the mistress known as the wilderness. Darius inspected more than once and found that the men hadn't even given the focus lense the common courtesy of a wipe down.
The long and short of it was that the militia was poorly trained, equipped, led and with little to no real purpose to exist. They were a group of fifty or so. Of them, at best 4 of them had some experience in any "security" based occupation with one of them truly stretching the definition as a door opener at a noble's estate years ago. It wasn't the ideal situation to be in, but Robert smelled the unrecycled air and in it, he could smell the opportunity of a new home away from the grim covered filth of the lower decks.
The Chapter Master gave no orders before he left explaining he was searching for something. Robert had the Helikians fall in line with the militia. For a time, the Helikians did well enough protecting those who ventured into the forest with little to no issue. Robert found himself butting heads with the local PDF commander over who was in charge. The end of the argument, or rather bickering would be a more apt word, was when the Chapter Master returned with a drake in hand and more or less told the Helikians they had permission to stay as he visited the local planets to gather support.
With the personal verbal approval of the Chapter Master himself, Commander Sosa relented and allowed Robert to run things his way with his men and in many cases with the militia. Few humans would willingly go against what they perceived was the orders of an Astarte. It wasn't long for the peaceful settlement to find trouble in the transition from a colony to an Astarte protectorate.
Tarth has always suffered a
paranoia over being attacked directly
this, of course, has caused Tarth to begin the
infamous conscription laws still in effect today
-The Historian
The Helikians and a good portion of the militia were off duty. This time of the week many would go to the local "chapels" or family gatherings to talk about the Emperor and his glory. For the militia and in effect Helikians it was a time no crime, mining crews or other troubles would arise allowing them a short 18-hour respite to enjoy their time and play a few games of cards.
Rifles were in the common rooms placed near their owners while the militia kept their laspistols firmly on their sides out of habit rather than fear a spontaneous rebellion or riot. Robert found it while never involved in violence. The patrols and constant bickering of the locals were more than tiresome and a rifle was usually more than enough to force peace between any dissenters. They only had to fire once or twice and that was to scare away a few kids from poking a prodding a dead animal on the outskirts of town.
"Sergeant Munzn! Commander Sosa says there's some trouble at the bar." one of the militiamen or boys came in. His eyes screamed the state of exhaustion he was in from constantly being on his feet and the endless shifts he was forced on due more to his age rather than his qualifications. His name was Aster if he remembered correctly.
"Can you get any more general than that?" The men continued to play cards already assuming Aster was sent more like a confused errand boy rather than the important messenger. Aster's face turned red briefly, but he spoke somewhat confidently. A huge improvement to his first few days as a trooper.
"It's the new bar with the priest" Aster made quotations with his hands. Immediately, every militia member and Helikian knew the man Aster spoke of and the collective groan of the men said it all. The damned priest was riling up everyone claiming at first he was sent by the Emperor before demanding and borderline extorting people for a "tithe". A constant annoyance Robert almost wished the priest would fall in a hole and never come out.
"Why can't Sosa do it? He promised us the day off" Lyth spoke up with the power only unfair circumstances could bring out of a man and his precious few moment amongst brothers. His hands were deep in his winning enjoying the stack of thrones from dice and the flash of terror in his eyes was that of fear that he might lose the golden goose that came in the form of unobservant militiamen not able to tell his dice were loaded.
"He said a herd of grox got spooked nearby and he's going to investigate. He's worried a drake found its way nearby again and wants to get rid of it before anyone notices." Robert rolled his eyes and made a show of standing up and reluctantly the men started to put their things away in rooms or the common room lockers. With Sosa leaving, everyone was on duty until his return. Those few they could spare had already requested leave to spend the day with family much to Robert's annoyance not understanding why they needed time off to visit family. On Helikia, the family came to the trooper, not the other way around. An unbearable Tarthian tradition that Robert would rather eviscerate than let it continue.
"Do we at least get to beat the preacher? He ruins everything sarge!" Zhell whined. It was a shock anyone was able to interpret anything he said as manly bravado than the complaints they truly were.
