Authors Note: I am really sorry for the long update, several things kept me back, but here it is, enjoy and review!
Trooper Gueryan of the New Yanir Liberation Army ducked into the doorway of a flame gutted building. Lasrounds whistled past the former PDF trooper as the advancing Imperial Guard fired on the ambushers.
All around Gueryan squads of turncoat PDF fired down with Lasrifles, Autorifles and a collection of varying Stubbers. Plumes of smoke drifted in the air, carrying the sounds of battle throughout the city.
Flights of glittering aircraft would pass overhead every few minutes, rumbling the buildings with their passing. Bursts of explosions followed in their wake.
Columns of Imperial Guard, headed by dozens of armored vehicles had been blowing their way forward through the lower districts of the Hive city, making headway for hundreds more of their comrades to pour through.
All along the route ambushes had been sprung by Gueryan and his fellows, using their knowledge of the winding streets to their advantage. Hundreds of Liberation Army troopers had set up traps to catch the Imperials in waves of fire.
Several blocks approaching this current battleground were dotted in burned out vehicles and sprawled corpses. The burning and destroyed buildings of the lower portions of the city created a labyrinth of rubble which the PDF used to their advantage.
This was their turf and they were going to use it against the corrupt and destructive followers of the supposed "God-Emperor".
Gueryan ducked down as shells struck into the buildings around him. Leman Russ battle tanks rumbled forward, firing into the gaping maws of the surrounding buildings. Avalanches of burning material and bodies fell from the upper stories, hitting the ground with a collection of meaty thumps.
Men in golden combat armor ducked expertly between the cover of their tanks and fallen pieces of masonry, exchanging fire with the hidden PDF forces. The forces of the Liberation Army was slowly being strangled by the numbers and expertise of the Guardsmen.
Gueryan ducked out of the doorway, firing a burst of fire from his Autogun. The bullets smacked into the cover of a few Guardsmen and sent one of them flying over in a brief spurt of blood, most of his face gone.
Lasbolts flickered around Gueryan as he ran for the next building, singing his patched and faded grey-blue uniform. He rolled under another hissing flights of bolts, the cracked stones of the road digging into his back, before coming to his feet again and firing the rest of his clip towards the Guardsmen ducking behind a wrecked ground car.
Another man was pitched off his feet, several holes appearing his chest and throat armor, before he clambered back up and began firing again. Dammed thick armor.
Gueryan thought this with a bitter sense as he saw how woefully under equipped the PDF were compared to the off-worlders. Men were clothed still in their dirty uniforms issued to them when they joined the PDF, the bloodstained and ripped fabric hanging off some in strips. Others were wearing clothes which they had looted from civilians or even the tunics of Guardsmen.
The only thing in common with the clothing of the rebels were a crudely made patch on their shoulders showing their allegiance to the Tau Empire. He hurried over to the nearest group of men huddling in the building which were manhandling a Rocket Tube towards a firing position.
He dropped down besides the men and fumbled for another clip to place in his weapon. A weary sergeant was beside Gueryan, hefting rockets into the launcher before ducking down as the man carrying it fired.
Laying besides the man was a chipped and blunted officers sword and even through the dirt which covered the badly maintained surface Gueryan could tell whoever this guy was, he had obviously been wealthy.
Gueryan couldn't see why anyone that had money would want to fight a desperate battle against the Imperium, but war brought all sorts together. He placed another clip into his Autorifle and began firing in bursts of fire towards the Imperials, the bullets spanking off of thick tank plates or burying itself in combat armor.
All around Gueryan men were shooting and dying, the tracers from hundreds of different guns creating a lightshow that hid the deadly purpose of the components that created it. Heavy Bolter rounds tore up and down the length of the building, sending explosions of wood and dust into the air. Men that were hit shuddered and blew apart under the hail of explosive rounds.
Gueryan ducked as a stream of them passed over his head and blew apart a table behind him.
"Return fire!" the sergeant was yelling to those that could hear over the screams of the dying and the crackle of weapons fire.
A tank round passed through the boarded up window which Gueryan was sheltering near and continued its path through the length of the house before blowing apart the back rooms.
Dust and fire filled the confines of the structure, leaking into the early morning air, as the fight for the city had continued for nearly a day and it was now the first new dawn in the fight for Hive City Swadia.
Gueryan hefted himself and started to remove all the splinters of wood and glass that had lodged themselves in his arms and legs. He grunted as he removed a particularly long piece of a fine dining chair before ripping off a piece of his shirt and binding the cuts.
