Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 5100-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer, Gameshop does.
Admiral Cole looked over at the fleet in shock… Several of the ships were the size of a battleship and it was clear they heavily outgunned his flotilla.
He watched as the Covenant, still appearing to wish to go against his fleet, turned towards the half dozen ships.
Cole watched as a Covenant battle cruiser, a kilometer at least, was met by a massive beam of light from the tip of one of the smaller warships, a beam that tore kilometers across space and slammed into the cruiser.
The nose of the ship crumpled, compacting like it was a soda can, its shields flickering out as the ship was spun across space.
"Holy… Those guys are going to kick the crap out of the Covenant…." He heard.
"All ships, fall back! Someone? Get me a damn line to the council… I need to ask them something…" Cole stated.
He could not believe what he had seen… And if these guys weren't with the USNC? Well, they were screwed by firepower able to put the covenant on the damn backfoot.
(Within the lead Battle Barge)
"Captain, 40 enemies…. Where did they go? Did they flee into the warp?" One of the crew asked to which the Astartes all stared at them.
This fleet was not Tyranid and it was not Ork… Neither were the enemies they were against.
Considering the depths of combat and the fact the enemy fleet seemed to be hostile? It was clear to them they were in for a fight.
"All ships? End them in holy fire, we hold until the last of the chapter is aboard." They heard.
The nova cannons, the first weapon they had fired upon the fleet? Sung as they burned across space, reducing 2 of the enemy ships to smoking cinder, blowing them in half.
The rest of the fleet, a dozen or so of these frigate-sized warships? Retreated as well, appearing to blink out like teleportation belts… The librarians tried to reach out, interested in where the fleet had gone.
"Get the Chapter Master… He must hear of this at once." One librarian stated as they returned to their duties.
It was clear they had bigger issues than missing Orks now.
(Aboard lead Thunderhawk)
The Astartes were silent, none of them said anything as the ship, ragged as it was? climbed higher into the atmosphere. It was clear, beyond all shadows of doubt that their battles were not even slightly over.
Halius was silent, he was very aware of what had gone on, and not once did he attempt to argue or complain. They had work to do and the work was going to push them past what was demanded of them.
Several of them heard chatter from squadmates that there had been guardsmen fighting Xenos… Several guardsmen, including him, had expressed a desire to go down and fight them off if for no other reason than to know the planet was clean of filth and decay such as this.
It had been thrown to the ground, trampled upon, then murdered to pieces… Each Ultramarine here was eager to fight, to figure out another plan and each one was busy figuring out the next plan.
"Attention, brothers… The fleet has been engaged, proceed to the battle barge and we will soon deliberate on the next move…. The chapter master has been informed." Halius heard.
All of them paused, thinking that it would be a very long time before they were allowed to act. Their legion was never fully deployed… So, to be deployed in such an operation was… Odd to them and yet they acted according to their station.
Halius paused, resting his bolter in his hands, and making sure it was ready for the second he could and would be required to use it. They were to be gifted with an operation sooner or later.
The Thunderhawk finally landed as the ramp opened, allowing the marines back into the ship. They proceeded to let it all come crashing to the ground.
There was a moment of silence, a second which they dealt with by slowly marching into the ship.
"This is not the forge world," Halius stated to which his brother nodded and looked to the side.
"Yes, that is true… There is a much larger plan on their mind." He heard before he sighed to himself and he would not be dealing with it for now.
Halius could not understand what was going on… But he would be unwilling to falter now. He stood at ease as much as a son of Guilliman could, knowing that something was off… Very off… And he could not understand why for the life of him it had transpired.
(UNSC Everest)
Cole had seen a lot as warriors and even then? He was shocked. The ships, vessels he had seen? Looked less like warships and more like buildings, moving churches that could and would crush everything in their path.
Still? There was something that had been dealt with for now as it came crashing to it for now and then looked to the side. He had been… Misgiven for now, misgiven on how much power as he seemed to think of it once more.
He could not be done with it for now as he clicked his fingers, perhaps ready to try and bend something… These new forces were using technology he had not seen and the marines on the surface reported sightings of figures in blue power armor who towered over them.
They had not truly done much more than fight and clear out the enemy.
Perhaps it was something about today that made him calm… But if this new faction had plans to engage the UNSC? Humanity would not be long for this world with firepower like that bolstering their armies… No, not something it could be called.
"Can you open a channel to them?" Cole asked before getting a shake of the head.
"Trying… Their tech is different… Sir? I think I might have a faint signal…" Cole heard.
"Let me have it," Cole stated. "This is Vice Admiral Cole of the UNSC Everest," Cole stated.