"Can it Zhell… you know what Sosa said. I'm not in the mood to argue with him if it turns out he's right about the drake. The small one with the Chapter Master is enough to make me not want to deal with an adult one, so if anyone has the short end of the bayonet its Sosa." everyone in the room muttered their agreement thanking the Emperor for not being on such a terrible assignment as their comrades as they continued to finish up the last bit of preparation before a militiaman broke the front door and ran to the front of the doorway of the common room.
"Raiders! Raiders! Rai-ack!" The militiaman found a blade lodged in his back and his body contorting in pain never experienced before. His eyes rolled back as his body begged to shut down away from the terrible symphony of pain shooting into his body only to be rejected. The half-second of shock his comrades had was quickly ending with a few more blades seemingly emerging in the chest of another trooper before the men took cover. The armsmen armed with their rifles fired blindly into the doorway indiscriminately hitting both victim and offender. At first, the Eldar seemed to be able to pick up the fallen body and using it as a shield until the body was decimated. The Eldar raider then twisted in impossible ways somehow dodging every shot and seemingly disappearing into the air no longer needing its meat shield instead favoring a graceful dance, dancing away from any harm and retribution.
"By Russ' beard, they got Vlad!" The armsmen ran to the poor boy's body to recover him and bring him into the inner recesses of the barracks room. The body was nothing but odds and ends of flesh clinging to blackened bones, after the volume of fire penetrating it, finished with it.
"What in the warp was that?" Before one could voice their knowledge, a terrible screech rang out mixed with the sounds of battle and horror as the locals slowly realized what was happening.
"Emperor take us! They reached the town!" Making the sign of the Aquila, Lyth fell to his knees in prayer before being hoisted to his feet by Darius. Time was at the essence to simply survive.
"They were already in the town, to begin with. The militia at best can protect their strong point. We need weapons and fast. That old man Sosa has to be holding out on us. We reach the armory and we reach something that might hit that ghost." The Helikians nodded their rifles snapping to the doorway as they heard the whispers of the wind. The militiamen bravely moved closer so their pistols might do something if they were to hit their foe.
"All in agreement?" No one answered as they all froze at the smallest noise. Robert cursed before marshaling his courage.
"Darius, Lyth, Hilko and myself will lead. The rest of you follow us!" The men rushed out rifles fanning out everywhere watching every angle. It was only 100 meters to the armory. A short distance away on light feet. The men went down the corridor scanning rooms when a door laid open. They moved in a methodical fashion trying their best to not expose themselves to their foe. The feeling of dread was heavy in the air every trooper waiting for the next one to be ganked and killed in a cruel fashion. Robert peeked into a room and saw a trooper sitting in a chair. Making the necessary orders the men swiveled and entered the room leaving a pair of guards outside the door to guard the hallways and act as sentries.
"Trooper what's going on? Trooper identify yourself" A few steps closer, Robert nudged the trooper to get no response. Walking around the chair rifle still at the ready pointed at the man's head, Robert saw the man's tongue ripped out and used as a red ribbon around his neck and his eyes plucked out. A low moan of pain came from the man's body. From where Robert knew not seeing how the man's throat was surgically opened revealing its inner workings which labored in pain trying to formulate a response to Robert's earlier questions.
BANG every trooper pointed their rifle at the noise only to find a rifle and streaks of blood a dozen meters back. The source of the noise is still a mystery.
Robert motioned for the men to reorganize and investigate the noise. A trooper went out and returned with the head of a militiaman discarded on the floor. "Serge-" a blur of motion and the troopers guarding the doorway outside were carried off leaving only the sounds of depraved laughter coursing off the walls.
"By the warp! We need to get Valerio and Thass!"
"Calm down armsman! We need those stubbers if we want to do anything!"
"We're being hunted, sir! Like warp forsaken animals!" more voices joined filled with terror. Even the Helikians voiced their own "tactical assertions" requesting they stay within the confines of the room until the Astarte returned.
