sorry for the wait, if there is even anyone reading these. This is actually two chapters combined, because one had been far to short for my liking.
please comment
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'Move third and fourth Russ devisions into the hot zone around the core of the church district' A piece was moved. 'But sir wouldn't that leave the Arkanian 5th infintry in the open?' General Gerret said raising a brow. He was a wiery man. Never seen true combat. He'd been born in a noble family on Gnosis An agriworld His bright blue and grey uniform adorned with the many patches and metals that come from going to prestigious military scholum. Metals that mark him out as a prodige and ones that mark him out as a tactician. But not one chevron earned on the field. 'Thats the point i think' Colonel Vance Stubbs from the Archaios 42nd. He was a hard man. Like his regiment he was new. But he had the ideals of Macharius and he had gotten to his position by being the best in his training and his ability to lead his squad in simulations. Governor militant Eilus Mandula of the 85th Vandolin smiled hartily from his position in the command throne. The Archaios general was a good man and he didnt decorate himself with metals and ribbons like Gerret did. Not only that but he was worthy of his recommendations. He'd lead his Guardsmen at the front line on the attack on the high church in the corner of the church district and with his regiment managed to single handedly win back the southern hab district. His regiment was proving valuable in the war effort. They were taking losses and squad had an unfortunate run in with a Blood thirster of Khorn and Mnadula's own regiment lost one of its Chimeras in the attack. 'Right you are Colonel.' Mandula leaned forward and tapped his finger on the map 'the Arkanian's are heavy shock infintry and well dug in. They'll be able to halt the heretic advance long enough for us to' He stopped and moved his finger to a small figurine that represented the Vandolin tank divisions and ran his finger from they're position straight into the flank of the figurine representing the heretics. 'These are just heretics. Our scouts say the worst they have are a few defilers. The Defilers move slowly and they're guns wont do much damage. casualties will be minimal and if our tanks move quickly, consequential and we'll move the Arkanians forward.' Gerret nodded. He'd been put in command of the Arkanian's when General Coonley of the Arkanians had been killed in an assassination attempt on Mandula himself. Gerret was following mandula as a learner, But mandula was tired of the snob and put him in command of a regiment to get him away. Really he had no power and was only there to relay the orders. 'and my men sir?' Stubbs asked looking down at the 3 figurines thar represented each platoon of his regiment. 'I'm sending you to investigate that ship that fell nearly an hour ago' Mandula said pressing a finger at the eastern market district. 'We dont know if its one of ours or not. The battle above us has left communications with the blockade sketchy and we have no way of knowing if its one of ours.' Mandula said bringing his arm back and stroking his long grey beard. 'If its imperial then you search for survivors. if its not and its hostile then you radio in for air support and we'll make sure that its not going to itnerfere with our defense.' Mandula lifted a pipe to his lips and one of the many servitors around him lit it for him. He dragged smoke into his mouth. Stubbs saluted 'yes sir. And if they are friendly?' Stubbs asked. Mandula blew smoke from his lips 'Then i guess we'd better get them out of the red zone' Mandula said holding little hope that it wasn't hostile. 'Emperor dosnt forgive laxity and if it is truely friendly contacts then we must evac them too. Besides. I doubt they want to be on this planet after all thats happening' Mandula finished and bit down on his pipe. Stubbs saluted again and placed his helmet on his head. 'Emperor protects colonel' Mandula said to the man's back as he left the command tent. Mandula cleared his throat and looked around. The command tent was busy. Servitors were wall working cogitators and groups of inteligence officers and other people necissary for the function of a command center were busy at work. 'what are you waiting for?' Mandula said. His gratted voice coming out slightly angry. Gerret jumped and looked confused. 'Get to your regiment Gerret! how can you lead your men from here?' Gerret paled 'but lord...' Mandula cut him off with a snarl and motioned behind him. A man with a golden breast plate adorned with a crimson sash that wrapped around his waist and across his chest. Wearing a large cap and black great coat with gold and crimson trim stepped forward. 'Commissar Cain. I want you to "help" our good General. He needs to learn to lead his men properly' Mandula said with a grim smirk. The commissar smiled. The smile splitting his scarred lips and moving his statue like square jaw. 