2177 CE
Kalabsha System
Yamm
Yu'Garr Frigate Endless Bounty
This raid is yet another success. Really, the humans couldn't have made it easier for Korrhak and his band of pirates to raid their colonies.
No turrets or defensive structures worth the name were encountered, not even at their capital of New Karnak. Only a small garrison of Alliance Marines, about fifty of them when their corpses were counted, along with the small policing force were the only defenders and they were decimated quickly by the overwhelming numbers and firepower of his troops. A shipment of minerals and goods stored in their small spaceport will make him a nice amount of profits. But most of his money will come from selling the humans here.
"What's taking Greb's guys so long?" He demanded from the man manning the communication console. "He should've been bringing more slaves here fifteen minutes ago!"
"The last message from him was that he was still 'having fun' boss." Was the nervous reply.
"What? We're on a tight schedule here!" He shouted in frustration. Leave it that idiot Greb to cause him headaches. "Call him!"
"Yes boss!" The man hurriedly worked in his console as Korrhak paced impatiently behind him.
They were on a tight schedule for a reason! Sure the human colonies are still stupidly easy to subjugate and raid, but their cursed Alliance fleets have stepped up their game in patrolling their territories over the years. Still not fast enough to catch most raids in the act, but when they do... the stories from survivors and the live executions broadcasts are sufficient motivations to not get caught.
"I got Greb on the line boss!" The man told him.
"Finally! Move aside." A rough shove got the underling out of his way. He then grabbed the mic and let out his frustrations at the insubordinate wretch. "GREB! You shithead, I told you you can have your fun times AFTER the raid! Now get the slaves to the gathering point here, or by the Pillars I will geld you with a rusty fucking knife!"
In orbit over Viriscent Harbour
Vermilion Dawn
"New parameters have been added." Raphien announced to his command staff. "We are to negotiate with the lost civilization after saving them from a xenos threat."
Silence greeted his sudden announcement. To be fair to them, he had also been briefly stunned when the Dominion relayed to him what exactly was happening planetside, before grim determination took over. Col. Helstein of the 9th Fellesian Airborne grumbled "Never an easy assignment," then he quickly manipulated the holo table to display the updated hologram of Viriscent Harbour which now showed several icons denoting xenos ships and the main source of the comms traffic.
"Well, Lord Raphien." The colonel looked towards him then. Everyone else in the sub-strategium assigned to this task did. "What is our general strategy?"
Yamm
New Karnak
"M-mom? Dad?" Layla fearfully whispered, as if the bad aliens would suddenly appear if she dared to be any louder. "When w-will the soldiers save us?"
Her mom only held her tighter in her arms as she shushed her. Dad ruffled her hair and answered they will come soon, and save everyone. Somehow, Layla thinks that dad is lying to her. That in truth, the soldiers won't be coming to save them, like what happened in that other colony in the news.
Another big boom came from the big doors of the shelter. Layla flinched at the sound, but at least she didn't scream like many others did. Granpa said it's bad to scream when stuff like this happens. She had thought it won't be happening to her though. She had been a good girl, right? She had been good, brushed her teeth always and prayed to papa God.
Maybe, if she prayed now, he'll hear her and send his angels to rescue them?
"Oh God, p-please-" Another boom. "hic. Please help us..."
Greb growled again, but this time in satisfaction. The doors to this shelter are finally going to blow open soon.
"Plant more explosives this time! I want it to be the last!" The Batarian shouted, and his demolition crew hastened to do their job. Good! Maybe after he drags this batch of chattel back to the ships, captain Korrhak can finally get off his back about damaging some good potential pleasure slaves. It's not like what he did was permanent. Medigel can fix most of them. Thinking of damages, Greb licked his lips in anticipation for the storming of this shelter. Basking in the fear of his victims, the lesser races of the galaxy has never failed in rousing enjoyment from his cold heart-
"Greb, sir!" One of his subordinates called out. He turned towards the fool with a furious expression, which prompted the plebian born to hurry up and talk. "Emergency message from the ship left in orbit, there's a ship heading straight for us and- and..."
"And what?!" He snarled back. "It's just one ship! And there's nothing it and its crew can do but watch us finish our work-"
Flashing lights from the sky grabbed his attention. He looked up, the pre-dawn light making it very hard to miss the third frigate of Korrhak's Cutthroats left behind in geostationary orbit over the city, acting as their eyes in the sky and early warning system for any ship coming from the relays. The clear view also made it impossible to deny the monumental explosion currently consuming said frigate, and the gigantic shadow of a monstrous ship slowing to a stop above.
And the falling stars dropping rapidly towards them. It didn't take long for Greb to put two and two together and quickly barked orders to his men.
"Into the buildings! Hide to ambush!"
Upper Atmosphere
The interior of the pod was a dim quarter weakly lit by a single red light.
The first wave will be a drop assault. Squads Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Epsilon will drop in these four points, equidistant from the ships. Your orders are to scour these drop sites of any resistance, for following closely behind are the Storm Eagles who will ferry the rest of our battle brothers and become available for air strike tasking. The third wave will be the 9th Fellesian, who will perform their customary airborne assault and fill in the gaps between the four astartes drop sites. This way the noose on the xenos' necks will be tightened as we advance.
The marines were shaken and rattled around by the extreme turbulence created by a metal shell hurtling through the atmosphere at almost 12,000 kilometres per hour. But their harnesses kept them secure and upright, and through their transhuman constitution remain alive and well.
Squad Alpha will be the Dawnbreakers. Power of Might Barakiel, you and yours will be the first to reach the planet. Your objective is this shelter near your drop site. You must destroy all opposition, and ensure the safety of the people hiding within.
The red light began blinking steadily, signalling the final approach. Each warrior's gauntlet-clad hands tightened on their respective lances in anticipation of the coming battle, with a final check of their armour and weapons systems swiftly performed. All systems reported status green.
Let the xenos know the fury of the Blood. And by blade and bolt they shall fear the wrath of angels.
The retro thrusters finally activated, the prior weightlessness felt by the astartes instantly replaced by a crushing pressure bearing down on them as their weight multiplied several fold. They bore through it stoically, armour and body swiftly adjusting to the changes.
They shall hear our cry brothers!
The drop pod crashed into a halt. The astartes can hear the sounds of crushed steel and screams of shock from outside, muffled by the doors. Half a second later said doors crashed outwards into the ground and Barakiel can hear the screams of the three dozen armed and lightly armoured xenos very clearly now as he sees them with his own eyes, scattered haphazardly around the drop pod, and the large vehicle crushed beneath it. Them, and the human civilians sitting bound next to a bunch of stacked boxes. Signs of abuse and mistreatment can be seen, and the terror in their eyes are unmistakable. The sight brought more of Barakiel's fury to the fore, discipline and will letting the space marine keep a tight hold so it will only aid him.
All that the veteran space marine took in less than a second. He had disengaged his harness and was poised to burst forward at that point, jump pack just one thought away from activating.
He picks the four-eyed xenos with the biggest gun standing behind four of its comrades as his target. He brandishes his spear, the shining blade engulfed in a crackling power field, and roars as he attacks. Brakiel trusts his battle brothers had already chosen their own targets.
"For the Emperor and Sanguinius, we bring the dawn!"
He savoured the fear in the xenos' four eyes as the veteran reached it in a single boosted leap, power spear swinging to cleave it and its comrades apart.