"Can it! We move now!" Without looking back Robert led his men forward towards the armory in seconds the hunter attacked again falling in the center for the all. Before a man could yell, the huntress grabbed a trooper and tossed him into his fellows and swept the legs from under the trooper behind her before plunging her dagger into a trooper meters away with a flick of her fingers before disappearing again into the darkness giggling once again.
The men whirled around shooting at everything and nothing. Robert tried his best to make his men stop shooting but to no success. By the time self-control and reasoning returned dozens of energy cells laid wasted on the floor with the laughter of the huntress howling through the hall. Moments of silence before the useless lump of a pile of meat fell from one of the vents revealing Valerio. He was only identified by his broken las carbine jammed down his throat.
The men aimed their rifles at the vent before slowly stepping away in hopes they could do so quietly without earning the ire of the huntress before the shadows once again revealed the huntress running across the hallway throwing a few daggers at the men and receiving a hail of lasfire. Three men went down with the sounds of gurgling only a man could make when his lungs were compromised, fortunately, one-shot made a connection if the howling screech of pain had anything to say about it.
A quick headcount and 34 men remained alive. The blast doors to the armory were a sight to behold. Human bodies were flayed with the sandbags as an improvised slab to practice on. Blood seemed to cover every surface with all manners of human body parts arranged and a macabre display somehow pinned on the blast doors. The hunter had beaten them here without a shadow of a doubt.
The men arrayed themselves outside the blast doors and along with the sandbags. None willing to acknowledge the parodies of the dead. Those who lost their stomach weren't scorned but looked on with some measure of respect or fear for making unnecessary noise. Lyth swore as the lead fire team saw the control panel. An exotic blade sat firmly in the control panel unknown to the Helikians leaving two militiamen at the tender mercy of their captor.
"No dice sergeant"
"Any other way in?"
"Vents probably… take the vents the vent rat will be dead before he even crawls 3 meters."
"We stay here we die"
"We move we get picked off one by one"
"We get outside we have a chance"
"CAN IT! Someone check the control and see if it works" of all the Tarthians one who Robert swore never existed stepped up and began to run his scans. After liberal use of swearing and what he could hear as begging the militiaman spoke.
"I can make it work. I'll just have to desecrate the machine spirit." silence ruled the seconds Robert considered his options. Death by a freak or death by a freak with a fetish for machines.
"Do it… The raiders desecrated it'' a grunt of acknowledgment before the torturous scream of the hunter rang out with the lithe dancer of death running faster than anyone Robert had ever seen. Combat stims of a new level if Robert had to piece it together.
"Engage!" a wall of las fire lanced through the air with each shot missing due to the inhuman acrobatics and flexibility of their foe. Moments later she was among them. Curved blades bit their teeth into the men. Knives were upholstered and men tried their best to stab, slice or just unbalance her. Each time a limb was removed or a man killed. Men desperately dodged and weaved doing their best to survive. After the initial charge and the first half dozen dead bodies. The raider found herself surrounded and unable to use her incredible agility to fight off the thirty-odd men.
"HELIKIA!" one of the men grabbed the unsuspecting raider in a bearhug and managed to hold it for the second the men needed. Every man rushed the raider and started stabbing with wild abandon taking down the raider and their comrade. After minutes of ruthless stabbing did they stop and take a breath. Robert wiped his face leaving a trail of blood.
"Done sarge" Robert nodded before spitting on the dead body of the raider.
"Save me one of her ears" he stated upon noticing the odd look and curvature to them. "Get those stubbers"
Corporal Zhell led the charge looting the armory for a crate of frag grenades with the pins in various states of bending leaving some unable to be used, three stubbers and a few belts of munitions and a single flamer with half a tank of fuel. Fortunately, small arms ammunition was in a great state with men grabbing what they could fit.