He picked up his weapon and headed over to the window looking out into the street, dead bodies collapsed around it, the blood of the former freedom fighters spattering the walls. Outside in the smoke filled air death was approaching, garbed in heavy plate.
Men , marching in disciplined ranks headed for the building singing a hymn to the skies. Polished rifles and blades in their gauntleted hands. Beside him the officer raised himself up, cradling his sword. PDF were crawling to his position, readying weapons and checking on comrades.
"What do you see?"
Gueryan looked behind him and saw the sergeant sharpening his sword.
"I see several squads of enemy infantry heading for us. Probably have heavy weapons coming forward to support also. Time to use that sword, nobleman."
The first lasbolts were smacking into the paneling around Gueryan now, the enemy so close he could smell them. One of the men next to Gueryan lost his head and shoulder in a puff of superheated blood. Others were returning fire, knocking over charging guardsmen with lasbolts and bullets.
He hefted his Autogun and clipped on his bayonet.
"Whatever happens, stick together!"
Captain Bayern yelled this into the vox link as he fired his Laspistol at the nearest enemies. Fire filled the air around him, hitting men around him and sending their lifeless bodies to the ground.
Nuls stood beside him and fired his Shotgun at anything that threatened his commander, a snarl of hate on his scarred face. Bayern swirled around in the ash filled air of the backstreets of Swadia, firing his pistol at the darting figures of the Tau.
Pulse rounds whipped around the captain, but he strode forward resolutely. The swathe of super heated rounds charring through his cloak and the edges of his armor. The rubble of buildings and destroyed ground cars was all around the charging Imperials.
He turned and shot a aiming Tau that was crouching beneath a charred doorway, burning a hole into its forehead. The blue brains of the alien hitting its fellows behind it. Bayern crouched below a flight of pulse rounds before running forward and slicing apart two Tau with quick slashes of his uniyyal blade, feeling the hot blood running down his armored forearms.
Bayern opened his vox channel while firing into the rubble in which Firewarriors huddled. "Drop and load men!"
The figures of 3rd company dropped to the battle scarred pavement and the support teams behind them opened fire. Autocannons and Rocket Tubes unleashed salvos into the enemy, corkscrews of missiles and cannon rounds smacking into the faces of the buildings.
Plumes of dust and rubble was thrown up into the air along with the occasional Tau body part. Several of the already fire burnt buildings collapsed in heaps of sparks, blackened wood and metal.
In the front of the formation of Guardsmen were the flame troopers, Jurk, Lillian and Omeck, unleashing waves of blistering fire. They raised their Flamers in unison before igniting the promethium in their tanks. The area around Bayern caught fire with a sudden searing heat, sucking oxygen out of the air with the force of the combustion.
He could hear the screaming of the Tau over the roaring of the flames and power cells cooking off.
Scattered shots still rang out across the alley, accompanying the crackle of the flames. Men were gathering equipment and securing positions all through the streets.
Any Tau wounded left behind by their comrades were rounded off and dumped unceremoniously in a corner. As the flames started to settle and men slowly crept out of cover, the process of regrouping begun.
"Sergeant Nev!" Bayern called into the air.
"Sir?"
Sergeant Nev scrambled over to Bayern's position, clutching his Lasrifle. Nev was of average build, not very handsome or the sort to seem like a good solider, but he was a dammed good one.
Nev was, in Bayern's and many others opinion, one of the most adept line officers Bayern had ever seen, his quiet manner belaying his skills. His face was unscarred from the years of war in the Emperor's name, his dark black eyes seeming to soak up the light.
"Get your platoon up that rubble, take a few heavy weapons with you, I want a crossfire on the Tau."
" Yes, sir."
Nev hurried off, calling to his men. "Sergeant Crowes if you would please get your ass over here."
In between the crumbling buildings in which Bayern was fighting he caught glimpses of the main forces of Imperial Guard pushing through the open streets. Gunfire and the rumble of tanks was a constant sound in the doomed city. The continual shelling from the Imperial battle lines was still striking every few moments, making the ground shake with the fury of the projectiles.
Men were constantly keeping their teeth gritted so as not to chip and break them from the vibrations.
"Captain Bayern?"
Crowes stood to Bayern's side his face set in a bloodthirsty grin, in his hands he gripped a modified Laslock, the powerful one shot rifle fitted with a range targeting unit.
Pale, muscled, with a burst of wild blonde hair and a lean face, Crowes looked every inch a savage fighter. Crowes was a detached killer and commander, preferring the art of stealth and swift kills to the bravo and glory of sergeants like Ghor, Uwel and Johnson.
