Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 2300-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(Sigma Octanus IV, February 30th, 2532.)
Halius hummed at the time being dealt as he cracked his fingers and then looked to the side.
The sound of footsteps made him swing his hand bolter around, walking in step with the others.
"How many civilians did the report indicate were here?" Halius questioned before he looked to the side. "There is a pelican incoming now?" Halius seemed to ask as he thought of what was going on before he cracked her seconds.
They had a lot more to deal with than just civilians… A lot more than they had personally understood now… Now? Now it was more than they needed to deal with.
Halius seemed to be dealing with it as he clicked his fingers. He cracked his fingers and crossed his arms and then looked to Linda as she seemed to be dealt with.
The two soldiers were too interested in what was going on before he relaxed to the side…. Both were curious, interested now… Something all had gone on harder and harder now.
"40," Linda stated as Halius hummed.
"Can one dropship evacuate that many civilians?" Halius questioned to which Linda shook her head. "Then we shall find a way to get them all out." Halius paused and then turned to Suriel.
He nodded and the soldier slowly yet surely walked away, heading off in the direction of several cries for help. Halius turned to look over at Linda as the two walked towards another building, weapons held up.
"There could still be some covenant soldiers here… Be on edge, weapons up." Halius stated, lifting his blade, and then scanning the horizon.
He pondered for a second what was occurring now… Now? It was more than he could have possibly understood.
To be fair? He and the others did not at all understand what was occurring now and for a good reason.
This was more than enough… Something about it all had been too much and then relaxed what was occurring now.
Halius took a deep breath and then turned to see something green… And familiar.
"Down," Halius stated as he and Linda ducked down next to a burned-out Scorpion tank. "Orks…" Halius stated, frowning for now.
There was indeed a group of Orks, at least 20 or so… The green mass of mutant monsters sang demented parodies of songs, overturning vehicles and looking for something.
Halius heard more footsteps and turned only to see a group of Salamanders in front of him. He motioned them into cover.
"Brothers… What are you doing here?" Halius questioned to which they pointed at the Orks. "Ah… So, it was true the Orks did make some landfall." Halius said as he paused to think for a few seconds.
There appeared a few seconds of silence as both looked at the other… Curious as to how to deal with this now. Both knew better… And he knew it.
"We can kill them and reach the hostages…" One Salamander stated as Halius fixed them with a glare.
"No, we shall focus on the civilians, nothing further," Halius stated, gripping the soldier by the arm.
"You would leave them in danger?" Halius heard.
"I would choose the innocent over those in danger… If there is a patrol of Orks? There will be more… If we fight? More will come and they will believe we have something they want…. We can push the Orks backward." Halius stated before he paused.
He fixed the Salamander with a glance and then paused to look over to the others.
He was curious for now… Curious as to how it would end… Something about all had to be dealt with for now.
She had a lot more to deal with as she paused to think of what was going to be dealt with.
Something about it all was too much… Far beyond what they were used to deal with it all for now.
Something about it all had to be done now and it would not be pretty when it came down to it…
He wanted the Orks dead, he wanted them dead very much. However? To fight the Orks? That meant going against the sheer idea of something like knowing when to abstain from combat.
"There might still be more covenant soldiers…" One of the salamanders said before a buzzing noise was heard.
He blinked and then looked over the cover… Dozens of drone-like creatures emerged from the ground. He sighed as he realized whatever plan to hold off on fighting when it came down to it.
"Damn it…." Halius muttered before he turned to the Salamanders. "We follow your way, brother… Linda? You are best at high ground… We will cover you… Suriel? Tell Master Chief we will hold them off." Halius stated before he motioned the Salamanders ahead.
Halius slowly started to walk forward, he had a lot more to deal with for now. Halius aimed for the lead Ork and put a round through them.
He knew Linda would help him. That left the Salamanders and him while Suriel and Chief to deal with for now.
Something about it all made him curious as to how this was going to be dealt with. He had been too distracted for now and it was more and more tiresome.
Something about it all had been too much to deal with… They had more on their minds and yet? Halius was unbowed.
The battle was where he thrived.
(Ultramar)
Guilliman seemed to be tired and for a good reason when it came down to it as of now and he had known nothing but exhaustion.
This entire war reminded him of the Plague Wars fought only a year ago in their home dimension… The powers of Chaos had been a horrid enemy but it was worth it to win.
Guilliman seemed to be dealt with for now as he paused, thinking for but a second now.
The Primarch of the Ultramarines knew that the covenant was slowly losing the war… And like all enemies? They were not happy about being pushed into a corner and being forced to fight tooth and nail.
The soldier in the lord of Astartes was also aware of HOW they were to fight. This was something that they had to deal with now and something he had to juggle.
Part of him was disturbed by the covenant. He heard his men tell him of the covenant's faith in their holy religion when they had fought it.
He remembered the ranting fanatics who had fought in the Plague Wars… Those who had thrown sayings that Guilliman was a god.
It had taken all his power not to scream when it came down to it… It had taken all his identity to not rant and rave.
Guilliman looked over the list of contested planets… And then he turned, made a note, and left to speak with the rest of the warriors within his legion.
(With Halius, Linda, and Master Chief)
Halius sliced the head off one of the Ork Boyz and crushed their body. He had LONG since known Orks would not die unless reduced to a pile of paste and goo.