'As you say lord. Come General. let us spill blood in the name of the Emperor' The commissar said and reached out a gloved hand, gripping the General's wrist and leading him away. Mandula sighed and slumped back. He was old. nearly a thousand years which was ancient by human standards. His body was wrinkled but retained its muscle. Even if he was forced to use augmetic braces and joints to move. His hair was short and cropped and his beard was long but trimmed at the edges to make it neat and wise as opposed to messy. His face was a ruin of scar tissue and his left eye was a milky white with an orange circle in the center that used to be his iris. He took his pipe out and exhaled smoke into the air. Only a few hundered years ago he'd been just like Stubbs. leading his men form the front lines and serving the guard the only way he knew how. Oh how he hated being a Governor militant. He hated not being in the heat of battle. He cursed every day of it and prayed to the Emperor that the Chaos forces would get the balls to atempt another assassination. Just so he could wet his apitite to spill blood again. Everything about this current job was so... boring. He stood up. The servos of his braces hissing as they lifted him up and he started to walk. His steps were heavy and slow. but still retained the fluidity that his years as a soldier had given him. Even though he'd gotten used to the braces many a century ago. He still hated being so slow. He'd seen it all however. He'd fought wars against all of the Emperor's enemies. From Tyranid to Tau he'd fought and matched tactics and found each one wanting. Even the great enemy Abadon the despoiler the leader of most of the chaos incursions into Imperial space hadn't impressed him. During the battle of the Vale rift where Mandula had meet and defeated the chaos space marines of the Black legion. Mandula rested a hand on a large golden statuette of the Emperor. 'Guide my hand in this battle dear Emperor' He prayed and lifted his hand. 'How much longer is this damn evacuation going to take?' Mandula said bitterly. 'roughly another two days if the survivors keep coming in at the rate that they are now. The evacuation centers set up on the other side of the planet are already taking off towards the blockade' One of the servitors reported. 'Where are the space marines?' Mandula asked and turned on his heel. The Raven guard had gone off on they're own agenda almost as soon as they'd landed. Leaving only two marines to help with the defense. The marines were currently fighting alongside the Arkanians. which further improved the chances of his plan to work. Defenses were to easy. All he had to do was make sure he kept every chaos attack from reaching the capital. Leaving the Arkanian line as the first line of defense. Backed up by another line of infintry and after that basilisk artillery. Then waiting only a few feet away in a Giant crate the size of a small sky scraper was a Warhound Titan and from what the techpriests told him. Its machine spirit was raging to unleash its fury. 'Two days to fully evacuate. Four days till the invasion arrives and starts taking this entire sector. Then another day or two a damned hive mind of Tyranid was due to arrive. Leave the sector to them he thought. There wouldn't be any imperial citizens left.
Colonel Stubbs loaded onto his command chimera along with his command squad. He rested a hand on the bolt pistol on his hip and the hilt of a power saber on the other. 'Alright boys its a search and rescue mission now' Stubbs said kicking a boot up onto one of the empty seats. 'For the Emperor!' He shouted into the vox so that the signal went across all channels. 'For the Emperor' his men replied. Then there was a crackle and a frotz. 'Hello! This is Private Sean Devlin of the Archaios 42nd first platoon third squad!'
Sean listened intently and looked off to the side. Watching the hustle and bustle of the Eldar crash site. His guardsmen days telling him to watch for some form of weakness. The Eldar were almost all wounded. A large portion of the survivors were on the floor being tended to by others. But from the looks of it, not very well. He got a tang in his mouth that told him somehow that what ever was going on between the Eldar leader and the other eldar in the same uniform as the one who had meet them before were arguing somehow even if he couldn't hear it. She was a sexy one though. These ... eldar wore such tight armour. And it was form fitting in all the right places. 'Well theres a few things that arent tactically sound with telling you' Sean said after what the leaders words sunk in. 'But your on Anargo 3. its a city world completly covered in this one large city' Sean explained. trying to force himself not to stare to much at the other Eldar. Trying to do what was proper and keep his eyes locked on the Eldar's. 'Your in the east market and the battle is with a heretic cult that spread throughout the planet. Then suddenly ships began dropping of... things. Weve been able to establish that the cults of Khorn and Nurgle are here. But as for any other we have no idea. This is just an evacuation though. Were defenders not attackers, eventualy an invasion is going to come and take over this entire planet. So forgive me for not taking your "safety" two seriously' Sean said trying to be as courteous as he could. they were xenos but they werent trying to kill them yet at least. 'You really should rethink your strategy' Fobox said bluntly. 'The invasion comes in three day. Besides. We couldn't go with you even if we wanted to. The evacuation will end atleast a day before the invasion comes. And i dont know about Sean. But i really dont want to be here when all hell hits this planet.' Sean nodded and then flinched as a hiss hit his ear. 'Fething hell!' he yelped and pressed a hand to the side of his helmet. 'rescue... mission... Emperor' he heard over the vox channel. 'Hello! This is Private Sean Devlin of the Archaios 42nd first platoon third squad! Can you hear me?' Sean said into the vox. He recognised that voice. 'We've made our way to the crash site and have met unhostile entities in the market district. I repeat we are alive!' He was replied with loud static 'Stubbs... Hold...were...way.' a loud hiss. 'I hate this planet' Sean grumbled as the connection was lost. Sean turned to Fobox and hit his shoulder 'I think were out of here!' he said through his mask.
