A/N: See first chapter for Disclaimer. Wow folks, 2,000 views that is awesome! I can't believe how popular this little Fanfic of mine is, to be truthful when I started it I was expecting it not to exceed 1,000 views with all the chapters finished. But thank you folks for all your support and encouragement. Also as a special treat check out my DA page to see the first in my FurryK Series of converted miniatures with the Draconian Rough Rider, so imagine the Draconian's wearing a similar uniform. Which is very convenient since this chapter stars those very same Rough Riders….
Also a shout out to Unssenant for the review!
Danolov Bracket was getting tried, not of giving speeches, killing Xeno's or splitting them in twain. He had been up for more than a day now and he needed his rest. Though he was in a body of a man less then two thirds his age, he was feeling the wear on his leg servo's parts and the strain on his muscles. It didn't help that he smelled of blood, sweat and since he was able to enter the sewers, human waste. He promised himself he had to return to the rear after he helped clear, or at least make significant progress in, the sewers of Xeno forces dwelt and prepared to strike. He'd let a younger glory whore of Commissar take over and march through this shit for the Emperor. But till then he trudged on with the Ratical platoon he attached to.
Unlike Captain Rizo's advance platoon, which were professional gangers or security guards back on their world, the unit Bracket had attached to was comprised of almost all conscripts. They were recruited enmass from what passed as their underhives schola's, from what he understood recruiters would just arrive at the schola's and offer them a rather blunt choice. Either join the new Imperial Guard Regiments being formed and see the galaxy or stay and work themselves to death in the manfactorums. The idea of industrial accidents, pollution and the multitudes of other ways they could die outweighed the prospect of simply dodging bolter rounds. Of course the recruiters failed to mention the myriad other ways that they could die horrible deaths on distant worlds that would make Catachens think twice about being assigned there. They were discovering that the hard way.
Of the platoon there was a total of three full infantry squads, a platoon command, a heavy weapon squad lugging around auto-cannons that he was surprised they had decided to take, and over a hundred conscripts. At first there was five times that number, but over the past day that number had been reduced by attrition. It was mostly the enemy who killed them but a score or more fell because of their minders guns, his included. Because of their sacrifices though they had taken a toll on the Xeno forces using their combined mass of las-fire, though they couldn't be counted on when it came to close combat.
And they were scared as well, they were scared of the closed dark, of being forced through tight and dark corridors. Also they had taken point so they were going to be the first to die when the enemy started firing. So that was why he was in the front, well in the back of the conscripts but he was part of their unit anyway so it counted.
As he trudged through the sewage from the front of his formation he could hear a scurrying commotion." Bosses, bosses!" He heard one of the conscripts shout." We found an a way into da subway." Bracket gave a sigh of relief, finally he would be able to get onto dry cement and out of the filth he marched in." Good now ya boys get on through there, we'll right along. Don't worry da commissar will be keeping ya company." The platoon leader, Lieutenant Thesi Uation, a small but muscular rat wearing a tank top underneath his flak armor, ordered and to illustrate that he would be joining the conscripts Bracket gave loud growl of approval.
The conscripts didn't need much more encouragement and in a matter of five minutes they were through the hole and into the subway beyond. Before Bracket steeped though Scean said to him." Hey take the new guys and look around. Wez don't want any big, las-proof surprises without da auto cannons." Bracket nodded." Yes Lieutenant." Then started to move his horde to the west, to the nearest subway station. His conscripts scurried forwards and he kept up and tried to keep them in formation, but that was difficult with such a number of soldiers.
They crawled up onto the subway platform and ascended the nearby stairs. Bracket was first alerted that something was wrong when he heard chitterling and a chattering of the conscripts. Then those noises were suddenly replaced by screams as he heard heavy weapons start to feed into machines and fire onto the horde. There came a tidal wave of fur and fear running down the stairs." Hold your ranks you flea bitten scum!" Bracket shouted and shot down some of the retreating conscripts, the powerful bolt rounds blowing them apart. Both his bolt pistol and voice carried over the levy, slowing them. " Fire! Turn and fire at the enemy, Damn You!" That got him a reaction he could approve of.
The conscripts held and fired at the clanking mech's, their las-rounds bouncing off the thick armor of the two awaken walkers, leaving only scorch marks." Fecking Warp." Bracket said to himself as the armored walkers came on, spewing flames and shooting with Vulcan guns, the conscripts being mowed down by their scores." I have to do everything by myself. Watch and learn Ratties" He shouted before holstering his pistol and drawing his power sword with his right hand. Then he pushed past the conscripts and charged the walkers." For the Emperor!"
