Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 2100-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer, Gameshop does.
"So, then I told Halius not to attempt to leap downwards… He defied me and did it anyway, almost was thrown halfway across the plains." Igaros stated before he hummed.
"Yes, another reason the Sergeant is unfit for command," Curos said as he took a drink.
"Oh, lighten up, Curos. You have done nothing but hate the fact the Sergeant is different. Why? Hmm? Is the fact he does not follow the logic you want so bad?" Igaros stated.
"He allows people unfit to stand amongst astartes to be here!" Curos stated. "He doesn't follow the codex as it was written…" He heard.
"If you have something to say, say it, brother." He heard as he turned to greet Halius.
Halius looked at him, looking over the soldier in interest. He turned, emotions dripping across his face as Halius stared over at Forge and the three Spartans.
"You are not the sergeant I wished to serve if you had followed the Codex and acted…." Halius heard.
"Acted how? Like an infant who thinks any who is not Astartes is inferior? Who thinks we are the only ones who should protect the galaxy?" Halius asked.
"If you had followed the codex during the siege!" Curos stated, anger ebbing over his very being.
"The codex is why my brothers are dead!" Halius hissed, finally having enough. "All you have done is berate me. Why? Because you are like the dozens of our brothers who do nothing but lust over the codex, not ONCE being willing to adapt to anything." Halius stated.
"To defy the codex is heresy!" Curos yelled.
"And to follow it to death is madness!" Halius hissed. "I have seen what following it without question does, Curos. The siege last year cost us thousands of guardsmen, dozens of our brothers who followed it, not once questioning it even until it killed them!" Halius stated.
His brother went to speak and Halius stepped forwards, the Astartes glaring at him with eyes that would have burned a Daemon Prince.
"You are everything I reject of our cause. You believe what you make you superior, forgetting we are still humans. You treat warriors who fight alongside us, warriors who risk their LIVES as lesser, just because you are Astartes and you hiss at the first thing that defies your tenets of being Astartes." Halius stated.
"I watched dozens of soldiers die because of the Codex. I respect my brothers; I would kneel to our Father and pray to him for guidance…. The codex is not law, it changes and its rules are suggestions, not an edict to bow to." Halius stated.
"I will not throw lives away and I will not forget who I am. I am a protector of humanity… So, are they and with the courage they have shown? They are as equal to me as Igaros is unless you would like a fight. Kindly leave." Halius stated to him, sitting down a few moments later.
Halius was silent as he did so, sitting with armor that was unmarred by what has been done to it once more. He was tired, far too tired to do more than balk at the idea of what had been done.
He looked over at the Spartans and Forge. He had forgotten they did not partake in the feasts he and his brothers do.
"You guys normally eat this much?" Forge asked as Halius hummed.
"Astartes do. It is one of the few joys in life we can do… You should see the Space Wolves. Our brothers have feasts so grand you could feed an entire planet." Igaros stated.
"If you are hungry? Eat, I have not eaten in some days." Halius stated before placing a piece of meat in his mouth.
"Since the battle of Gartl 6?" Igaros stated.
"Whatever battle brought us and the Orks to this place? It has closed, brother." Halius stated.
"You guys just kinda showed up on Harvest, you know that?" Forge stated, picking at the food.
"We were in the middle of a battle when we were brought here, Forge. The Orks were just as relentless as before… The only change has been this Covenant we are now poised to fight off as well." Halius stated.
Halius thought of what would happen when they arrived… And he was eager to see it end.
(Forerunner Planet Trove, February 15th, 2 days after the battle of Arcadia)
"Youse promised us a proper scrap!" Anders heard.
"I promised you a fight if you upheld a portion of your contract! You have done nothing but build vehicles out of the trash and kill my men." Arbiter hissed.
"Youse should know Orks! We get bored and the Space Marines? Need to wait, yah?" Arbiter heard.
Arbiter snorted as he realized the Orks had gathered more equipment, he did not so much care about his men as most were grunts and the elites were…. The men who had tried to usurp him.
"Do not forget our deal… Or I shall let the parasite claim you as well." Arbiter hissed as he turned and walked away.
"Pah… The big one seems to be smarter… He does not talk all orders from him." He heard before he turned to Anders. "When the Space Marines come? Then it gets fun." He stated before he turned and left.
Anders snorted before she realized that it was going to be a much longer trip toward where they seemed to be done with it.
She was too interested in where she was and where they had to go next… Something about it all did not bode well with all she had on her mind… Part of it was questioning what was going on and what was going to happen.
(With the Ultramarines and UNSC)
Halius finished his food and looked over at Igaros. His brow furrowed as he knew exactly how well this would end up being and how long it would end up going for now.
"The Orks are going to have plenty of troops and defenses," Halius stated.
"Why? You think they have all their machines up and running?" Igaros stated.
"I think they have more than adequate scrap and by now? Most of the Warchief's army will have come through, that and that alone is enough…. Minus whatever Covenant soldiers the Orks have murdered." Halius stated.