Another tossed themselves at him, a piece of rebar held in their hand as Halius gripped them by the throat while pivoting… Ripping their skull straight off and letting him crush it underfoot.
The few Orks that managed to hit him? Hit HARD and he grunted in pain even as his armor shielded him from the glancing blows as best it could.
He was glad they fixed the armor… Ultramarines needed every resource in the war.
Halius retreated a step as a flamer burned a pair of Orks and drones resting atop them. Halius turned to see a Salamander as he hummed.
There were several screams of thunder as he looked up to see 8 drones fall, their heads burst like water balloons.
"Linda… Are you secure?" Halius questioned, stabbing an Ork behind him without looking.
"Yes," Linda responded, dropping a spent magazine, and slamming another into her rifle.
"Good… Hold strong, brothers! We will break them sooner or later!" Halius stated, withdrawing his blade from the corpse.
Halius turned to see another group of Orks…. Only for a thunderclap of explosions to shake the ground and send them flying…. Before they were reduced to paste by a passing Thunderhawk which flew overhead.
Then came the pelican which flew through the smoke as Halius hummed, watching for the craft to turn on its turbines and slowly fly downwards.
Halius focused his attention on the drones as he holstered his power sword on his hip and fired at the Orks.
To any other soldier besides a Spartan or Ultramarine? Hammering the Xeno soldiers was NOT something that Halius found any degree of difficulty with.
"Board the evacuation craft!" Halius roared as he brought up his bolter, shooting the next soldier in line down with one shot…
He turned, armor whining with ancient systems as the soldiers slowly started attacking in unison.
He had been too interested in something else when it came down to it for now at the end of the day.
"Lieutenant?" Halius heard before he looked to the side.
"Just keep fighting…. Captain Titus? Orks are landing upon Sigma Octanus… How may we push them further back?" Halius questioned, pausing to lock blades with one of the Orks.
He slammed the alien to the ground and then shot them in the head… Part of which reminded him there was more war to fight.
Part of him believed that the Orks could be forced to fight the covenant. They would have no war.
But Halius was not stupid, the Orks would slaughter the covenant and then turn to humanity. It would be like sending the Tau here, their biases would still cause violence.
Send the Tyranids? All would be consumed, regardless of faction or allegiance. Necrons? Their desire to rule would end up painting the galaxy in blood. Chaos would have corrupted the galaxy and made trillions burn, the Eldar either way put their desires above others.
All factions would have fought the UNSC and Imperium… Burned humanity simply for existing.
And he? Halius would have died to stop them
(With Guilliman)
Guilliman paused and looked over at the others and then thought of what was going on now when it came down to it… Something about it all had been more and more curious as to how it would have been dealt with for now.
Guilliman seemed to be dealt with for now… Something about it all had been dealt with for now as he paused to relax for now… Something about it all had been too interesting as he hummed.
He knew damn well what would occur now… Knew damn well what was going on… All of it was more than he had wished, more than he had planned.
Granted? The war went well, it had gone as best as he could have hoped for… More and more of the known galaxy had been contested.
But as the Lieutenant had told him? They would not win conventionally. The covenant did not commit to a battle where the UNSC/Imperium could force them to surrender.
They were either cowards or they plotted something where they could not be attacked nor forced into a corner… It was an interesting stratagem that he studied from all such angles.
He was tired, his armor felt heavy. He felt bored and he was bored now at the end of it all… Something they would have not had to be dealt with for now and cracked his fingers.
Guilliman sighed as he paused to think of what was going to be dealt with. He cracked his fingers and then relaxed it for now and for a good reason now and for a good reason now.
All of it was too much as he relaxed… He needed to draw the covenant into a corner and then press their advantage… And he believed he knew how to do so.
(With Halius)
Halius cut down another Ork before another knocked him down the hill, sending the Ultramarine rolling along the dirt, pain in his side.
Still? He did not relent in fighting… Not at all.
"Lieutenant? Have you evacuated the civilians? We have made plans to send in reinforcements to scorch the area, and prevent the Orks from regrouping." Halius heard as he sighed.
"Attempting my best, Captain Titus," Halius stated before he sighed, kicked down the Ork attempting to charge him, and then stabbed them in the head.
"There are far more Orks than before… And they didn't entirely engage the covenant fleet, how odd." Halius stated as he felt something crash to the ground right next to him.
Perhaps their boss had a reason… But Halius was unsure of why the Orks would not have fought a single person without cause.
They had a LOT more to deal with, it seemed. Halius would devote time to understanding the Orks when this battle was concluded.
"Everyone is aboard, lifting off…. Spartans? Ultramarines? Pickup is on the top of Tram Tower." Halius heard before the pelican took off.
The Thunderhawk and another Pelican flew towards the nearby tower. Halius looked at the remaining wave of Orks and prepared for combat.
"Let us, brother… Return to orbit, we both know how well fire and Orks mix." Halius heard from one of the Salamanders.
Halius contemplated staying, believed the Salamanders would fare better, and nodded.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things!
The next mission will set up the mission to Halo… The battle of Reach will not be THE battle of the war.
Anyone is expecting other factions? I am not bringing in many more.
Halius and the others will be fighting more and more of the Orks as I plan to also end their part in this soon.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words along with showing more of the meeting between the Imperium and the UNSC and the Covenant talking. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!