The targeting sensors of the walkers took little note of the lone figure charging them with a sword, their programing instead focused on the larger threat of the dwindling horde of conscripts. Of course their sensors did pick up that the blade had a power source in it and it was crackling with blue lightning, but this anomaly was nothing to them when compared to the ranged fire power of the las-guns. The sensor's still was feeding that information to its pilot when that very same sword sliced it off the walker it was attached to.
Bracket grunted with execration as he carved a hole into the Vulcan armed walker's side. He could of sliced through them if he wanted to, but he didn't have the time and that action would of taken far to long. Instead he carved a fist sized hole into the walker. The armored being turned to its side, trying to kill the human assaulting it, and Bracket moved with it not wanting to get in range of its guns. He drew a karak grenade from his storm coat and had his teeth grip its safety pin before pulling it out. He stuffed the grenade into the walkers flank and turned to run….
Only to meet the flamer armed walker. The pair of heavy flamers seemed to be aimed right for body. Acting like a rat caught in a trap, a sentiment his currently attached to regiment would of sympathized with, he jumped forward into the only safe spot open for him, he dove under the walker in between its legs. Flames covered the spot where he was only a moment earlier and the first walker he attacked blew up when the karak grenade went off. The entire side of the walker was ripped out and sprayed its fellow and Bracket with shrapnel, which bounced off his armored carapace and pinged off the flamer armed walker.
The remaining walker then started to move back and crushed Bracket's cybernetic foot underneath its own metal extremity. Danolov then realized that he had jumped out of the fire and was wacked with the frying pan." Commissar get out of there!" Bracket could hear Thesi call out to him. The walker turned away from the commissar and looked back down the hall way giving Danolov an opening. His remaining foot he launched himself forwards towards the staircase and hopped to it. He fell onto it and turned to see the Regular Ratical's aiming their heavy weapons at the walker.
Flames then cascaded out of the walker and engulfed an entire squad before they could fire their grenade launcher. But another grenade launcher armed squad, then a flamer and finally the heavy weapons squad, which had its auto cannons on the shoulders of the loaders, fired. 'Chacka, chacka, chaka, ckaka.' The sounds of the heavy weapons fired and impacted against the walker. It's weapons were knocked off, the legs cut out from under it, the crew cabin pierced. By the time they had finished unloading into it, the walker was a wreck." Alright, youse lot reload and get ready to push on." Thesi said before walking up to Bracket. He took in the sight of his crushed robtic foot before saying." Commissar, youse alright?"
Bracket panted and nodded." Yeah. Good thing you showed up when you did, or else my arse would have been cooked." Which the conscripts thought was a pity since that would of permanently removed at least one gun pressed to the back of their heads. Thesi smirked." Well I dunno if I should call a cook to finish ya off or a cog boy to fix youse up." Bracket grinned for a moment, giving a chuckle that lasted less than a moment." True-" He looked down at his mangled leg." But I'm out of this fight till I get a replacement. "He looked up at the guard officer." Care to spare one of your conscripts? I would rather not hop around in a war zone if I can help it."
"Of course Commissar." And Thesi had a conscript help support the commissar, at the same time his guardsmen moved up into the station and cleared out the rest of the Xeno threat. It was another half an hour later that Thesi was able to blast the entrance open to the topside. Into the dark night he had his men take position in a ruined three story building.' Well at least I'm out of the sewer." Though Bracket as he rested on the first floor. At the same time Thesi got onto the vox to radio his platoons position in, which was on one side of a food garden the hivers had built to try and sustain themselves. By the time he finished his vox a Xeno flyer zoomed overhead, dropping its pay load onto a group of exposed conscripts, tearing the heart out of the formation again and leaving only a couple dozen survivors behind.
" Fire at that flyer!" Thesi directed his auto-cannons, getting on the vox once more as the heavy weapons began spitting death at the flyer." Enemy flyers are in the air, enemy has air support. I repeat enemy has air support." Then from one of his soldiers overlooking the window." Boss, 40 plus Xeno foot with hover tank." Thesi gulped, he could match the enemy gun to gun, but not of quality. He needed some armor support but how, he would be among thousands with other platoons in more urgent situations then this, it wasn't like he had a… oh wait he did have a VIP. Then in his clearest accent, so that any other regiment that could hear him could understand what he was saying." Requesting heavy ground support, we must protect the Lord Commissar at all costs. Location at intersection of level A to Subway Entrance 405."
A female voice then came on the vox, it was deep and had a strange mix of a purr and hiss to it." Captain Reiko Ryuko responding, approaching like the thunderous dragon." Thesi quirked a furry eyebrow and wonder what in the name of the Big Cheese on Terra she was talking about.