After a few moments of planning it was agreed the men would simply walk out the barracks and kill whomever they could while pulling as many people as they could out of the danger zones and into the safety of the barracks. Two of the stubbers with a majority of the ammunition were placed on the sloped roof of the barracks with the men relying more on gravity, and their bravery to keep them on the roof more than steady positioning. The 14 surviving militiamen were left to guard the barracks as the Helikians went around the town looking for signs of life and battle.
The Helikians crept into the city like ghosts. They walked over the bodies of the dead with hardly a noise. The raiders didn't notice them as they moved to cling to the buildings and other rubble to hide, granting the Iron blessing on those who asked. They placed inconspicuous devices like a teddy bear or body to act as a marker for those that would need to know the path of safe passage to the barracks, and the hope the raiders wouldn't discover the location where the locals would flee to upon their rescue. They passed quiet instructions on how to reach the barracks on the path they made.
The men were not idle in the killing of the raiders. A storehouse with a raider torturing their hunt was quietly swept and killing the raider waiting until the screams were too loud for the raider to hear the men set up. A cellar with a small group of raiders was eliminated with a few well-placed frags and a stubber laying in wait for any survivor. These tactics continued killing may be less than a dozen raiders while saving dozens of fellow survivors. Lady luck smiled on the Helikians as their fellows were too far away from the Helikian kills to notice the missing warriors on their side with those in command assuming they were enjoying the raid a bit too early.
Eventually, they came into the visual range of Erik's house currently in flames. The men began to set up once again before figuring out what the next decision should be. To save Erik would help maintain order, but the flames did no favors for the men to sneak him out and attacking would only result in their deaths. A moment they saw a larger cluster around what could only be their leader before they dispersed looking for survivors. The Helikians were too late albeit if they were early they would be dead along with all those who went to Erik for safety if Robert had anything to say about it.
The men hid in the rubble making a hard point waiting for when the raiders would eventually come to them. If they ran what were their chances the raiders would run into them? Digging into the rubble to build fortified positions the Helikians prepared for a last stand in which to buy the militia left behind time to run into the forests. Then they saw them. Two raiders casually stop at the threshold of the door only meters away pointing distantly away from the rubble. Robert grimly patted his gunner on the head signaling the start of the end.
Loud booming subber fire owned the silence. The two raiders barely had time to register the noise before over a dozen lasguns opened fire as well, catching the two completely unaware. It took hardly a moment for the pair to lay on the ground bleeding. Silence once again reigned. The sounds of battle began with the Helikians clustering tightly together. The rubble afforded so much protection and the men did their best to shield their fellows with their flesh. Terrible screeches of alarm sounded. The men laid waiting in anticipation, fingers already placing weight upon their triggers.
"Thann wait to use the stubber. We only got a belt left" Robert whispered to his gunner. Half his body was on top of the man with his right leg crossed over Thann's to ensure he could get his gunner's attention over the sounds of death with a quick jab of his knee up. Thann simply let out a low grunt in acknowledgment leaning slightly back and letting tension leave his body.
The quiet anticipation continued for a few seconds. Everyone was looking through their iron sights at the doorway waiting for the first living thing to appear before they blasted it back to the warp. Any hope to run away was long gone with the terrible sounds coming from outside. "CONTACT CONTACT CONTACT" a volley of fire erupted out of the doorway where there lay no doubt another ambitious Xeno. It took a split second Robert noticed a purity seal seemingly disappearing along with its owner from the hail of las fire.
"YOU IDIOTS! THAT WAS A SPACE MARINE! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL OUR ONLY HOPE!" Robert screamed. Robert got up and rushed to the Astarte. The soldiers cowered before Robert snapped a Helikian salute to the armored giant. Robert hastily apologized for his overzealous men.
"Treat it as a learning experience, look before you shoot." Robert's neck turned a little red before he looked at the three guardsmen hollering "Well? Are you just going to sit there like idiots or thank the space marine for sparing your lives!?" before anyone could dare to thank the holy being a sharp strong voice cut through the air like a chainsword to the flesh of a Xeno.