Crowes was close friends with Lieutenant Argos, as both were adept scouts and killers. The Laslock was his preferred weapon which he used in place of a regular Mark III Lasrifle, preferring the extra killing power and range. Belted at his waste along with the standard grenades, field aid and ammo clips of any guardsmen was a compact knife of some sort of glossy stone.
The weapon was a relic of Crowes past in the dry plains of West Laotia where large groups of outlaws and mutants from the hive cities sheltered. The Arbites had needed men to round up their fugitives and Crowes had answered the call. Even then he had been a killer, the knife claiming more lives then many guardsmen got in their first years of fighting.
His equipment variation from the rest of the Laotian guardsmen was not limited to just weaponry. He was armored with a much slimmer and dulled version of Laotian combat armor, preferring mobility and speed.
"Get some scouts into the surrounding area, I need to know what were advancing in."
"Yes sir. Permission to get my hands dirty sir?"
Bayern turned his tanned and lined face towards the sergeant, "Permission granted."
"Thank you sir."
Crowes marshaled his men and headed into the twisting maze of alleyways that associated with any hive city. Dozens of men were laying low in the burned out, corpse strewn battlefield that had been ablaze with action just a few minutes ago.
Corpsmen moved through the press, administering aid to the wounded or saying blessings to the dead and dying. Bayern sheathed his uniyyal blade and holstered his pistol before turning to his adjutant, Nuls, who was sitting heavily on a stack of crisp Tau bodies.
Nuls, a scarred, coarse man, was Bayern's closest friend next to Lieutenant Argos. Nuls was busy cleaning his weapon of choice, a Assault Shotgun, and doing a ammo check, counting and placing each shell into his Musset bag. On his back was a large, battered vox caster that burped static on different frequencies.
"Any word on the vox?"
The vox-trooper looked up, then without saluting, "Nothing but white noise sir."
The gravelly voice of Nuls sounded particularly airy with the announcement.
"So what do you purpose we do? Eh, Lord-Commadner Nuls?"
"I say we go onwards, not much else we can do." NUls deliverd this particular piece of advice with a gap toothed grin.
"Fine get the men together."
"Yes, sir."
Bayern looked across the readying men of 2nd Company pride. The universe had thrown all manner of things at the sons of Laotia, but nothing had ever broke them.
Bayern readjusted his armor and was about to stride off when the vox beeped in his ear.
"Bayern here."
"Its Johnson sir. What do we do with the bluies?"
"What do you think?"
"Sir, yes sir."
Bayern smiled grimly as he heard the rapid popping of lasrounds in the air.
For the Emperor.
Sister Superior Charity charged through a hail of fire coming from the enemy positions, many of the incoming projectiles ricocheted off her armor. She opened up her HUD in her Sabbat Pattern Helm and locked on to three different targets, the advanced tech easily penetrating the glare of battle.
New targets.
Charity continued running but let her mind wander for a few moments as she braced for battle. The assault on the Tau's supplies had been successful by any standards, if with high losses.
The Sisters, along with the Mantis Warrior Space Marines, had both arrived via fast attack transports into the battle of the hive city. While the Astartes had been given the task of destroying the Tau command structure, Charity and her sisters had attacked the Tau supplies.
The Imperial tacticians in the Lord General's staff had said that without their supplies the Tau would fall much faster. So here Charity was, buying every inch of Warehouse 987J with the blood of her sisters.
She jumped over a fallen Battle Sister, holes punched into her head and neck, the fatal wounds recieved as she had also tried to rush the Tau. She ignited her Hand Flamer, the blistering flames, a embodiment of the Emperor's will, rushed towards the crouching Tau soldiers.
One of them was blown apart as the flames cooked off it ammunition, another was melted inside his armor, the material flowing in rivulets. The other managed to raise a pistol before his head was cut from his body by the strike of Charity's Power Axe.
She turned and waved forward the rest of her Battle Sister squad, the black Power Armored forms rushing forward like wraiths of death, bolters glinting in hands.
Overhead in the large space of the storage bunker Seraphim sisters flew overhead, wings of fire propelling them forward. The elite sisters poured Bolt Pistol fire and dropped grenades on the heads of the Tau, reaping destruction amongst their ranks.
Retributor squads were hunkered down firing off blasts of melta fire that destroyed bulkheads and shelves of supplies. Lashes of fire from Heavy Flamers turned aliens into screaming torches, the burning xenos creating macabre dance of death for the Battle Sisters. Heavy Bolter fire smacked through the Tau, making fist size holes and chopping apart bodies.