"Who is this…? Is this line secure?" They heard before a voice came over.
"This is Captain Ventris… What are you doing so far from home, Admiral?" They heard in a tone that barely sounded like any language they had heard.
"Watching you decimate a covenant fleet… Do you mind telling me if your side is friendly?" Cole asked.
"If you are not with the Xenos? We are…. I do not know of this planet, Admiral… My men are scattered… If you command those guardsmen? Then I will aid you… Ultramarines protect the Imperium and its children." They heard.
Cole had more questions… But if they were not going to shoot his fleet to hell? He would take it.
"Thank you… I must report to my commanders… I will be going for now." He stated before he nodded and told them to go.
There was nothing to do further and engaging a fleet like that without knowing what they could do. That was beyond stupid.
(With Halius)
Halius was silent once more, the broadcast was over every vox they held and they shared looks despite their armor concealing every single feature… Every honest soldier was odd, it was something they could not tell.
Some of them held the desire to chase down this voice, slaughter it… Some questioned why they bothered with this world if it was not vital to the Imperium.
Halius? Halius felt as if there was a hole missing within him… They had been brought here. Yet? This place was not of the Imperium… And he could stand it no longer.
Halius turned, silently returning to the hanger. He turned to a Tech Marine and convoyed in a hand motion that they were to return to the planet below. He nodded to the other Ultramarines within the hanger.
"Brother, good hunting." Halius heard as he entered the craft.
"This… I feel as if I should remember something that had brought us here." Halius stated before he decided to close his eyes.
Down was where they were asked to go… Down they would go… The only question he held was what their future was. this was not their galaxy and he believed there might be more pressing concerns upon his mind.
If this was not their galaxy? If their new home did not have the Imperium? Where was his future? With the Ultramarines? Absolutely… But with what future? He had been able to try and figure it out slowly.
But it appeared slowly was going to be the most pressing part of today.
(With Admiral Cole)
Cole could not tell who the beings were. There was no known way to properly understand them yet and it was clear they were a very powerful group. His concerns trudged him towards the line of things.
These sorts of enemies, they rained down upon them like droplets from a great storm… It was very clear that they were able to fight the Covenant somewhat like this. They could cleave the UNSC into pieces… Such was life, life was different now.
"What do we do? The Covenant fleet is gone…. A few marine squads are reporting these guys below…" They heard.
Cole turned and walked to the screen where he could properly see what was on the surface due to a few spy drones he had left on Harvest to try and see if he could predict the Covenant.
The ships resembled pelicans, built purely for war and more designed for proper combat. This told him that the fleet belonged to a group designed for it and who were no strangers to it.
Then came the hissing and then finally? The soldiers… They were armored, wrapped in blue armor which reminded him of monsters from old horror movies. They were heavily armed and towered over marines, each holding some sort of rifle like weapon in their hands.
They fired them and he saw bullets in a caliber far beyond the most advanced UNSC rifle fly from the barrels, they turned the smaller 'grunts' into chum and sent the reptilian elites backpedaling.
One advanced a bladed sword ripped from their hip and stabbed through one of the elites, chewing them up and splitting them down the middle. The Marines and even more of his crew stared in awe.
These soldiers were fighting the covenant… And mopping the floor with them. Whoever the hell they were? They were monsters and they battered the Covenant.
The Covenant soldiers rallied, elites roaring and charging them… Only to be met by coordinated gunfire which reduced several jackals to pulp and allowed the few armed with swords to engage the elites.
"Sir, who the hell are these guys?" Cole heard.
"Something I do not know, son… Today just seems to be full of surprises." Cole said before he blinked. "For now? Just watch, there is not much we can do and I do not want to further poke the bear." Cole stated.
(With Halius)
Halius dispatched another of the reptilian Xenos with his combat knife, turning to execute another as they stood.
There were 10 of them here and over twice that number in fallen Xenos laid around them. It was clear they carried weaponry of plasma variety as they checked said weaponry.
He looked at the guardsmen down below. They held ballistic weaponry which seemed to be effective against the Xenos.
He marched, footfalls hampered only by the enemy as he paused to backhand one of the remaining ones, crushing its skull under his fist as he did so.
"Are you injured?" Halius questioned to which they shook their heads. "I am Sergeant Halius of the Ultramarines… What is the tactical situation?" Halius questioned the tone of gothic odd on his tongue.
He and his brothers had heard the calls of what he now suspected was human in lower gothic. It seemed these guardsmen also used the dialect of it and he could see they were worn down from fighting so much.
To him? He honored their respect with his own. They showed thankfulness on their faces.
