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Silver Knights ~ The Forges I
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Gryphonne IV. Talos System. Shiola Sub-Sector. Alduin Sector. Segmentum Tempestus. 997.M41
Vandius checked the data-feed in his helmet one last time as he grabbed the harness in the Thunderhawk. Despite the internal stabilizers, the Thunderhawk shook and rocked when the occasional Tyranid weapons blast hit it.
This was a mission of monumental importance. Leviathan had split into many tendrils over the entire Segmentum, but this was one was one of the biggest tendrils. Gryphonne IV was a vital forge world, one of the leading weapons and arms manufacturers in the sector. It could simply not be allowed to fall into Tyranid hands. It was to be defended, no matter the cost.
The Imperium was barely able to hold on thanks to the actions of the Genesis Chapter and the Praetors of Orpheus, two of Guilliman's successor chapters. Their hit and run strikes on the main tendril of Leviathan had slowed it down enough for reinforcements to arrive and garrison the world.
Hundreds of Guard regiments and five entire chapters had fought to hold on long enough for the reinforcement fleets of Russ to properly arrive and reinforce the beleaguered world and the sector surrounding it.
When Russ had arrived with his fleet, this had been one of the first places he went to. The Wolf King naturally was attracted to most contested warzones and had arrived with half his chapter to provide much needed support.
Kill-team Gladius has been one of the many units that had been pulled out from other assignments in order to help reinforce the beleaguered system. Vandius himself intended to report straight to planetside headquarters.
When the Pegasus had arrived in-system, Vandius had observed hundreds upon hundreds of ships in the system on the sensor-imagers. Even the veteran Ultramarine had never been in a fleet action quite that large before.
The captain of the Pegasus did not bother to move into combat range. The ship was not built for large-scale ship engagements. Instead he moved the ship into range so that Vandius's kill-team could be properly deployed planetside.
''Entering atmosphere, coming up on mark route delta-8,'' Garkov, the pilot, reported. Vandius voxed an acknowledgement as the Thunderhawk plunged into the atmosphere on a straight line for central Imperial headquarters.
Suddenly the Thunderhawk shook abruptly and warning monitors flashed.
''What was that?'' Vandius voxed the pilot.
''Anti-aircraft fire. The Thunderhawk is damaged,'' The pilot reported.
''How bad is it?''
''We're going to crash sir. I'm trying to maneuver us into s safe landing area,''
''Do it,'' Vandius nodded as the Silver Knights clutched tightly at the grav-harnesses.
''Intelligence said Tyranid anti-air beasts were not present in this area,'' Dovah pointed out.
''Intelligence is wrong, perish the thought,'' muttered Nicander.
The Thunderhawk hit the ground with a sharp jolt. All of the Silver Knights shook in their seats before the Thunderhawk came to a sudden stop. Vandius quickly got out of his harness and moved to the door before pressing the activation rune.
The landing ramp of the Thunderhawk folded down and the Ultramarine leapt down into the street below with a thud. His autosenses already picked up movement of what where most likely Gaunts coming near them. The air was filled with the smell of industrial-grade oils and burning metal. Above the skies showed the signs of long-term pollution and smog poisoning.
Typical for a forge world really.
''The pilot is dead,'' Nicander voxed. Behind Vandius, Cestus made a short jump down with his thunder hammer in hand. Khaden shouldered his heavy bolter with the help of his servo-arms and Dovah landed, flames licking around his gauntlets.
''Gerkov? Damn.'' Khaden sighed. He should have expected that. It was unlikely a mortal could survive a crash like that.
''Serenity rest his soul,'' The Ultramarine Captain muttered to himself as the apothecary finally joined them. He didn't know Gerkov very well, only Khaden got any regular interaction with him as part of the vehicle maintenance crew, but the Ultramarine have a short acknowledge all the same. But they had no time to waste mourning.
''Status report everyone?'' he asked.
''No injuries so far,'' Nicander looked everyone over.
''My jump pack is functioning fine,' Cestus reported.
''If I'm right we landed in the Partan district on the beta forge-complex. This area is currently being bitterly contested between Imperial and xenos forces,'' Khaden reported.
''How long would it take to fix the Thunderhawk?'' Vandius asked the Iron Warrior.
''With the resources at hand? Several days,'' Khaden told him. Vandius grimaced under his helmet. That was not a practical option. He accessed the nearest data-files in his helm and looked at the downloaded force depositions. There should be some Guard units nearby.
''What do we do now?'' Dovah asked.
''We move to link up with the nearest Guard unit. After all-'' Vandius's bolter suddenly swung up and blasted a Gaunt as it rounded the corner the mass-reactive shell blowing the Tyranid beast to pieces. ''-We have an appointment to keep.''
Captain Borsei ducked as another Tyranid weapons blast arced over his head. Behind him an unfortunate trooper had his head dissolved by the fast acting bio-acid blast. The Captain lifted his laspistol and promptly shot a Hormagaunt who leapt over one of the barricades in the street.
Borsei's entire infantry company of the Valhallan 237th was promptly dug in by some Mechanicus manufactorum building. Over two hundred greatcoated Guardsmen hunkered down admit shattered buildings and factory walls.