"With me Sisters!"
Charity rushed through the battle for the Tau supply depot, her squad following. Up ahead was a hastily assembled barricade of crates, bodies and lifting equipment, ripe for slaughter.
Charity opened the vox link to the Seraphim squads. "Sister Lowell I need the Angels of the Emperor to show His wrath upon the xenos."
"Yes Sister Superior."
Soon the jetpack equipped sisters were flying to deliver death as Lowell gave them their orders. She turned to her firing Sisters, their bolters barking at the Tau pulse rounds which screamed around them.
"Ready yourselves, when the Seraphim hit we will charge them."
"Yes Sister Superior!"
The response was automatic, for the questioning of orders was a cardinal sin to the Sisters. Charity crouched low, letting the battle flow around her, rage building as she saw Sisters die to the Tau.
This was the time in which Charity channeled her holy rage of the Emperor's enemies, letting it renew her and give her new strength. She looked up from her reverie as light flared in her vision, filtered out by her optics. A Phosphor grenade clearing the way, Lowell's Serpahim hit the enemy from above, the last place the arrogant aliens would expect.
Krak and Phosphor grenades dropped from the formation of elite sisters, blowing apart and immolating the Tau, Bolt Pistols fired in rapid chains, jerking the Tau from cover with their power. Sister Lowell herself was striding on the corpses of the slain, bolt pistols flashing, exploding heads and destroying torsos with her fire.
"Now!"
Charity sprinted through the wide space, her axe already humming in her hand with power. She vaulted the barricade, closely followed by her sisters, and began to dismember those Tau around her in the flashing melee.
Her axe flashed, cutting through a firing Tau, a mist of blood covering her chest and head. She swirled on her heel and broke another of the aliens ribs with the haft of her axe with a quick jab before carving through it with a diagonal slash that struck like a thunderbolt.
She absorbed the impact of swinging rifle butt and used the impact to drive her back and then immolated her attacker with her Flamer with the extra room she had just gained. A jolt rocked through her body as a blade was forced into her stomach plate by a Tau warrior that appeared in front of her.
The razor sharp metal dug into her Power Armor before hitting her stomach. Blood spurted from the wound and Charity gasped with pain. Then the Tau lost its head as she jerked her head to the side and one of her squad mates fired her Bolter.
The same Sister lost most of her legs and pelvis as a lance of energy destroyed her lower body. Charity dragged herself to her feet, fighting the blazing pain in her abdomen, her nerves screaming.
She pushed herself to a piece of fallen machinery and propped herself up against it. As the battle raged around her she recited Litanies of Faith, fighting against the pain. She was abruptly shaken from her prayers as Sister Maya, one of her squad, appeared in front of her.
"Don't worry Sister your days of fighting for the Emperor are not done yet."
Maya began binding her wounds with anti-biotic gauze, stemming the flow of blood. The pain killers in the bandages worked their magic as the fire in her stomach slowly dulled. Maya then began patching up her armor with repair cement, the fast acting sealant plugging the hole in her armor.
Charity nodded her head in thanks to the Sister before dragging herself to her feet. Around her the battle for Warehouse 987J still raged with force, just moving in a different direction.
"Sister Superior are you able to fight?"
Maya I am always ready to slay His foes." Together the pair hefted their weapons and rejoined the fray.
Shas'vre Elan ran towards the collapsed bar, ragged gasps issuing from his throat. Around him a few squads of Tau Firewarriors, Pathfinders and even Kroot Carnivores were also running to the shelter of the building. After the nearly limitless Mechanicus forces had routed Elan and his men at the main courtyard, it had been a run and gun battle for his remaining forces.
In his numb and bloodied hands he grasped a Pulse Carbine, his Pulse Rifle having been lost in the fight in between the courtyard and here. In front of him one of the remaining Gue'vesa, a battered Lasrifle in his hands, was killed as a tank round flew into the cobblestones.
One of the flying pieces of stone caved in the humans face. Elan jumped over the body and shouted for those around him to run faster. More tank rounds were whistling into the street and buildings around him, throwing up debris and smoke.
He dived into the cover of a abandoned sandbagged emplacement in bar, flinching as more tank round whistled in. Nearly another forty or so jumped in with him, the rest dead or moving on.
Outside Elan could see the Mechanicus battle tanks moving up, along with scores of Skitarri and Battle Servitors. Fire began to thud heavily into the emplacement, las, auto and bolter rounds cracking into the barrier.
He turned to a Kroot that was holding a bloodstained cleaver and hammer, yelling over the din. "Could you get some Carnivores onto the rooftops or through some of the buildings? We need to flank them!"