"Few hundred of them… More on the way… You saved our lives." One of them stated.
"Can you fight?" Halius asked as they nodded. "Good. Form a firing line closest to our landing zone. We will form a permitter and hold the line… Then? We will fight." Halius said before turning to his brothers.
He urged them to dig in. He urged them to stand, fighting against an enemy they did not understand nor even slightly know… And they agreed without pause. Halius paused, reloaded his rifle, and set his chain sword on his hip.
The others all dropped empty magazines, reloaded, and stood in a line between the dozen or so marines and their Thunderhawk. Halius paused to look over at the horizon.
A gold-armored Xeno raised their sword, roaring a challenge and then dozens of the smaller Xenos and shield-holding ones emerged… The armored Xenos seemed to charge ahead and it was becoming clear they were commanders of the group.
Halius chose to target them first, putting a round through a blue Xeno then pausing to backhand another and crush their skull. The rounds of bolter fire reduced the smaller Xenos to bloody corpses as they continued their charge into a meatgrinder.
The marines lifted their XBR55 battle rifles and fired through the legs of the supersoldiers, gunning down grunt and jackal alike and only pausing to reload. It was clear they would crush the Covenant as the golden leader charged them.
Halius met them in combat and parried their sword with his own before slicing them with it which caused a personal shield to glitch, he pondered it before going to swing again as they tried to stab at him.
He hummed, dropping his bolter, and grabbing the elite by the throat as he wrenched it from the ground, he lifted it above his head and squeezed his fingers, crushing the throat of the alien warrior and killing it instantly.
The few remaining elites were gunned down by his brothers as he dropped the corpse and retrieved his weapon. He turned to his brothers as he spoke.
"Brother? Tell the rest of the chapter this planet has a major number of Xenos of unknown species… I will secure the permitter and see if there are further guardsmen." Halius ordered before he turned to the guardsmen. "Alert your commander I will escort them to the landing zone… Is your base gone? We will allow you sanctuary while we plan the counterattack… You have held out long enough." Halius ordered.
Despite not being of command rank, he knew that they needed structure and there was no commander present to provide it. Ultramarines were good at dealing with such things as strategy and trying their best to figure out the best way to break the enemy.
Halius looked at the men who had done so and nodded, pausing only to acknowledge them, to show he saw their ability to fight and respected it. then, with a small stride that outpaced any human march? He was off to where he had heard the most vox caster transmissions, then? He would find those guardsmen and bring them back… If the Xenos want this world?
They will fight for it… As any would and they would be ready for it as best they could.
(UNSC Everest.)
Admiral Cole watched these… 'Ultramarines' cut through Covenant infantry like they were a sickle into wheat.
They were not human, humans felt fear, they felt hesitation, they did not pick up more weapons and bludgeon the weapon to the ground…
Marines felt fear, they felt hesitation. These soldiers felt only a need to fight and went right into the maw of death and ripped it out.
However? The way they talked and looked at humanity? They seemed somewhat human, the ones who had given orders. The one who had quickly organized the dozen or so marines into a defensive line?
He looked at the humans with a sort of desire to protect, that he had seen humans willing to sacrifice themselves for victory and respected that as best as a soldier of his caliber could.
To him? There was a very long and painful war ahead… If these 'Ultramarines' were allies? They might just win.
(With Halius)
Halius marched with purpose… He marched ahead knowing what had been done could not be undone. The skies ahead seemed ablaze with combat and those fighting.
He passed a human transport that seemed to use wheels and a mounted gun which he did not recognize. Halius looked at the remains of a Xeno armored vehicle, making sure the footage was sent to the rest of the chapter so they could study it, and poke holes in the weaknesses of these Xenos.
"Brother Halius, I have learned something from the guardsmen… This planet is called Harvest… But they claim it is the year 2530…. And that these Xenos belong to a group known as 'Covenant'." He heard.
Halius blinked as he paused mid-step. 2530? No, that was wrong. It was supposed to be centuries and even millennia ahead. Had they suffered wounds or fallen to the warp?
"Brother, they claim they do not know of the Imperium… That we still control Holy Terra but there is nothing of which we speak… What lies have they been fed?" Halius heard.
"Brother? I do not think he lies… How did you find yourself when you awoke on this 'Harvest?'" Halius asked.
"I… Was scattered with my squadron and the chapter Librarian." He stated.
"And this planet was not Grabl, correct?" Halius asked.
"Then where are we, brother? There are so many questions… And I will not forsake the Imperium." He heard.
"Then do not act against the guardsmen, brother… We have questions and they have answers. How are things in your location?" Halius asked with a tone that suggested he was confused.
