"The Emperor is our guiding light, a beacon of hope for humanity in a galaxy of darkness." - from the Libation to the Emperor
Tristan checked his lasgun for the fifth time in about an hour. He removed the restraining bolts and twisted the barrel to the left then pulled it out of the weapon's body with a click. He set the barrel aside and removed the ignition rings and firing assembly. Finally he took out his cleaning rag and Munitorum issue gun oil, cleaning any grime on the parts of the weapon. Of course, there was nothing left to clean.
He reassembled the weapon and looked around the cargo bay with a sigh. The cargo bay of the Universe class mass conveyer was truly staggering. It took him twenty minutes to walk from one end of the bay to the other. And this wasn't even the only bay of the massive ship. There were four more of these massive rooms spread throughout the ship.
"Twelve kilometers." Colt had told him.
It made sense. It took Tristan a little over an hour to walk the entire length of the ship, or at least the parts he had access to. He set the lasgun against the crate he had been using as a billet and stood up with a yawn. It should be around 07:00, but keeping track of time on the ship had been difficult. There was at least another week of travel until they would arrive in the Manoc system. The 2nd Van Zandt had been sent with seven other regiments in order to deal with a attack by the Jäkeli. Tristan had heard plenty about them. An Archenemy warband of ill repute, made up traitors to the throne, cultists and traitor guard, and if the rumors were true, they even had traitor marines among them.
The sound of clacking boots on metal snapped him out of his thoughts. "Trooper O'Neill." A voice came from behind.
"Ma'am." Tristan responded, quickly snapping a salute. He didn't even need to see who it was in order to know who the voice belonged to. Approaching him was Commissar Milo, Her hands clasped behind her back. She was a short woman, with soft features, not exactly what one would imagine when someone said "Imperial Commissar". However, Tristian didn't know a tougher fekker in all of the 2nd.
"At ease trooper." Tristan let his arm fall, coming to an at ease position. "I've been looking for you."
Tristan felt a knot a worry in his stomach. "What fer Ma'am?"
"Just follow me O'Neill."
Tristan picked up the immaculately clean rifle and followed the commissar. Her pace was brisk, and he could tell that she was heading towards the officer's billets. Suddenly, she spoke up. "You can operate a Voxcaster, correct?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good."
She didn't say anything for the rest of the walk to the officer's barracks. Tristan felt awkward following the commissar around, but didn't bring it up to her or try and start a conversation. He looked up to the commissar, everyone in the regiment did, but she had an intimidating air about her, a kind of aura that said "Don't speak to me unless spoken to". Tristan had no idea how Major Stallon got along with her so well. Maybe it was just him.
"Commissar." A trooper snapped to attention when they approached. A Cadian. One of the new troopers. They had been gutted by an Ork Waaaagh and the Adminstratum had decided to fold them into the 2nd. Tristan had no idea what those pencil pushers were thinking attaching a line regiment to a light infantry one. The trooper opened the door for the commissar but held out a hand when Tristian tried to follow her in.
"He's with me Trooper." The trooper let Tristan pass, but shot him a glare with his violet colored eyes. Ignoring the trooper, Tristan followed Milo into the Command Room.
Tristan stepped into the dimly lit command room. In the center of the room was a hololith display showing the world they were approaching, Manoc IV. Around it where the ranking officers of the Van Zandt 2nd. All of them wore the fatigues of the regiment, with the exception of Major Nevel, who still stubbornly wore the fatigues of the Cadian 392nd. Colonel Parral was talking to Major Alvarado but ended the conversation as they entered. The Colonel cleared his throat. "I see we're all here."
Commissar Milo had took a spot nearby Major Tahar, Tristian stood nearby. He took a second glance around the room. Why the fekk was he here? He was a fekking vox operator! His line of thought was interrupted by the Colonel speaking again. "As we all know, well be arriving at Manoc IV within the week. I want all of you to make sure that your troops are ready for operations."
He paused and looked around the gathered officers. "We'll be landing in Trosa and moving to defend the town of Granstad. We'll be getting trucks from the local PDF and riding out. I want the Cadians up to snuff with how we do things in the 2nd." A couple of the Cadian officers mumbled something under their breath, but the Colonel ignored them.
"Enemy fighting strength is expected to be around 250,000 on planet." A wave of murmurs went through the room.
Major Tahar spoke up. "But we only have 80,000 guardsman aboard this vessel."
"We'll be assisted by the Planetary PDF. With our combined forces, our numbers should be close to those of the enemy. Additionally, Militarum Intelligence says the enemy forces are made mostly of infantry." The Colonel replied.
"Militarum Intelligence? Now that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one!" Said Major Alvarado. The gathered officers snickered.
Colonel Parral sighed. "Look it's not up to me. You know I wouldn't . . . " He trailed off and looked over at Commissar Milo, as if expecting something. Eventually she spoke up.
"What I think the Colonel is trying to say is, It isn't up to us where we get to fight. We enact the Emperor's will, and it is our duty to push the Archenemy from the planet."
"Thank you, Commissar. Now unless there are any other questions, this meeting is finished."
The officers and their aides began to file out of the room, but the Commissar and Colonel stayed. Tristan stayed there too, waiting until the room was completely empty, save for the three of them. Tristan looked around awkwardly.
"So Commissar, I see you brought O'Neill with you. Is he your choice?"
"Yes."
Tristan was starting to get really confused. "Choose me for what Ma'am?"
Commissar Milo turned to face him. Her eyes bored into him. "To be my aide. That's why I asked if you could operate a Vox. Congratulations Trooper O'Niell." She brushed past him on her way out.
Thanks for reading! This is my first writing in a long time, and the first one I've posted online. Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments or however this website works. I dunno.