"Sergeant, I need a few of your men to come with me, I am going to look for survivors." "You there!" Robert was pointing at the direction and the four other guys who clustered around Thann as the space marine came. "Go with him and do anything he asks" before Robert himself followed after the chapter master cursing at how quickly the Astarte moved with little effort. The men walked into the wreckage of Erik's home.
There wasn't much the signs of battle or rather torture were rather apparent to the men. The house was made of wood as the governor had decided that buildings built of metal should be first the community areas and other such buildings instead of his humble housing. It was destroyed with the roof destroyed in some places. At some point, there must've been flames as scorch marks covered everything. Ash was blowing in the wind as if it was dancing to a solemn tune of the old man's kindness and love of this world.
They walked towards the house past the common areas, and the sight of a few dead bodies here and there replaced the once common market stalls and friendly workers enjoying the day's breeze. They were ugly things. Limbs still leaking blood at a rate it was almost as they cried. Bones bent or other unnatural angles the body laid in. The final prices were all too much to bear to look at for the scarred civilians; for the militiamen and Helikians, it was an embarrassm- a shame that so much damage was wrought with so little retribution. The men could only take solace in the fact that the Chapter Master emerged with a perfect child in his grasp and the Chapter Master's permanent return.
Tarth rebuilt quickly in no small
part due to The Great Drake's
politicking when he first arrived
which soon would become a small fief itself
-The Historian
The time after the raid was full of embarrassment for Robert who felt that the damages wrought on the town were due to his incompetence despite the Astarte's words. The town received substantial damage. Food, shelter and clean water were a bit of a concern due to the painful battle scars the town bore, but Sosa rose to the occasion and with his family's wealth, influence and charisma. Everyone had a roof over their head, two warm meals and a good-sized ration of water on which to live on as they did their best to repair what damages were spread across town.
The Chapter Master did later on come to the surviving militiamen asking a few questions on what was done for the defense. Sosa and his men accounted for a few dead raiders who chased them into the forest only to find Sosa and his warriors were quite apt at ambushing their would-be killers. Munzn, himself, enjoyed the praise of the Chapter Master too upon learning of the Helikians' own attempts to save some of the townspeople. While the Chapter Master didn't remember every militia man's name he remembered enough of them to give the survivors a feeling of no small import to the defense of the town.
Thankfully, the Chapter Master's dealings with other planets paid off. As the people began reconstruction, not only as building material was running out, and the Sosa family even beginning to worry about their larders. Huge transports carrying men, material, food and prefabricated shelters came in droves revitalizing the doomed economy. Hope was restored before the worst in humanity came to the forefront, and the natives seemed too busy bickering with one another about a new rising power called the Xule to truly bother the townspeople for a time.
Tarth rebuilt for a time. Every guardsman was thrown on rhino duty. Two a rhino one on the storm bolter another asleep wherever he could find comfort. it was exhausting work primarily because nothing happened. While the steady flow allowed many miners to be able to rest, the material movement never seemed to stop for my men. The surviving militia members and Helikians seemed to find respect for one another for simply surviving with drinks being freely shared between the two groups. All was well and good until the training began at the request of the Chapter Master to have more men available to defend the planet in the event another raid occurred.
Hairy men with long brown hair and beards that stunk from the high heavens came from a single transport ship. They were the wild men of the south on what forsaken planet they lived on. Sosa spent his time tearing into piles of paperwork and meetings. Robert was given the task to simply make the militia better. A savage grin appeared on many of the older militiamen and Helikians. Robert had each guardsman take 30 apes each to a living quarter while Robert stayed behind informing them of their new situation. They were dumb unable to comprehend what space was which was never fear when inducting new troopers at least not an issue a few push-ups couldn't fix. Time wore through everything and soon Robert wanted to kill them before he was relieved by Darius who quickly took control of the situation the best way he knew how. His fists and angry shouting with plenty of knife handling and pointing. The same tactic Robert used, but Darius had the advantage of a larger figure and two intense eyes that seemed to never close from the amazement of how stupid the trainees were.