Aelwyn
Aelwyn smiled warmly sliding off of the stone wall slowly so as not to alarm the humans further. It was a good thing they had dec to accept her offer of peace. If they had decided to try and gun her down they would have met with a quick death. Aelwyn could have leaned backwards avoiding any thrown knives or sudden shots fired as she would reach out with her leg to kick the gun from the smaller one's gun from his hand. Then perhaps flip over the wall to take cover as she pulled out her shuriken blaster to gun them down or perhaps jump from the wall and come in close to stab each of them in the throats with the elbow spikes of her armor. They were for more than just looks and she had become rather adept at using the long curved spikes as secondary weapons in close combat. "Come on then, we do not have much time." Aelwyn walked infront of the humans, her hands never straying to far from her weapons. She picked her way through the rubble and debris and a few mangled human bodies back towards the crash site, having to move slowly as the humans seemed to have trouble keeping up with her. "From the way you move and how you walk so slowly I take it you are injured." she called back to them as she waited patiently for the two of them to catch up to her "I warn you now that you should treat your injuries yourself. We have nothing to spare in the way of first aid... or anything else for that matter. You understand yes?" Aelwyn drew closer to the humans, smelling their blood that slowly dripped from wounds. Smelled differently from Eldar blood and daemon blood. Though she could smell that on them too "I have only seen your kind on documented feeds. But never up close before." she looked the two up and down, pursing her lips "I thought humans were supposed to be taller, with great big armor and lasblasters and swords." she had been a little excited meeting them. Not only would there now be a chance to learn what was going on and how best to survive it but also she would get to see this species up close. New and interesting things always excited her but the humans didnt seem to want to indulge her in much talking. So she sighed and walked on silently. Despite the humans slow speed they made good time and soon the twisted burning remains of the Ly'ctan Shi was now in sight, the Eldar survivors gathered several yards away and rushing around as they got everything ready for the march. "Wait." she held up her hand to stop the humans and turned towards them, pointing at the smaller one's gun "That you will have to give up. Along with your grenades. Your knives you can keep if they give you comfort. But everything else..." Two Dire Avengers appeared from behind some crumbling wall and walked up behind Aelwyn holding their shuriken blasters firmly in hand "I am sorry friends, but this is the way it has to be. Aelwyn singled the Avengers to take the human's weapons and waited as they both slowly and reluctantly gave them up. She was sure to communicate to the Avengers through a mind link that it was okay for the humans to keep their little daggers and ordered at least one of them to help accompany them through the camp. Tensions were high, mental stability was... questionable, and having several strange humans walk through the camp might make things worse. To be sure that no one flew off the handle and killed two of the only people that could possibly help the Soulc'ats right then. Aelwyn walked quickly through the camp, her eyes scanning for anyone reaching for a weapon. Even though it had already been about an hour or two since Leeal had organized the Eldar towards one goal, there were still some that knelt were they had before, still praying to any of the Old Gods that would listen and forgive them for their sins. Aelwyn looked on them in disgust and pity. Such because of an ill fated happening. "Leeal!" Aelwyn called out with her mind, searching through the Eldar that moved through the camp re-wrapping wounds, forming makeshift slings and going through the wounded assessing their ability to make the journey. "Aelwyn!" Leeal raised his arm and waved her over to where himself, Makyl, and K'asan were gathered around what seemed to be a smile stockpile of their extra supplies. Things that had been salvaged from the crash and the dead. "What is this?" K'asan's hands went immediately to the short swords at her side "You have brought humans to our camp? They could have been with others you fool! You could have-" "They were quite alone Lady K'asan so kindly take your hands off of your weapons before you frighten our guests." Leeal stepped inbetween the two, placing a hand on Aelwyn's shoulder "I see your thinking behind this. It is a good thing you did. Please go help prepare the wounded, we must leave soon." Aelwyn looked from Leeal to the humans and nodded "I shall leave you in the care of my love and leader then." she smiled and bowed her head to them before doing as Leeal asked. He watched her go before turning to the humans, studying them as she had "Well then I suppose I should welcome you humans, for what it is worth. My name is Leeal, I am the acting leader of the Soulc'at Eldar of the Ly'ctan Shi. As you can see we are... in need of help." "You are seriously considering asking help from these Mon'keigh scum?" Mykal gestured towards the humans, glaring at them with unmasked hatred and disdain "Leeal the Warp must have effected your mind to consider asking these primitive knuckle dragers for help! What could they possibly do?" "I am hoping they can tell us something about what is going on on this planet so that we are not left in the dark and killed because of our ignorance." Leeal stared Mykal down until he turned away to go back through checking the weapons they procured "Forgive my friend," Leeal turned back towards the humans "We have been through trying times. What I ask is simple enough. I must know what is happening on this planet. Who it is your kind is fighting against, where the battle is, who seems to have the upper hand, things of this nature. I am determined to save as many of my people as I can and this will be paramount in doing so. If you have a map of the area or know the layout this will help as well. In return we can offer a small amount of medical supplies to you both if that is what you wish. Or you can travel with us seeing as how you seem to be separated from the rest of your kind. Safety in numbers I believe is a favored phrase of your kind." Leeal turned and looked at what remained of the Ly'ctan Shi "If you have questions feel free to ask them. But decide quickly if you will, there isnt much time I am sure."