It was just four weeks ago they had exited the troops transport and entered the urban warzone of Gryphonne IV. From then on it had been nothing but an endless tidal wave of Tyranid warrior-beasts. They had already fought off thousands to the xenos bastards, but they just seemed to keep on coming and coming in massive numbers. Typical of the Tyranids really. They seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of cannon fodder.
It was like nothing the 237th had ever fought before. Oh, they had been veterans of several actions against the Orks and local rebels. They had even distinguished themselves against Dark Eldar raiders, but few things could prepare them for the insane tide of claws and chitin that hurled onwards like an implacable tide.
And now Borsei had the feeling he was about to face the main attack. In the distance he spotted the quartet of Carnifexes move up the main street, a Zoanthorpe floating up behind them, directing a couple more brood-swarms of Termagaunts and Hormagaunts. Tyranid bio-beasts lopped more biological artillery from the distance.
Two of the Carnifexes leveled immense bio-cannons at them and fired . Miniature tiny xenos-beetles began to burrow into the flesh of the Guardsmen. Soldiers screamed in agonizing pain as their internal organs were devoured.
''Heavy weapons teams kill it!'' Borsei screamed as the company lascannons and heavy bolters opened fire. Tank-busting laserbeams tore into one of the Carnifexes, blasting it into bits while krak misses and heavy bolter rounds impacted another Carnifex. The front leg of that Carnifex was blown off by a krak missile to the joint while its head was thoroughly pulped by heavy bolter rounds.
However that gave time for the remaining Tyranid war-beasts to move up, still firing their organic weapon-beasts at the Valhallans who redoubled their fire as the beasts began to close in for assault range.
Then Borsei heard the repeated thump of bolter rounds and the roar of jet engines. A single figure flew up high in the air from the side to crash right into a Carnifex, thunder hammer smashing into the beast, sending chips of chitin everywhere.
The immense Tyranid war beast roared as the Astartes slammed the thunder hammer again into the head of the Carnifex. The line-breaker's head exploded under the force of the blow, blood and brain matter spraying out everywhere.
Four more silver giants moved in. One Astartes's heavy bolter moved down dozens of Gaunts while another Astartes launched sheets of flame to scout the streets clean of Tyranids. The four Silver Knights formed a wedge that cut right into the Tyranids.
Borsei watched as the Librarian engaged the Zoanthorpe in a psychic duel. Bolts of fire and lightning flew into the air as the Astartes advanced, arms raised as the Tyranid witch-beast turned to combat him. Meanwhile the other Silver Knight dove into the group of Tyranid warriors, thunder hammer pulping and smashing Tyranid bodies.
Abruptly the Zoanthorpe screeched as it was finally consumed in psychic flame. In less than twenty-two seconds the Silver Knights promptly took out the synapse beasts. All around them the broods lost cohesion and splintered.
''We've got them! Redouble your fire!'' screamed Borsei. Encouraged by the Silver Knights the Guardsmen mowed down the remaining Tyranids en masse.
After the skirmish Borsei saw the form of the lead Silver Knight turn and walk over to him, bolter at ease. The Valhallan gulped as the massive figure walked within arm's reach. He had seen Astartes plenty of times before on entertainment vids, but he had never seen them personally.
''Sir err…Astartes sir, what can I do for you?'' Borsei asked hesitantly.
''Captain, we require transport. Our Thunderhawk was shot down. Do you have any vehicles capable of making it back to command?'' The Captain asked, his voice deep and vox-distorted.
''Yes, we have a Valkyrie ready if you need it,'' The Valhallan told him. The Astartes went silent for a moment. The Valhallan Captain was almost certain that he could hear faint clicks, like an inter-squad channel being engaged. They were talking among themselves, he realized, ignoring him for the moment.
''Would you be needing anything else? Like tanna or-'' Borsei began.
''We do not require sustenance as mortals do. The gunship will be fine thank you. Although…'' the Ultramarine shifted his head to look over Borsei's deployment lines.
''Your heavy weapons are not optimally deployed and your flamer teams are too far back. You underestimated the speed of the Tyranid warrior-beasts didn't you?'' the Silver Knight turned his gaze on Borsei, the blue lenses of his helmet visor looking at him in an almost accusing matter.
''I…I…'' Borsei stammered.
''I'm sure these brave men did their best Marcus,'' another Silver Knight interjected. This was the one with the thunder hammer. He was covered in Tyranid ichor. The other Astartes, Marcus, paused for a moment before nodding to the Captain and walking away.
''Problem sir?'' Khaden voxed over the private inter-squad communications link.
''Nothing. I just dislike shoddy work,'' The Ultramarines answered.
''Surely it's not that bad-'' Dovah began.
''It's disgraceful that's what. The Tyranids will grind them down if they don't change. But I'm not their commanding officer and I don't have time to chat here. We move,'' The Ultramarine said with finality.
The Kill-Team moved out quickly in the direction indicated. As they did so Dovah paused to take one look back before he followed his Captain. There was something…strange in the warp, more so than the usual Shadow in the Warp…something sinister.