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"Captain, is that wise? We're supposed to be only scouting the inner hive not on a rescue mission." Asked Master of Ordinance Geraldo Schultz, to the Draconian captain he was attached to. Schultz was a human in appearance, or Pinkie to the less flattering term of the Draconians, though his skin coloration was of light brown then say a Cadian's. He also stood a foot shorter than his two meter tall captain, who had black and purple scales and no hair when compared to Schultz's greying salt and pepper combination. She was also beautiful in body, though her slender form it reminded him far too much like the Eldar for his liking.
"Yes." She spoke, regarding him with some impatience. Being a noble woman of her world few if any would question her choices, only those of higher rank would do so and it so rankled her when they did. The only reasons why she tolerated Schultz was because he had a Munitorium rank of Colonel and Marshal Nates wanted entrances to the subway mapped out and then called in to be blow open." A Lord of the Commissariat is in danger. A great noble and slayer of many foes, to let such a hero die would be a great shame. A shame that if was to happen I'm afraid that all in this unit should commit Seppuku, present company included." Schultz paled, he wasn't part of the command structure, he was an advisor and a glorified quarter master. What she proposed… he looked around the cramp conditions of the Chimera and saw that he was outnumbered by five to one in Draconians." Of course captain, I'll call my position so the guns can track us to the xeno threat and the commissar."
Reiko turned away and then spoke to her vox operator and Schultz could feel the chimera turn. After a moment he looked outside of the chimera through an aiming slit and saw their Hydra and rough rider escorts turn along the same route. He rode in silence till suddenly the chimera stopped and so did the hydra behind, then he could hear the sound of the multi-las and the hydra's auto-cannons firing at an unseen target. From outside of the metal shell he heard a loud crash and boom." Flyer eliminated." The multi-las gunner spoke from his cramped compartment.
The chimera then rolled over a collapsed building in the middle of the street, the hydra behind though was immobilized blocking the way for the rough riders." Hydra Driver." Reiko said speaking into the vox." Stay were you are and provide fire support for us, do not offend the machine spirt if you tear out the bottom of your tank. Also tell Knight-Sergeant Sakai to find a way around we will be waiting for him at the ruins." There was a reply from the vehicle." Yes captain. I shall keep the skies clear like the great wind that blows away the clouds." The driver of the vehicle said giving an analogy.
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"Well crap." Thesi said to his men when the flyer blew up." That's what she meant by Thunderous Dragon. She made a hell of an entrance." Then he could see the chimera crest a pile of rubble and move towards their ruined building. From the xeno side of the garden there were pot shots fired at the Raticals who returned fire. Apparently they were waiting for something, what he couldn't be sure of, but they had the opportunity to crush his platoon already, so they had to be planning something big. He also knew he had to stop them before they could pull off what they were doing.
The friendly chimera rolled up to the ground level of the building, Thesi and Braket were there waiting for the captain. Thesi was standing trying to look as professional as possible, which was near impossible in his rag tag appearance, while the commissar was sitting down having nothing he could do about his smell or stained clothes. The ramp to the chimera's back opened up and out came Reiko and her command squad, as well as a master of ordinance. Bracket smirked when he recognized who it was." Schultz! You own me 20 credits from graduation night." Schultz face palmed, even after a quarter century he couldn't escape his minutorium classmates." I'll get you them after we survive this little fight."
Taking that as her cue Reiko spoke." Yes, old friendships can wait for later." 'Friendship was stretching it.' Bracket thought." Right now we need to secure a way out of this… garden patch." Reiko finished." Ma'am, I want to get out's of here as da next person. But we've gots a big problem. Da Xeno's are plannin' somethin' over at da other side of da garden. We need ta stop them." Reiko waved him off." I'm sorry lieutenant, but of the Lord-Commissar's evacuation is of higher priority than a scouting mission."
Bracket then piped up." Actually think of it more as a combat patrol and I would suggest that you investigate it, after all I don't want to be followed by hover tanks all the way back to camp." Officially, even though he was a high ranking commissar, Bracket was still an advisor attached to the Imperial Guard. So Reiko was well within her rights to refuse. But with the rank of Lord-Commissar, when a person of that rank suggested something they usually meant 'Get it done now or I might find you wanting….' So thanks to about ten thousand years of reputation building Reiko replied." Of course my lord. By the Emperors Will it will be done."
A battle plan was quickly laid out, Reiko's command squad, a Ratical infantry squad and the heavy weapons squad would stay in the ruined building as the command base. Thesi would take his platoon squad out to guide the Rough Rider squad against the xeno's. Another squad of infantry would hitch a ride in the chimera and move up against the enemy, hopefully to their building. Then finally the remaining conscripts would move across no man's land to engage the enemy head on.
