A/N- I know that this story hasn't been updated in over a year but those who've been waiting for this to be updated, I give you the latest chapter. I do apologize for keeping you waiting.
Chapter 3b- With Backs Against The Sea!
About half a day after they retreated from the city of L'Nagaduin, Grom and Shoko took a number of villages and small towns on the coast of Bretonnia to await their evacuation of the old world. They barely managed to establish a defensible perimeter before vengeful Bretonnian and WSF forces descended upon them like ravenous wolves.
Scattered gunfire first indicated that the angered forces of the WSF and Bretonnia had caught up to them. Shoko immediately took charge of all Greenskin forces on the perimeter of their little pocket whilst Grom suppressed all potential resistance within it whilst preparing for the upcoming evacuation by setting up improvised airfields and making sure that the small piers were ready to receive small boats. Some trenches and foxholes were quickly dug to provide some degree of defence in the event that the perimeter collapsed. Soon enough, the roar of tank engines and Artillery was heard and battle commenced.
"Bloody 'ell. They really don't like us, do they? Them pinkskins." Shoko exclaimed loudly as artillery fire rained all around the area. Across the area, all around the occupied towns and villages, Greenskin warriors took shelter wherever they could although many were killed by shrapnel or otherwise obliterated.
"They really don't, Boss. You'd think that they were trying to kill us." One of the Orc soldiers replied, talking about their opponents derisively. A moment later, he had to eat his words as the right side of his body was riddled with lots of shrapnel and dirt.
"You spoke too soon, you git." Shoko said derisively as he kicked the corpse of the dead Orc soldier.
A couple of hours later and the already shaky situation for the Greenskins became outright grim. Machine guns began to overheat and the barrel of virtually every gun from rifles to artillery pieces were quickly becoming worn out by the relentless fighting. In addition to those issues, ammunition for just about every gun began to run out.
"What's the situation Shoko? Why do them humans sound like they're getting much closer?" Grom asked over the radio.
"Our forces are being smashed to pieces, Grom. Artillery fire is preventing us from being able to get reinforcements into the frontline and their tanks are using multiple shells to wipe out the few tanks and tank destroyers we have." Shoko responded, practically having to shout over the radio.
"Should I abandon our attempts to use the airfields?"
"I'm about to order a retreat to the next defensive positions so, unless we're getting helicopters, it might be a good idea. Their artillery is already in range of my command post and some of my Boyz here have already been killed because of it." Shoko confirmed warningly before an idea popped into his head. "Grom, do you think that you and your Boyz can build some rafts using whatever ever you've got spare?"
"I'll see what we can do. I don't think we'll get a miracle though." Grom replied grimly over the radio.
"Just do what you can. I don't think that we can hold them back much longer." Shoko said before cutting off the radio call. He then commented about the absence of their evacuation fleet, "Where's our evacuation? Where's the bloody fleet? We're dying where we're standing here." Shoko then got on the radio and addressed the Greenskins under his command, "Retreat to our secondary positions. We must prepare for the evacuation."
Almost as soon as the withdrawal began, a desperate psychosis began to grip the Greenskins at the front. They began to turn on each other and began throwing each other in the way of the enemy. Bretonnian and WSF forces watched the growing spectacle with bouts of laughter and some units even paused so they could eat snacks, including popcorn, and whatever drinks they had available. Shoko, on the other hand, grew alarmed at the steady but increasingly rapid disintegration of his forces. "Why does our nature kick in now? This is not something we need right now." Shoko remarked before turning to his subordinates at his command post, "Hold for as long as possible and then retreat. I'm going to corral some of our wrong uns." Shoko ran all over the large area, attempting to throw fleeing Greenskins back into the fight but he was occasionally forced to execute some of them as they persisted in attempting to flee, all the while avoiding sniper and machine gun fire.
The allies renewed their efforts to destroy Shoko's and Grom's forces, launching a ferocious artillery bombardment whilst tanks and assault guns closed in on the Greenskins' positions. Close combat ensued as Shoko's forces fought the Bretonnians and WSF with whatever they had at hand, using the butts of rifles or kitchen knives and throwing large amounts of explosives onto the roofs and engine decks of tanks or stuck them to the bellies of the hulls. Things looked bleak for the Greenskins as they were at the mercy of the Bretonnians and WSF and they didn't know where their evacuation fleet was.
Suddenly, Bretonnian and WSF reinforcements and their artillery came under heavy bombardment and several aircraft began dropping bombs on the marauding tanks, throwing them around like ragdolls. Grom shouted excitedly on the radio to Shoko, "Our evacuation fleet has arrived! Break contact with the enemy and we can get out of here!" Shoko smiled in relief and gratefully gave the order to retreat. They hastily ran towards the beach and towards the boats waiting to pick them up. Several transport helicopters flew in to pick up more Greenskins whilst helicopter gunships flew overhead to provide a degree of cover for the evacuation. Some allied tanks attempted to charge forward towards the site of the Greenskin evacuation but they were picked off by the watchful helicopter gunships, destroying and damaging them with rocket and cannon fire. The evacuation was disorganized but as they'd almost been crushed, they just wanted to get away as fast as possible. A large number of the population from the temporarily occupied towns and villages were also taken by the Greenskins with them, namely as a final insult to both Bretonnia and the WSF. The grown men would be segregated from the women and children and their fates would be horrific as revealed many thousands of years later.
Several hours later and the battle was over. The vengeful Bretonnian and WSF forces felt a crushing disappointment as they realised that despite killing hundreds of Greenskins and destroying their heavy equipment, the enemy had managed to escape and take significant numbers of civilians with them. Those that hadn't been taken with the Greenskins, namely the old and terminally ill, were executed in many brutal ways, including being stabbed by bayonets, having skulls bashed in by rifle butts and having their bodies ripped open and their organs eaten whilst they'd still been alive. The WSF commander spoke with his Bretonnian counterpart, "We sure did waste an opportunity here, didn't we? We let them escape and inflict more horrors on the people."
"Our fleets could catch them, couldn't they?" The Bretonnian commander asked.
"If they're quick enough, then maybe." The WSF commander replied uncertainly but optimistically.
On the ship they'd been taken to, Shoko and Grom were lead to the bridge. One of the Greenskin crew members came up to them, "The Emperor wishes to speak with you two."
Grom spoke up, "Patch him through." Grom and Shoko waited until Samgon began speaking.
"I assume that you survived?" Samgon asked over the radio.
"We did, my lord." Shoko replied reverently.
"Good. I imagine that you two require a rest but unfortunately we're not out of the woods yet. Large naval taskforces from the WSF, Empire and Bretonnia have already been dispatched to hunt us down. Do whatever is needed to make sure that they do not catch you."
"Understood, our Emperor." Grom and Shoko replied simultaneously, knowing that their Emperor expected them to kill themselves if it looked like they would be captured. They looked around and they saw the crew looking at them in anticipation. Shoko and Grom looked at each other and knew that they needed to be decisive.
"Prepare for battle!" Grom ordered.
"Be on the lookout for enemy warships!" Shoko added. The Greenskin crew immediately scrambled around as they readied themselves for a fight at sea.
"Full speed ahead. We must outrun any pursuers and link up with the fleet at all costs." Grom instructed, emphasising the gravity of the situation.
Shoko and Grom had fought with their backs up against the sea and now they, along with their comrades and their Emperor, faced the prospect of meeting a watery demise.
A/N- I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and please review.