The Kroot, Bijk, turned and flashed a feral smiled at the Tau officer, teeth stained red with blood flashing in the dim light.
"We can try Tau."
Elan peeked his head over the rim of the sandbags, shrinking back as a missile struck next to the building.
"Well then get to it!"
Bijk leapt up, calling to the other Kroot in the room, they collected their weapons and disappeared into the night via the back door. By that time nearly four battle tanks were outside along with about fifty Tech-Guard and Battle Servitors.
The fire pouring into the building and sandbags was immense. The structure shook as a tank round gutted the upper stories, obliterating several of Elan's men. Elan leaned over the sandbags again and loosed off several rounds with his Carbine, seeing them topple one of the Tech-Guard in a burst of oil and blood.
Then the fire lightened as Bijk's Kroot showed themselves on the roofs of several buildings. Those Kroot with rifles were firing down into the mass of troops, every shot finding a body due to the closed area of fighting. Others were holding crude, spherical bombs in their hands, fuses sparkling.
They dropped into the mass below and began hacking into the humans with blades and claws. Elan noted that Bijk himself was in the fighting, hacking down any in his way to the nearest tank.
As the Kroot reached the first tank he jammed his explosive into one of its cannon barrels, leaping onto the hull of the machine with a sure footed leap. Bijk quickly jumped off and once again began hacking into the mass of metal and flesh around him.
The battle tank exploded spectacularly, sending shrapnel flying all across the street.
The next tank to die was killed by a Kroot that had lost its arm and shoulder to its Heavy Bolter that was stumbling towards it, before it was shot down in front of it. The bomb rolled out form the Kroot's dead fingers before going into the tank's spinning tracks and exploding.
The many tons of war machine was toppled onto its side, crushing several of the milling Tech-Guard beneath it. The remaining tanks were rumbling backwards trying to get way from the Kroot and the next one died.
One of the more bloodthirsty members of Bijk's pack was heading towards the third tank when he was eviscerated by a Battle Servitor's combat blade. The tank then drove forward over the now dead alien and the bomb that had been clutched in its fist exploded underneath it. Pieces of metal punching into the tanks fuel tanks, blowing it apart.
The final tank, recognizing its danger, backed down the street. An overhanging piece of rubble struck its top and ripped it away in a shower of sparks, ending its flight.
The Tech-Guard were now vulnerable without their armor support and Elan planned to use that vulnerability. "Charge!"
Tau, Rebels and Kroot all began running towards the mass of Mechanicus troops, firing their respective weapons. Elan was with them, firing bursts into the enemy, felling mechanical warriors with every burst of pulse fire.
Lasbolts flickered in the air as the Tech-Guard returned fire, killing several of the charging Tau around Elan, crisping skin and muscle. Elan lifted his Carbine and thumped out a Photon Grenade from the launcher mounted underneath it.
The sphere flew through the air and detonated in the midst of the Tech-Guard. Eyes and optics seared by the detonation, the Tech-Guard were exposed.
Elan shot down the first one in his path, feeling blood spatter his face, before drawing his Bonding Knife and stabbing it into the chest of another enemy. A heavy servitor lumbered into view and ignited a Flamer which crisped four of Elan's men in seconds.
It swiveled towards Elan himself, raising its weapon when the Tau commander lunged forward and buried his blade in its throat, sparks appearing from he wound. He ducked beneath a swinging arm that almost took his head off, before shoving his weapon into its stomach and blowing out its insides. He dropped down as a heavy fist was punched into his chest, dropping him to the ground. Gritting as he felt several bones break he looked into the face of a snarling Tech-Guard, its fist cl
The combat machine toppled over with a crash and Elan crouched back down into a fighting stance, expecting more fighting. The battle had ended, which Elan hadn't noticed due to his own fights, the Mechanicus forces having been destroyed.
The Tau turned towards Bijk, his face streaked with blood and oil, new wounds on his tough hide and flashed a salute which the Kroot returned.
"Casualties?"
Bijk just gestured to the ground, which was littered with corpses. Tau and Kroot moved throughout the press of bodies, finishing off wounded Tech-Guard and Battle Servitors with quick shots or rifle butts.
"Bijk go up on that roof over there and get us a better view, the comms isn't working."
"Sure."
Bijk started to climb the building, a repair shop for various machines that any citizen of the Imperium had in their household, the roof eroded partially giving the Kroot many handholds. Bijk reached the top and shaded his eyes, looking out over the surrounding streets. A block away a furious firefight was raging as Tau and Mechanicus armor dueled.