The only positive that the new wave of refugees or rather settlers brought was some of these men and women made a drink called mead. The militia flooded a bar called Sal'ulh a name for a god on their planet. A god who came from the heavens on wings of a bird with long golden hair. Not only did the soldiers like the drink, but the locals loved what they called the red thirst and a nice sweet tasting drink leaving you wanting more to wash down the bitter after taste.
Then the men were told that they had training with the space marine and Captain Sosa as our number had increased and leadership roles were to be dealt out. Many trembled in anticipation of what this would entail when Captain Sosa remarked that the Chapter Master himself would teach a few classes. The Helikian men, on the other hand, were flawless and saw this training as a return to the old Helikian training schedule where free time was almost nonexistent. The men drilled, trained, ran and other menial tasks the Helikian men we're more than proficient infrequently taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Robert personally could field strip my lasgun faster than a man could run 400 meters.
The result was an odd working relationship between Robert and Sosa with Sosa being the commanding officer, but he was heavily reliant for Robert and the Helikians to act as instructors, leaders, and non commissioned officers as the militiamen while strong in heart lacked the knowledge, ability, and instinct honed through constant training and missions that the Helikians had as armsmen on the Emperor's Light. It wasn't long until the men were as well trained as the Helikians could train them with what was commonly called stick classes. The name for the classes such because the Helikians would patrol the men as they listened to theoretical and other such boring classes would be clubbed if they showed any sign of boredom.
With moral dropping from the treatment, the Helikians demanded field training exercises. Captain Sosa authorized the first war games under the approval of the Chapter Master. His decision was reluctant for he no longer ran a militia for the people but a guard for… a guard that he had no desire to return to. The result was of no small surprise with the cadre that laid the foundation of the guard and was promoted when the Chapter Master gave his approval. Captain Sosa, while not one to politic for the sake of exerting control, was worried few Tarth natives were a part of the new guard. The Helikians and the offworlders from the Agri world seemed to make the bulk of his officers and noncommissioned officers. He was never xenophobic, yet he wished the guard was made of good-hearted Tarthian boys rather than the drunken offworlders.
Robert, on the other hand, took this in stride. He was able to consolidate all the Helikian men in his "Regiment". Tarth had authorized the creation of 3 "Regiments" with the expressed mission for self-defense. The regiments were then told they would be centrally supplied through Captain Sosa, but their recruitment was wholly on their shoulders. Captain Sosa by far had the largest, but Robert managed to talk to Shipmaster Alexander into letting him have the rest of the Helikian armsmen and took to his role as best he could feeling responsible to his brothers to provide them their best shot at a home.
Captain Sosa was drained from managing logistics for both his house and the guard and was forced to give the command to Robert to take over the training of the men. Robert's "Regiment" was technically in command of the training for both logistics and standard. The result was Helikians once again walking amongst the rank and file beating troopers for forgetting items, or they would run troublesome soldiers to the ground until the trooper gave into the pain and joined the collective as the Helikians would mock.
Like anything else, there were many protests. Helikian instructors would injure students frequently during hand to hand training or simply pushing the men too hard without long enough time to recover. It was truly only the trainees who complained. Most members of the guard a year or so in understood it was a hazing to become a guardsman. It was so much so that Robert learned Sosa tried to shut them down to only find that the Chapter Master himself believed the training was well within the limits for the necessary defense of the planet and was the deciding factor to the start of the live-fire training and wargames.
After a year or so, the city housed over 20,000 people with more or less it was hard to tell with immigrants coming in such numbers that the guard had long ago become much more relaxed on where everyone was settled and more focused on preventing bar fights and intruding natives then meet and greets on the frontier and within the city itself. Soldiers were soldiers and trained and puked at the local bars, the craftsmen flooded to the Iron Drakes fort creating wonderful works and the common worker continued to complain about his lot in life.