Halius looked up at the sky. There were still some Xeno warships within the sky and they did not have the firepower to do much… He cursed them for not having the Imperium send the navy here but that went hand in hand with assuming a planet was a lost cause and shattering it into garbage.
He hated it unless they had no choice, nothing left in their tanks… Yes, it was clear fighting to the end was something they did very well.
"Halius? The Librarians have stated the Xenos have sent reinforcements here… Their fleet has come back from the other side…" Halius heard.
"Do we have a plan?" Halius heard.
"Yes… They have marked a line they wish us to hold… We are going to establish a base below…" Halius heard.
He hummed and watched as a dozen Xeno ships seemed to deploy downwards toward them… All of which seemed far too small to be warships.
'This Covenant seems to be dedicated to their war… As am I.' Halius thought as he sighed.
"Brothers? Take the guardsmen to a safe point, the enemy is returning…. And it seems they are prepared for a siege… Prepare for combat." Halius stated as he cursed and looked back.
There was to be no retreat… Not yet, they could not afford to go anywhere with this at this rate.
Though? He acted a lot more annoyed about the fact he could scarcely believe he could not allow it. There was something about this planet… Something which drove him silently to try and figure out it.
(UNSC Everest)
Cole watched as the Covenant made a comeback… Well, they deployed more soldiers onto Harvest. Perhaps it was awe that he fought in despite seeing it with his bare eyes… The Covenant were eager to claim this world but it seemed so were these Astartes.
There was a coordinated grouping of soldiers… All the Astartes seemed to be eager to fight as there was a trio of pods dropped from the undercarriage of one ship.
It was astounding to him that they were willing to pick a fight against the Covenant so willingly.
"Sir?" Cole heard as he cleared his throat.
"Keep the MACs ready and aimed in their direction… Do they want to make a move? We pop the heads off them." Cole stated.
He kept his eyes on the fleet of these Ultramarines. They were outnumbered but it was like watching a fleet of sharks take on a school of orcas… And he had a feeling the sharks had bitten off more than they could chew.
(Lead Battle Barge)
"Is that fleet of 40 the one who has contacted us, to begin with?" They heard.
"Yes… Yes, that ship amid its formation. It was the one that contacted us… They are holding a standard kilometer off our bow… And seem more focused upon the Xenos than us." One of the librarians stated.
He frowned but almost felt his lip curl in a snarl. Their fleet was not Imperial… Yet? They seem allied… For now, and while he wished to engage them? They held not the advantage in numbers but in skill. It seemed there was where they would shine.
"Admiral…. Are you allied with these humans below?" One of the Librarians spoke.
"Yes…" They heard.
"Then we shall assist you… For now, their fleet appears to be repositioning below, I recommend you prepare yourselves for a counterattack." They also heard.
It was clear without a shadow of a doubt the Xenos were not to be held off so easily. If anything? They seemed to have redoubled their efforts to retake the planet… Something that required aid.
"Their… Not going to do that." He heard before another of the crew spoke up.
"Energy buildup on their main weapon batteries… They are not aiming at us." He heard.
(With Halius)
Halius told them to run and run they did… Not once did they care to listen… He looked up at the sky, guessing that they had planned something.
And they had, firing beams from the bows of their ship which reminded him of plasma weapons used by humans. He did not once guess that their weapons burned the planet below… But he watched as grass and rock turned into glass… They were bombarding the planet.
Then came the thunderous drums of cannon fire, blasts that streaked across the sky and tore into the two ships that had dared to destroy this world.
"Brother Halius? What transpires at your location?" He heard as he turned to watch a pair of strike cruisers moved in towards them.
"They attack the planet itself, brother… I am returning to the camp, there are a dozen more transports which they are deploying… They mean to besiege our location and we lack the numbers to hold them off…." Halius stated with a sigh.
He could tell something was going on, their attacks were wild, uncoordinated… They hit like bombs yet held none of the damn power they claimed. He could guess they had never fought as they should have now.
He was beginning to question… To think if they had ever fought Astartes to begin with, they broke against their wall of armor easily and he was not stupid, they could and would win this fight.
"Brothers? There is a massive number of enemy soldiers… The Xenos are pushing hard and fast against our position." Halius heard as he sighed and then rolled his eyes, knowing that this was beyond what he normally dealt with.
They were dashed against the rocks with ease and yet? It seemed as if more were coming, more would come eventually.
"Perhaps we should seek cover…" He heard before he snorted, thinking of it in ways he could not undo now.
It would end in chaos, all such things seemed to be erased as it came crashing to the ground in a giant ball of fire.