"What do you see Bijk?"
The question was yelled by Elan down below.
"There is a armor fight going on to the west of us and of course there is the dozens of other battles that are happening throughout he city."
Dam, so we cant go the most likely way to help, we will have head to deeper into the city.
Elan thought this as he surveyed the remains of his command, not even twenty were left of the nearly one hundred thirty that he had set out form the courtyard with.
"Come on down Bijk, time to go!"
Bijk was staring out at the city as he heard the order. He turned and was starting his climb down when his head and upper spine disappeared in a flash of superheated blood.
Sniper Fure of the 7th company of the Laotian 3rd Regiment smiled as he lowered his Long-Las.
The inside of the bell tower that Fure was in was covered in trash and debris, brought on by disrepair. The windows had a good vantage point across this area of the city, when Fure had first come across he knew it would be perfect for his work.
He had made it his home for the past day and a half, scoring countless kills. He lowered his sniper rifle and began switching out his used clip for another Hot Shot, the overcharged ammo perfect for sniper work.
The kill had been clean and quick, killing the xeno before it new what hit it. Fure's smile soured as he imagined his rival, Sniper Ced.
The arrogant bastard had probably killed twice as many of Fure and he was going to rub it in Fure's face when they were reunited back at the main camp.
He looked back at is kill and thought about how many more he needed to kill to catch up with Ced.
Time to find new prey.
He raised his rifle again and looked for another target.
Elan cursed as he saw Bijk tumble to the ground lifelessly, another good soldier gone.
He turned to his remaining men, they were all angry at another of their numbers death, gripping weapons tightly, muttering oaths.
"You want revenge for Bijk, well then come on and lets kill more of these corpse following scum."
They growled their agreement at his words and hefted their weapons. Soon the group of Tau, Kroot and PDF were swallowed up by the city.
Librarian Ashok snarled as he beheaded another Tau warrior with his Force Staff. Swirling around him was the rest of the Mantis Warriors 5th Company fought all around him in the outer chambers of the Governor's Palace in the Upper Hive.
When the Drop Pods of the Space Marines had crashed into the area around the Governor's Palace they had disembarked with the speed and efficiency only the Emperor's elite could hope to have. Bolter, Lascannon, Plasma and Missile fire had annihilated all the Tau and PDF that had rushed out of the surrounding barracks to stop the Marines.
Tau and rebel PDF armor had appeared before being destroyed by fire from Devastator Squads, Brother-Dreadnought Kruidan and the tanks they had brought with them, delivered by Thunderhawk Gunships. Heaps of burning metal littered the roadway leading to the Palace, their crews scattered about them in charred heaps.
The turrets mounted on the Palace's gatehouse had been destroyed by precise missile strikes from the Thunderhawks, the wrecks falling off the wall. They had blown the gate of Palace with one shot from the siege cannon mounted on the lone Vindicator Tank they had airlifted in.
Following behind Dreadnought Kruidan and the two Predators and one Vindicator Tank, the Mantis Warriors had stormed into the breach.
Ashok now commanded the Scout Squad Octavius, Tactical Squads Juhn and Cain, Assault Squad Tren and Devastator Squad Setry. With over a third of the company under his command Ashok powered through the surprised Tau defenses with contemptuous ease.
He turned as a fusillade of pulse fire whipped past him before silencing the shooters with deft shots from Bolt Pistol. He stormed through a fire engulfed hallway, several Assault Marines behind him, and emerged into the main antechamber for the Palace.
Tactical Marines of Squad Cain were fighting in close combat and sniper rounds from the scouts, sheltered behind a baulstrade, were picking off Tau, PDF and Kroot. Several of Setry's Devastators were sheltered behind fallen pillars, previously decorating the room, having been shot dwon by weapons fire.
He roared a challenge to the enemy and charged. His staff swiped forward and cut through a crouching Tau before lunging forward and impaling a PDF on his crackling blades. One of the Assault Marines behind him, Brother Shibo, cleaved a Kroot in two with his whining Chainsword before losing his head to a PDF officer's Powersword.
Another of the Assault Marines, Brother Ide, was then skewered by the sword as he clambered up from the ground after taking a stream of Heavy Stubber fire to his chest. Ashok roared and began to attack the rebel, his eyes blazing with crimson physic power.
He slashed forward and the man met his staff in a explosion of power. Blue crackles of energy from the heretic's Power Sword danced with Ashok's red flames of physic power which glowed around his staff.
