Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 2100-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer, Gameshop does.
The first break of dawn on Trove saw Retribution and Spirit of Fire descend on the planet. A single Thunderhawk departed the ship while several Stormhawk gunships joined them.
"You are certain the scouting group was lost?" Halius asked as Titus nodded.
"We lost contact with them several minutes ago… You and your squad will clear a drop zone the scouts marked 1 kilometer ahead… I will send in reinforcements… And then I shall assist the UNSC in making the beach head… Remember, the Orks have…" Halius heard before gunfire cut them off.
Halius turned as a familiar Ork vehicle flew by the window… One of their 'Deffcoptas.'
"Might wish to send further firepower," Igaros said before the Thunderhawk set down.
"Move out!" Halius yelled as they burst from the craft into hails of gunfire.
Halius turned as the Thunderhawk lifted off, firing a barrage of bolter rounds that tore through the Ork lines ahead.
"Lovely morning." Igaros snarked before Halius snorted and lifted his GODWYN class bolter and opened fire.
"Captain, they have entrenched positions!" Curos stated.
Halius was about to say something before a landing craft set down behind them and unloaded a series of vehicles.
Specially Whirlwinds and 3 Predator class tanks which began to fire and slaughter Orks instantly.
"Thank you!" Igaros yelled as Halius leaped the cover.
"Push up, we need to claim that hill!" Halius yelled as they followed the lines of Ultramarine vehicles.
One of the Deffcoptas slammed into the ground and Halius rushed past it while one of the Stormhawks began a strafing run.
Halius took cover as a barrage of gunfire raked the cover. Halius looked up to see a massive truck-like weapon with a cannon on its back. An Ork AA-Gun.
One of the Stormhawks took a hit, its frame wobbling as it slammed into a line of Orks and a Kill Blasta that was moving up, detonating them and itself in a massive explosion as their munitions exploded.
The 2 Stormhawks retreated towards the Retribution as Halius cursed, knowing the Orks had plenty of fire power to throw at them.
"Igaros, take care of their air support! Curos? You and Kasbiel will aid me in pushing through them…. The others? Back up the support vehicles." Halius ordered to his squad as Igaros shrugged.
"Fine, don't have fun without me," Igaros stated, firing his pack, snagging the next kopter as it passed, and firing with his bolter pistol, gutting another.
"That is not how the Codex…." Curos stated as Halius silenced him with a glance.
"Captain, how are things going with Sergeant Forge's forces?" Halius asked, pausing to aim over cover and fire a few shots.
"He is doing what he can…. He appears to also have lost contact with some of his men. Either the Covenant and Orks were dug in deeper than we thought… Or there is something far worse upon this planet." Titus stated.
"Worse than the Covenant? And the Orks?" Halius asked as he realized something.
He watched as the land, no, a piece of the land moved…. And then scuttled towards the Orks who were so busy raining bullets down on them that they did not notice the objects sting them.
More and more of the pod-like creatures descended on the Orks and Halius stopped shooting, curious as to what it was.
"What? How in the name of Ultimar am I witnessing? What am I witnessing?" Halius asked as he blinked.
Several of the Orks fell to the ground, pulsing and writhing as tendrils sprouted from their bodies. They let out screams as their bodies responded to movements not their own.
These Orks rose… Then started shooting their former peers and shambling toward them.
"What are those abominations?" Curos questioned before Halius watched as several of them turned towards the Astartes.
Halius was quick to shoot them, squashing them under his boot and wiping the contagion off.
"It's the damned chaos!" Curos hissed.
"No, these are not abominations of the warp…." Halius stated as the transformed Orks began to cut through their brothers, more and more Orks began to fall prey.
"By the Primarch…" Halius stated as a Deffkopter crashed next to them, Igaros landing next to the shattered wreckage.
"Air support is gone," Igaros added. "What are those small ones?" Igaros stated.
"A parasite…." Halius stated before he realized the scouts who had been sent were close to here. "Captain Titus? These abominations are what claimed our scout brothers… I would recommend destroying them without touching them." Halius stated.
"Halius? The Covenant has begun a counterattack on Sergeant Forge's position… Allow me to handle these wretched creatures. Take out the Covenant and then return to the site." Halius heard.
Halius watched as a landing craft returned to pick up the Ultramarine vehicles, Halius knew if these creatures gained access to vehicles. They would cause more problems.
"Destroy anything resembling those creatures and keep your helmets on, I don't know if our bodies can resist that sort of change," Halius stated before they began the march towards the Covenant position.
"Forge? Have you encountered these creatures yet? They seem to want to infect everything they touch; I do not believe they are Covenant or Ork and they do not resemble anything from our galaxy." Halius stated.
"Yep, shooting them as they come… I heard your boss sent Omega Squad to back you up. See you at the campfire." Forge stated.
"This mission is going to be far more annoying than I thought it'd be…." Halius thought as he sighed.
All his ideas on what these creatures were could wait. It seemed they were better off just waiting above for the enemies to be brought down than anything…. And it was clear to deal with for now.
Halius was silent before now and he had been too thrown off for himself to let any real harm come from such an obvious idea.
He had a job to do and he did it by rushing up the hill, knowing the Wraiths were above them.
More Ork Boys swarmed them… And then Halius realized why the Covenant had rolled out artillery.
The ridge ahead was tall and had no cover, no real outcroppings until one reached it. if infantry ran up the hill? They would be assaulted by what Halius saw as more squads of the ape-like Xenos.
