The small platoon of soldiers maneuvered their way as best they could through the hellish trenches of Luka. The Commissar's leadership was unlike anything Matvei had seen before. He was wondering about why the sudden coup, and why was all of this happening. Last he had heard was that the Noltan 85th and Cadian 87th along with a few other companies had turned on the Emperor, but then he heard over other vox casters that they were the traitors. Nothing was making sense in his mind, so he tapped the shoulder of the soldier in front of him and said, "Hey! What the hell is going on here?"

"Eh? Like what?" he said in a strange accent.

"Why have the companies rebelled?"

"From what I have heard, we have rebelled, but we have a Commissar with us… a Commissar doesn't defy the will of the Emperor. I will stick with him until I die here on the Emperor forsaken rock."

Matvei thought about what was said, but he wanted to know more.

They continued to run through the trenches, but the Commissar called them to hold.

"What is it, sir?" asked a guardsman as they all lined up against the snow mounds and trenches to form a long line over looking a station with a large Com Sat beacon on the top. A Leman Russ battle tank hummed as its drivers got out and ran inside, but there were at least three full platoons of Noltan 85th guardsmen.

"We don't know if they are traitor…" said the Commissar.

"Orders, sir?" The Commissar glanced behind him and looked at Matvei.

"Guardsman!" shouted the Commissar.

Matvei ran as fast as he could to the Commissar.

"Matvei Nikitin reporting for duty, sir!" he said with a sharp saluted.

"You are of the Noltan 85th, correct?"

"Yes sir!" he answered.

The Commissar paused and said, "You will go down there and see who's side they are on. If they are on our side, wave at us to come forward, if not, say something into the vox bead and get on all fours, soldier."

Matvei was stunned hearing this news. Fear gripped his heart in its icy grip as he looked at the other guardsman. "Here…" said the guardsman as he handed him his lasgun. "You dropped it back there."

Matvei nodded as he took it, and he turned around, but felt the Commissar's leather glove on his shoulder.

"Good luck, Nikitin, Emperor be with you."

Matvei jumped over the trench and ran towards the depot. Some men ran out to greet him with lasguns primed and ready. "Noltan 85th, eh?"

"Sir!" said Matvei as he saluted.

"Where the hell have you been soldier? We were getting the khek outta here."

"The whole Noltan 85th?

The guardsman sergeant paused, "No, some went crazy and turned traitor and some went with the Vostroyan 176th… we are our own group…" He held a pistol to Matvei's head. "Now, who's side are you on?"