He continued to duel with the officer, noticing that the man, though unaguemented, was of considerable skill. Ashok wondered how such stalwart warrior could be turned to the side of the xenos before deciding that it did now matter why, just that he did.
The differing lights from their clashing weapons lit up the features of both combatants, combining with the glow of burning furniture and firing weapons in the gold-blue walls of the Palace's antechamber. The rebel officer's face was young, maybe early thirties, the features unlined by the strain of age, his green eyes were ringed with fatigue, the siege of the city having taking its toll on the man.
Ashok's hard set features, his prominent jaw and brow, were the epitome of noble birth, the dark skin pockmarked with scars. He snarled at the man, forcing his staff towards his opponents neck with his superior strength.
"You shall die for your treachery to the Emperor!"
The man, though strained with the fight with Ashok, managed to snarl back, showing white teeth, "And you shall die as the Greater Good destroys the corrupt Imperium!"
The Mantis Warrior shook his head slightly as he heard the blasphemy issuing from the traitor's mouth.
"Your Greater Good is nothing but an excuse to take the worlds rightfully belonging to Imperium!"
With a grunt of effort Ashok cave in the man's skull with a quick punch, blood and bone splattering his face. He turned away from the corpse and saw that his fellow marines were done with their fights as well, the bodies of their foes littering the walkway.
"Time to go."
The Mantis Warrior Librarian then turned and sprung into the melee below. His staff flashed before him, slashing apart Kroot that had sprung into the fight from the many side passages leading into the antechamber.
The Kroot blades flashed and carved furrows into burnished green Power Armor of the Mantis Warriors, several of the Tactical Marines had been slain or suffered severe wounds. Even as the Marines died they pulled down the enemy and killed them on the ground with their hands, fighting to their last breath.
The marble floor of the large chamber was awash in blood pockmarked with bullet scars. Ashok dodged away from a Tau rifle round, and then head butted the alien, smashing its forehead.
He hacked apart a reeling Kroot with his staff, its body falling to the ground in a steaming heap. He reeled as a shot from a Kroot rifle hit his shoulder, powering through his armor and digging into the flesh beneath. He grimaced at the surging pain and spun around emptying his pistol's clip up into the walkways.
He smiled as a body fell to the ground with a meaty smack. His grin grew wider as Veteran Sergeant Cain strode to the fore of the battle, his ornamented bolter firing in quick bursts, while he held a gleaming shortsword that hacked around him.
The appearance of Cain and Ashok galvanized the Space Marines to further heights of bravery and courage, driving the foe before them. The Tau forces were in full retreat, still being gunned down the by the Space Marines when the ground started to tremble.
"Form up! Reload!"
Sergeant Cain yelled this as the shaking increased and the source was suddenly in front of the Mantis Warriors. A Krootox, rider on its back aiming a large cannon mounted on the beasts back, burst through one of the low doorways with a bellow.
The gun on its back roared and the shells from the cannon blew apart one of the scouts in a shower of gore before a creeping line of tracers killed a crouching Devastator. The beast then lumbered forward and smashed its fist into one of the Assualt Marines, the marine flew like a rag doll through the air with a sickening smack into one of the blood stained walls.
Ashok roared and charged forward along with Cain and several other marines, the rest already emptying their weapons into the Krootox. It roared as bloody chunks were ripped from its body from bolter fire and it charged forward and ripped the head from one of the charging marines that was near Ashok, Brother Graman, a stalwart man that had served with the chapter for nearly twenty four years.
Sergeant Cain roared and slammed his sword into the things chest, its tough hide parting beneath the power of the blow. It shrugged its shoulders and Cain was sent flying through the air also, bowling over one of the Tactical Marines.
Ashok rolled forward beneath a stream of shells from the Krootox's cannon, his momentum carrying him forward. Then one of Octavius's scouts blew the Kroot manning the gun from its perch with a well placed shot. The other Marines sprung from cover as the fire coming from the weapon dissapeared.
Ashok jumped to his feet and propelled his staff forward, channeling his energy at the tip using the focusing matrix embedded in its haft. It punched thorugh its chest and into its heart with a flash of energy and the smell of burning flesh.
The Krootox turned its head towards Ashok with a last hateful gaze before he loosed another burst of energy inisde of the things chest. Fire billowed out from the hole in its chest and from its mouth and it hit the ground with the sound of cracking stone.
Ashok turned his gaze upon the remaining marines, many of them wounded in some way, in need of an Apothecary. He was breathing heavily from his phsyic exhertions, the strain taking its toll upon him. Cain was halling himself to his feet, grimacing at the pain of several broken ribs no doubt and Ashok turned towards him.