Then he noticed something else, the Xeno from Arcadia who turned towards them, staring at Halius and his squad.
"Fire!" He yelled, allowing globs of plasma from a half dozen tanks down on them.
Halius threw himself down the slope as did his squad… Letting the rounds detonate on the hill and burning the Orks alive. He had wanted Halius and his squad to get closer.
Damn him, he had planned well and Halius had to admit he had played a clever tactic.
Though, that would not prevent him from murdering him as Halius turned towards his men.
"Friend from Arcadia?" Igaros asked, gaining a grumble from Halius. "We will deal with the artillery, take care of him," Igaros stated.
"And again he…" Curos stated.
"The Codex Astartes directly tells us to target enemy commanders as soon as possible to ensure the morale of the enemy breaks. Stop acting like we do not know the rules." Igaros stated before he turned to Halius. "Kill him, we're dealing with his backup," Igaros stated.
Halius nodded and dropped down from cover as the squad of 10 Ultramarines rushed down towards the tanks… And it was then Halius also realized the Xeno was still clever.
But so was he. Halius tuned in to Omega Team's channel.
"Omega Team, can you please perform a strafing run?" Halius heard as the Pelican soared overhead, chain gun blazing.
The Xenos as he suspected tried to hose the Pelican which had pulled up to let the Spartans deploy with plasma… Neglecting the Astartes for a few crucial moments and allowing him to toss a grenade into the hole next to him.
By the time the Xenos had recovered? The Astartes and Spartans were upon them. Halius rushed forwards and slammed into the Xeno commander, sending them rolling down the hill.
Both reclaimed their footing and swung their weapons, Halius sliding 3 feet back due to the hammer.
'It appears to distort the ground around me… Hmm.' Halius thought as he parried a swing with his hammer.
"Demon, the Arbiter expected you would come… If it was not for the damned Parasite? I would have prepared a better defense." The Xeno stated.
"Then you can thank them for me when I said you to them," Halius stated, revving the engine of his chain sword. "You should have killed me on Arcadia but you could not. You were scared. I've killed enemies before and you lack the courage they had." Halius stated.
The Xeno growled and went to swing the hammer, Halius pivoted around the swing, gripping the weapon by the shaft and using it to haul the Xeno in for a stab.
It responded by pushing them both down the dune as Halius rolled and slammed into the Xeno once more.
He went to stab it only to be thrown off by the Xeno as the two faced each other, ready to kill each other.
Then came the screams as more of the parasitic creatures rushed toward them. Halius turned towards them as the Xeno chuckled.
"Until next time, demon." The brute stated before it retreated as Halius turned and shot each of the half dozen creatures with his bolter pistol.
Half-destroyed corpses rolled down the slope as Halius sidestepped them and then heard more screams.
"Theres more brutes!" Halius heard before the Ultramarine charged back up the hill, striding with power and control that most would consider unnatural.
Halius rushed past destroyed tanks and dead Brutes before charging forwards.
He threw himself off the cliff, leaping across a small chasm, and watched one of the Spartans do the same.
Halius slammed into the first Brute, crushing their body under his boots as the Ultramarine rose, drew his bolter, and began to fire anew.
Leon landed next to him, drawing his sword and magnum… Then August and Robert then Igaros, Curos, Kasbiel, and the rest of his squad.
The 3 dozen brutes tried to advance as the 13 super soldiers descended on them. Halius stabbed through a Brute, letting Leon slide through his legs to stab another as the UNSC forces regrouped.
Halius stabbed another and then added his fire as Brute after Brute collapsed, the Ultramarines and UNSC forces pushed them back.
Finally? There was a route as the Chieftain of the group growled and charged forwards, Halius greeting them.
Halius slashed it on its side, blood coming from the wound as Leon turned.
The two super soldiers stabbed through it, tearing armor and flesh as it collapsed in a heap.
"Well fought, Spartan," Halius said with a nod to Leon. "Lock down the position! Those creatures might return." Halius stated before he turned.
"Halius? I found the scouts… Those things? They got to them." Igaros stated as Halius sighed.
This parasite appeared to have a heavy presence on this planet. Halius did not like it, he did not enjoy the idea of soldiers being mutated into husks. That and this place? It reminded him of the Tyranids.
"Captain Titus? I believe we might have more work cut out for us." Halius stated.
"Agreed… Hold your position, I will send reinforcements. It appears anything by ground is in danger. We move with caution and if needed? We destroy these creatures from orbit." Titus stated.
"I will go and set up a landing zone," Igaros stated before he sighed.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
To the guy going 'Your dialect and where are you from?' Not saying this because that is private and no, I am using Grammarly. They correct it into 'their' so I am using it unless it says to change it.
For GTI? The Orks have gear. They like war, there is no fun in fighting a war without challenging them. That? And a Killa Kan or tank is going to cut Halius into bits, we both know why. That and you are asking about the Orks who are regularly killed and used as labor by the Ork soldiers?
If someone says the Flood cannot infect Space Marines? It can infect almost any lifeform and I want to show the Astartes are still vulnerable… That and I do not see where there is an answer on if they cannot infect Orks.
The next chapter is going to skip Ander's signal because the Astartes will just bomb that flood cluster… And move into the fleet entering Trove as well as setting up them finding out what the covenant wants. Until the 900–6500-word chapter in 2-10 months. Lighting Wolf out!