Tarth was flourishing under the leadership of the Iron Drakes, or they were flourishing without the worry for a tithe to steal a large portion of their work. Work was as plenty as it was hard and most of the new residents seemed to take this in stride, a trait that most settlers shared creating an odd mentality amongst the "Tarthians" while many came from a large spread of planets. Tarth was like a light for the bugs as people filled with strong backs, strong faith and stronger beliefs of hope flocked to the new Chapter world. Of course, the light seemed to always bring the darkest blackout of the shadows and the guard found its first mission in maintaining order from opportunistic vultures who sought out the immigrants at the landing sites.
Once the council decided with the help of the Chapter Master a working judicial system. The guard too quick, efficient and even lethal sentences on the planet Robert insured his sector remained lawful doing his best to protect any from crime. Any execution, of course, needed one of the 30 officers present to ensure justice was carried out with far too many cases ending in death. Those who stole for survival, which we're very few if any due to the great influx of resources provided by the Agri world, Robert decided a much more efficient punishment could be developed and had those offenders hired as janitors or other menial workers and paid in only 2 meals a day by the council. The crime was simply non-existent in Robert's sector aside from the numerous minor offenses that always plagued society and even the Helikians couldn't help but reminisce when they were caught as boys being troublemakers. Robert personally didn't mind the Lho sticks that frequented the civilian youth and his unit. He understood the younger soldiers did it out of a need to relax and to look cool in front of their peers. Many more like himself simply enjoyed the relaxing properties the guaranteed sleep. What he didn't accept were absurd gambling deals that would leave a soldier or citizen penniless. He would exact the worst punishments on those who were a part of these unethical schemes. He was a victim on board the Emperor's light as a youth. He insured no one could be cheated like he once was.
For Robert, this new world was a utopia filled with an opportunity even with the pranks and occasional deadly crime. He envied those born into such a wonderful world even if it held the title of the death world. Robert forced his men to prepare for the day they too would enjoy the fruits of the planet. Most of the men murmured their skepticism but in secret did their best to prepare for that day most did so by saving what little they could.
He also forced his officers to learn to read and write if they already didn't know. He cared little for the squad leaders telling the ten officers that they could do as they wished and set their academic standards many who followed the example and eventually the company reached 41% literacy, a number Robert took great pride in... While he stood illiterate trying and failing to learn to read and write on his own at night embarrassed at his ignorance. He was forced to take night classes with a few fellow troopers.
In time he would learn like those officers he pushed the issue upon. The guard was almost 5,000 including those militiamen who swore if the planet was invaded they would take up arms. A much smaller force of 3,000 was able and willing to leave the planet when the ship came. "The Plague Wars" would be a rude awakening for Tarth. Lieutenant Munzn like many others were simply promoted to fill the slots needed to be filled and received a call from Major Sosa.
The Plague War was a defining moment
to Tarthian tradition without this war
Tarth would forever remain a recruitment world
with little to no sway outside its sphere of influence
-The Historian
They met in the confines of the strategium which was nothing short of the usual for their meetings with the Chapter Master. One would be hard-pressed to find a better place to meet as it was secure and filled with the tools to do their job. Munzn expected as always to be grilled about the standard of the men. Sosa was worried about another logistics disaster as he had grown accustomed to. Instead, they were treated to an issue neither had planned for this early in Tarth's life.
"I bring poor news from the Inquisitor." Both men slightly paled, the mention of the figure caused fear in the heart of any sensible soul. Sosa more so with fear of moving something wholly unlawful without realizing it and Robert out of fear Helikia once again caught the attention of the spooks.
"The planet of Rivia is under attack from a chaos cult that has sprung up inside its capital. We are mobilizing to lend what little assistance we can." Robert bit his tongue and Sosa out right sat in silence, his mind already running the numbers on how to get everything prepared. The two made the briefest of glances before Sosa stood from his seat. The two already knew what had to be done. Like always, Sosa would move the logistics and Robert would rouse the men.