"Stay here and make sure the dead and seriulsy wouned see the Apothercaries."
"Sir, but.."
"No, you will stay here, I will not risk the final assualt against the enemy commanders with wouned warriors and besides the chapter's Geneseed is too precious. Stay here."
Cain bowed his head in acceptance of his orders and limped his way back. Ashok nodded to the rest that was following him and ran into the main hallway to the Governor's chambers.
Shas'el Kaara'nem gritted her teeth as another explosion crumped outside the Governor's Court Chambers. Kaara'nem was one of the Cadre Elite, a soldier trained for the purpose of defending the worthies of the Tau Empire from all danger.
Her bone white armor shined in the dull light of the chambers, the combat armor fitting around her taut frame perfectly. In her hands glinted a Pulse Carbine while on clamped in a bandolier around her waist was a Pulse Pistol and several EMP grenades. Crossed across her back were her Dak'e'kan, the slim, razor sharp blades within easy reach of her hands.
Around the opulently furnished court room were another dozen of her fellow Cadre Elite, wrist-mounted Burstcannons aimed for firing. Outside the thickly walled room a battle was raging between the desperate Tau defenders and the Imperium's elite, the Space Marines. Each moment more lives were lost trying to hold them back, delaying the inveitable.
"Dro'ta'ai is the route cleared for the diplomat?"
Her fellow Elite was silent for a moment as the interhelmet comms worked through the interference of the battle. "Yes Shas'el, the route is secured for the Ko'El."
"Good make sure it says that way."
She strode across the marble veined floors to Por'Ko'El, the Tau diplomat to the Gue'la in the hive city. The old Tau turned his head briefly in her direction before turning back to his conversation with the Rebel Governor, Hugar Lorn.
She interuptted the conversation with a low cough.
"Ko'El we must go, the enemy is almost upon us."
"Why must we flee, I am confident that you and the worthy Governor's men could rout the intruders."
The Tau Water Caste member talked in Low Gothic for the benefit of the humans in the room, boosting their spirits. Kaara'nem sighed, the diplomat was always adding words that were not needed in urgent situations.
"Ko'El, I must insist it is not safe, even with my and the Governor's soldiers."
Kaara'nem gestured to the Governor's guards, the men were all strongly built, holding artisan crafted Las-locks. They were garbed in heavy, teal, mesh armor, their powerful las weapons clutched in their hands. On their soldiers were carved symbols of their aliegiance to the Greater Good and Governor Hugar.
"Koel, you must leave, your guard is right."
That was Hugar, his heavy set, pale face speaking the words from his fat lips. He couldn't say the Tau diplomat's name correctly so he called him by the nickname Koel, forming the two parts together into one.
"I will stay, alone, and delay the Marines."
Kaara'nem and her fellow Tau were shocked by the humans announcement, the human's willingness to lay down his life shaking them. Por'Ko'El stepped forward and embraced the man, awkwardly trying to recreate human gesture of friendship.
"Your sacrifice to the Tau'va shall not be forgotten Hugar."
The fat governor smiled a shaky smile, "Now go, you too guards."
Kaara'nem hurried the diplomat over to the secret pasageway, her squad mates filing behind her. Dto'ta'ai stood near the tunnel along with two other members of the Cadre Elite, their weapons pointed outwards.
Kaara'nem turned her head to the three, "Lets go, now!"
They hurried into the darkened tunnel leading to the idden airfield. Behind them were Hugar's palace guards, walking more hesitantly in the back, wanting to defend their lord. Kaara'nem waved them thorugh, before turning around once more to look at the governor.
He was seated on his throne, waiting for the doors to the room to be opened.
The Shas'el gave him a quick salute and closed the door.
The doors exploled in front of Ashok, the venerable-dreadnought Kruidan caving them in with a blow from his huge blade blade. The Mantis Warriors filed into the room, aiming Bolters.
On the throne of the governor sat a overweight, pallid man, his eyes shining with defiance and fear. There was no sign of the enemy.
Brother-Sergeant Setry steped forward and lowered his Plasma Cannon, ready to turn the traitorus man to ashes.
"Stay your hand Brother Setry."
The Devastator Sergeant lowered his weapon at the Librarian's command, stepping backwards. Ashok strode towards Governor Hugar, his eyes blazing with pyshic power.
"Traitor Governor Hugar Lorn, I arrest you for your deviancy from the Emperor's will, you are coming with us."
The man looked up from hs gilded throne, tears in his eyes.
"Yes, I guess I am."