"You are saying they kill their guys?" Forge asked.
"The Orks adore violence, they need war. They simply do not care who they kill so long as they can fight, they enjoy fighting us… But they will fight whoever will sate them." Halius stated.
"Great… How worried should I be?" Forge asked.
"Not much… We are going to be sending out the big guns here… There probably are not any civilians or such so we get to unleash hell." Igaros stated.
"You have my word we will find this woman and you have my word you will survive… Spartans? Fight as you have on Arcadia and we will be fine. Even if we must tear the planet apart stone by stone? We will find this woman." Halius stated.
"There's the old Halius, always taking one for the little guy." Halius heard.
He snorted as he looked at his friend and then at the Spartans, despite their smaller stature. He was correct there was indeed a kinship between them. They were both warriors created for humanity, both at the apex of what they could achieve at such a time.
Still? They had a distance to go before they caught up to the Astartes in terms of skill and experience. He knew and knew well that such a thing would be hard to consider but he had made it his mission to help and help he would.
Problems with that were simple, they held little to no idea what was going on.
Halius realized just how well things would have gone, just how well these things would have been dealt with, and just as well as they needed to be done and dusted once more.
Still? Problems would arise and they would hit faster and harder than ever before. They had been through war… But not this one.
"I spoke with Captain Titus; we have orders to clear out any Orks and secure a landing zone for further troops… After the scout landings ensure that things are prepared." Halius stated.
"You are splitting off from us?" Leon asked.
"There is an entire planet to search. If you wish? We can attempt to split the forces… We will secure a base for you and then set out from there… Most of the forces will be air-based… We have an idea the Covenant and Orks will… The Covenant is going to send a fleet to bother us." Halius said before he hummed.
"One day until arrival, all Astartes to their quarters." They heard.
"If we survive? I will show you how Astartes celebrates." Halius stated before he got up to eat.
(12 hours later)
Halius could not bear rest. His catalepsean node had already ensured he held enough sleep with the 12 hours he had gotten previously, he would be awake for several days until he needed sleep again.
So, the Astartes took to walking around the Retribution, passing serfs, scouts, and a few of his brothers as he listened to the din of battle.
The clash of a sword and then turned towards it, striding, and gripping his combat knife as he walked. Halius entered a room to see something that fascinated him.
The Spartan, Leon, was practicing with an energy sword he had seen the Elites use. He swished and stabbed at the air with some coordination but lacked the skill the Elites or Astartes did from years of practice.
"Spartans surprise me with each day," Halius stated as August turned. "I apologize, I believed we had been boarded and went to exterminate the invaders," Halius stated before he entered.
"No, I was just practicing," Leon stated. "These swords usually are handed to the better elites. The best? They get swords, most use firearms." Leon stated.
"Reminds me of Astartes," Halius said. "You have not held a sword, no? I mean that not as an insult… Most Astartes do not carry blades, it takes skill we must hone for years to become skilled with one." Halius stated.
"Not with swords, no." Halius heard.
"Then I shall help," Halius said as he lifted his knife. "Come at me with intent to kill, we shall start there," Halius stated.
Leon stayed silent before Halius spoke again.
"We are soldiers, Spartan. We need to prepare for any outcome." Halius stated.
Leon nodded and strode forwards, swinging the blade which Halius parried in a clash of sparks. They readjusted and Leon struck twice, moving to strike him as Halius parried both, pushing him backward.
"You are compensating. You overextend your blows, the Xenos will kill you when you go to recover." Halius stated as he blocked 2 more strikes with his chain sword as well.
Leon drew his combat knife with his free hand and the Astartes and Spartan moved again, sparks dancing from each strike as they pivoted, twisting, and striking with each blow.
Leon spun and stabbed as Halius rolled to the side, dodging the lunge, and stabbing at the Spartan who countered it.
"Better. Let the blade become an extension of your body." Halius stated before they struck once more.
They danced around each other, moving with speed, skill, and strength that would batter lesser warriors to dust.
It would be two hours they spared and two further hours they slept before the UNSC/Ultramarine taskforce entered the system.
On February 16th, the battle of Trove started, the first in a long couple of years of combat and the day Spartans and Astartes stood together as a united front.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! Ok, a few things.
To GTI? That is 100% the type of review I welcome. Facts and such that allow me to better things, please keep reviewing. I know little of Warhammer and I welcome criticism.
To Random? English is my first language and I do not know how to put it into words.
Back to GTI? I am putting those in. The Orks just showed up and I know Orks kick the crap out of everyone. This alliance is nothing more than a deal neither group cares for long term.
Yes, Spartans have less raw power and experience my ENTIRE POINT is to not treat them as pathetic and lesser than Astartes because 'oh, astartes can punch moons.' They are treated as equals here and both are supersoldiers… Stat wise? Astartes… But I am not making the Spartans look inferior in every way because of WARHAMMER.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show the arrival at Trove as well as the beginning of ground operations and the UNSC and Astartes meeting a nightmare. One Halo fans are familiar with. Until the 900–8500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!