As soon as the troops were loaded onto the chimera though the enemy struck. The hover tank flying out from behind the enemy's ruined building and fired its guns at the ruins, aiming at the auro cannon squad, killing off a team. As soon as the tank started firing the chimera sped out from behind the Imperial Guard base and moved flat out for the enemy ruins. At the same time the heavy weapons squad returned fire at the tank, glancing it. The conscripts moved, running at the orders of Reiko, towards the enemy building.
The Xeno' troops then fired their arm guns at the conscripts killing eight in the process, but the conscripts keep on moving and with Schultz direction an artillery strike returned the favor. The chimera was about half way across the garden when a shot from the hover tank immobilized the Imperial vehicle by throwing a track. The multi-las then fired and the hover tank fell out of the air, also immobilized from a hit that melted through its hover control. The conscripts then started to fire at the Xeno scum, two bodies fell out of the ruins showing they had some effect. They were then scythed down and retreated from the combined fire of the xeno foot and the tank.
The xeno foot mobles then started to move out off the ruins were another hover tank appeared. The new tank then fired at the chimera, a glancing hit blowing a hole in the side. The chimera returned fire at the new hover tank and a trio of well place las bolts hit the power generator of the hover tank blowing it to pieces. As the conscripts fell back they were rallied when they saw the rough riders finally appear from the east. With the xeno forces now in las-gun range and dawns light beginning to piece the darkness the imperial guard then opened fire onto the xeno's. All the Imperial Guard squads in range, even Reiko's squad heavy bolter fired at the large mob of xeno killing over half of them.
The rough rider squad holstered their las-pistols, the melta and plasma gunners putting their weapons on their slings, the group then drew their hunting lances from their backs." For the Eternal Emperor!" Sergeant-Knight Sakai roared and spurred his lizard mount at the xeno mob. His squad followed his example and lowered their lances, some adjusting their aim as their Tallern advisor told them that they needed to compenstate for the heavy explosive tip. The xeno's saw them coming at them and fired at the riders, their aim though was off for they were weaving and ducking. But still when they hit they were powerful shots that killed and killed they did, three of the rough riders fell from their saddles or were crushed by their mounts. The charge continued though.
With a ferocity the rough riders struck, their lances piercing through the xeno, blowing them to pieces, even impaling pairs onto the lances before exploding. The riders mounts also earned their fill of xeno flesh, their mouths closing on and devouring limbs and heads. The xeno mob was enveloped and in a matter of seconds they were destroyed. The rough riders had little time to celebrate tough the hover tank fired its guns and killed more of the rough riders till they were but a quarter of their original size. They fell back towards the Reiko occupied ruins.
The squad inside of the chimera disembarked and ran to the ruined xeno base, at the same time the conscripts moved out. That was when a new xeno force appeared from their side of the garden. The five of them looked like floaters, but unlike the commanders who looked stream lined, these creatures were festooned with blades. From their heads, to hands to their tentacles they were covered in spikes and knives. They floated across the battlefield and towards the few remaining conscripts, the hover tank reducing their number even more. The few remaining radical conscripts fired desperately at the at the menace coming at them, but those shots that did hit were little more than pings off their armor. Then they struck, they spun and turned like a whirlwind of death, the conscripts being slaughtered as they were torn to shreds. Their screams lasted a few seconds before they, like the xeno mob, were left as red furry blotches on the garden.
The xeno's themselves then came under fire, literally. The once chimera bound radical squad used their flamer and full auto las guns to kill two of the monstrosity's. The chimera finished off the creatures with their heavy flamer and multi-las. At around the same time the auto-cannon squad were able to finally silence the hover tank with the last of its crew slaughtered. The entire battle lasted about six minutes.
There was a silence across the battlefield and the forward radical squad moved into the enemy ruins and voxed back." Nothin' here." Upon further inspection they found no intelligence, no new weapons save for the bodies of the Slicers and no reason why they should be there. So they returned across the gore covered garden picking up weapons and extra las packs from the conscripts.
Reiko turned to Bracket and said." Combat Patrol complete… for no good reason." Her words stung Bracket, he didn't show he was hurt but still he felt the words. He had more or less given orders for the platoon to waste their energy and men for… what? A perceived threat, a suggestion by their officer? He looked up at Reiko." Lets go… command will want to know about these new xeno warriors." So it was that Reiko, her squad and Bracket rode on top of the Hydra back to the command. The remains of platoon moving on foot, their mood a sour one and more than a few cursing out the Lord-Commissar.
If Bracket could of heard them, he would of silently agreed with them. He had murdered the platoon and this was another on his list of failures. Something he was sure that would haunt him.
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A/N: Not my best chapter but I was testing out my battle report skills in the last battle.