He held nothing, nothing short of madness which would escape him, not even a little at that moment.
He slowly and yet surely seemed to tug himself forwards, it made himself willing to do a lot for amusement but little else now… What sort of chaos was to be met here? What did it mean? What was to happen next lest it comes to a halt at this moment?
There was something here… And even if there was not? there was more to it than this, a lot more to which he could not control… Should not control, it was very clear very well that whatever came next? Well, it would be next.
They ran for it and the small group of marines did as well, the Ultramarines followed them, seeing them as they did not know the way nor could they have known it.
They paused only to look behind them, to see craft which was tear-shaped gaining on them as they turned, opening fire with their bolters as they went.
'We will not die on this planet… Not before they do, not before we end up getting to work.' Halius thought as he sighed and cursed his ability to go get work down.
Still? There was something here to consider, something buried up to the end of time… And space, but that was neither here nor there. All they knew was if these soldiers could find a better bunker to direct operations from. They would take it as it was only then could they understand their enemy now.
Such was life, such as chaos, to begin with.
"How many soldiers are upon this planet?" Halius questioned.
"Few thousand, we were assigned to push them off… Did not think we get reinforcements." They heard.
"Then we will regroup with them once they have been fully landed… Now? We find shelter… The enemy is sending their full might against us and we will not hold." Halius stated.
It was not fear in his voice, but annoyance. They were here to deal with it but they did not have the full might of the legion with them, their Primarch had been on their homeworld when this operation was sanctioned… Now? He had no idea if they even held it.
He turned and shot one of the flying fighters, sending it crashing into the ground as his round pierced vital systems.
These enemies seemed numerous, well-armed, and well organized… Baring the fact they were beaten to death easily by the Ultramarines. Though? Halius supposed it made sense given the fact they ripped through it.
All HE DID? He did for them? It was not a timeless thing, not something he held onto, not once did it occur to handle it the way he held onto such things.
Part of him questioned if the Chapter Master had a plan. He was barely of command status amongst their group… What the man in charge did? It perplexed him to no end.
However? Halius never truly did much without a plan. He could at least tell without all shadows of doubt that their campaign upon this planet was to be a long one. The Covenant as they heard seemed to have brought a decent number of soldiers and it was clear they also needed to find a better way to fight off this army.
To him? If they paused or showed even the slightest hesitation from it. There was only too much, far too much at the end of the day.
He sighed, knowing that the rest of the group was being thrown off.
(With the Astartes fleet)
All the crew seemed focused on securing the atmosphere for their brothers. The tear-shaped 'destroyers' they heard from the others seemed to be trying to destroy the planet… Though, it was not easy with 4 strike cruisers all assaulting them.
"Brother? I have sent the Dauntless to retrieve reinforcements as asked… The rest of its crew are deployed." One astartes heard.
He hummed and looked at this planet, guessing something not to guess what this was to be. They had not planned out a strategy and while they could fight? They were fighting blind at this point.
"Send down support along this line… Then? Withdraw to the planet's asteroid belt…" They heard as they nodded. "Brothers? Dig in…. We will stand and fight until either they break… Or we do." He heard.
There were no cheers or screams of bloodlust, nothing beyond the nods and subtle gestures which told him his orders were being done.
Part of Valis hoped their homeworld still existed… For at least? If it did? They had somewhere to return, to find resources and slip away with their dignity.
There were a lot of things that were disgusted enough by it, thrown to the wayside in ways not even they could comprehend. They could at least, but it was clear that action was going to be needed either way.
All of it? All of it felt like something they needed something which seemed to be dealing with it for now as he tried his best to let it all come down to something for now.
He could not understand it now and without a good reason. There was a lot more to this.
(With Halius)
There were a lot of things that he held to need to be done. He knew at the end of this day that such an assault was madness.
All of it? All of it seemed to indicate further problems than before. The soldier in him watched as at least a thousand enemy soldiers… All of whom were shown to be ready, marching across the surface. Did he know even against such odds? The victory was possible. Still? They could not fight it alone and even then? They would need support.
"Brother? We are moving underground; the guardsmen mention a command post with a direct line to their commanders… I wish to use it to gather further reinforcements." Halius stated.
Halius sighed as he realized just how insane this campaign would be. He held what was no real sympathies for it… Knowing what it was and not wishing to see it end now.
He glanced over at the others and realized no matter what and how vapid and cruel it was? They would escape, the only thing was how.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that this story takes place up until Halo 3. The next chapter will end up showing the Ultramarines regrouping and their counterattack to retake Harvest as well as them meeting the UNSC. Until the 900–6500-word chapter in 2-10 months, Lighting Wolf out!