"I will get the men together my lord, as soon as we are ready, I will inform you." The two weeks flew by for Sosa and Munzn. Sosa counted his prayers as he loaded up as much food, water, and ammunition that could fit before demanding more space for medical supplies and troop billets.
Munzn ordered a halt to all training and instead permitted the men to take time off to see their families all the while planning large troop movements with fellow officers to minimize miscommunication as men were slowly loaded onto ships. Soon enough, Robert was checking his men's gear. His "regiment" was better organized than the other with 100 men under his direct command. He was technically in charge of 800 men as there was nobody with the experience and Sosa barely trusted Robert enough to relent and have the Helikian in charge.
The two rarely got along but when they did it was always a moment of flawless synergy. Sosa and Munzn would frequently walk down halls together both speaking on their assigned tasks and neither would show any confusion in what the other spoke of. The pair seemed to read each other's minds allowing the miracle to happen in 13 days 21 hours and 41 minutes everyone and everything was loaded and the pair shared a moment of relief as they ate together at chow.
The next few days aboard the Emperor's Light was endless preparation as crates of crew operated weapons were unboxed, oiled and relentlessly trained on by the troopers. Munzn was in the thick of it yelling at men and shouting increasingly harsher standards while Sosa paced around during mission briefings relaying new ideas and battle plans needed to be remembered for the upcoming landing.
Like a dream this war was being planned for, it wasn't long until the landers had reached the Chapter Master's landing zone and piles of new information were being sent to Sosa for the next stage of the war. The two barely had time to leave the lander before a new wave of reality hit them as they saw their men unload and immediately assemble in formations waiting for their orders, rifle in hand and rucks laid in front of them. The Chapter Master was met with Robert's regimental Helikian salute with their right arms parallel to the ground and hand raised in a flat line palm facing down and the fingers at the corner of one's eye. The rest did so in the Tarthian standard of a fist over the heart and a quick bow of one's head. The military customs were thrown out the window by the nasal voice of a noble.
"Are you the one in charge of these," He looked at the Tarthain guardsmen that were forming up in ranks, all watching the nobility with disdain or mixed curiosity. "Transports?" The Chapter Master gave him a nod, not missing the way Sosa's eye twitched at his condescending voice.
"Then I demand transport to whatever ships you have in orbit, my family is too important to risk this. War." The demand was all too familiar for many of the troopers. A tone none could deny.
"I'm afraid I must refuse. My ship is not made for housing nobility." He stared up at me and blinked. He wasn't the only one shocked. Many of the troopers openly lost their bearing and openly smirked or coughed out laughter all waiting to watch the nobles finally get their due.
"What do you mean you refuse?" His voice rose with every word. The idea of being louder would somehow make his position all the more impressive. "I am Imperial Nobility! My family helped found this rock! A thousand years ago!"
"I don't care." Three words that every trooper wished they could say to their nobles from their homelands. A few troopers openly snickered and Robert was no exception.
"Now, get your offspring, out of my transport. They have work to do." As if the pilots of the gunships were in on the joke. Three of the gunships rose off, much to the indignation of the noble.
"You will pay for this! Nobody insults my family and gets away with it!"
"I am an Adeptus Astartes, I do not take threats from men like you. Now, go back to whatever home you crawled yourself out of before I kill you. And I don't make idle threats." The Astarte's hand dropped to his bolt pistol and his eyes went wide, the noble's face paled considerably.
"This isn't over!" most of the troopers couldn't help but grin and shrug. What was the worst he could do? Warp take him they had the Chapter Master.
"The Inquisitor will be interested to know about you and your hindrance to your duty." His face shined with fear for a moment at the mention and he left, children, wives, and concubines fleeing after him. The Chapter Master took Sosa to help plan the Tarthian efforts but after a quick message from vox. Robert hurried to the front lines to stop a particularly nasty attack with a detachment of men. With this, the Plague War began.
A/N
2020
Rewritten for a more comprehensive story getting rid of all the confusing subplots. For those new readers, I apologize for the confusion as I rework the first 5 chapters.