Arx Fidelis - Incoming Transmission
Incoming Transmission Stamp: Calixis Sector - 784.M41
Incoming Transmission
Transmission Coordinates Identified
Transmission Source - Ryboth
Incoming Transmission Status: Ready
"Mayday, mayday. This is a call for aid to anyone in the Calixis Sector. Ryboth is besieged! The Death Korps numbers dwindle and we are on the brink of oblivion at the hands of the Emperor's enemies. The sons of Perturabo are at the gate!"
Incoming Transmission Status: End
Incoming Transmission Status: Logged
The bombs fell atop the fortified positions of Ryboth like drops of rain thundering down upon cast iron sheds. Colossus mortars were the round of the day and the Iron Warriors could afford them in abundance.
"Incoming," a voice yelled from the trenches followed almost instantly by the onset of yet another relentless bombardment. The Death Korps of Krieg had played this game many times before. They were on Ryboth because they were the undisputed masters of the trenches and Ryboth; in recent times, had a lot of trenches!
They had long ago timed how long it took for the scoundrel traitors of the Iron Warriors to reload their bastard heavy weapons then timed them against the hissing of air as the munitions hurled towards them. In this manner, they were able to discern whether their enemy were mortals or traitor Astartes on every given occasion. They were fortunate this time. Mortals.
There was a brief pause… Silence.
"Over the top!" Yelled an infantryman and a whistle blew. With bayonets fixed, they vaulted the cleft of their trenches and threw themselves into the oncoming melee. At least in this fashion they could meet the enemy half way rather than risk the surrender of their trench. But only half way. Never more than half way!
The mines one poor bastard infantryman had lay in the darkness of the night began to emaciate the numbers of the oncoming horde of Iron Warrior cultists. Limbs spewed into the air and slammed back down upon the dirt as las gun rounds ripped through the already straggling and demoralised army. They were quite easy to kill; just, there were so bloody many of them! Before long the numbers of traitor bastards had breached the minefield and were on their way proper to the melee the Death Guard had embraced for. Bayonets poked, stabbed and slit whilst las gun rounds seared holes through the enemies of man.
"Death to the false emp-" one traitor had begun to say before a well aimed shot entered his mouth and finished his sentence for him.
"Too many." Said one voice, then another.
"Fight on brothers!" Shouted a voice above the rumbling gurgle and slosh of open aired trench battle. "We'll beat them yet again!" And so, they did!
Before long the day's battle was over and the gentlemen of the Death Korps of Krieg found themselves once again sauntering over no-man's-land as they ended any injured traitors.
"Why don't we let them live?" Asked a private to his commanding officer as he placed a las round into the skull of a traitor with a leg wound desperately trying to crawl back to his own line.
"Mercy lad." Said the commanding officer. "If we don't do it, their bastard commanders will leave them out here to die a slower death."
"I guess they're still human." Said the private.
"Barely." Replied the commanding officer as the whistles of another bombardment began to escalate from over the horizon.
"They've called us out." Said the commander. "Take cover!" and so, the routine continued once again.
Back at base, the call was going out.
"Mayday, mayday."
"Any luck then?" Asked the commander to the comms specialist.
"Not yet." The comms specialist replied. The commander sighed.
"Stalemate." He said.
"Aye." Replied the comms specialist as the Colossus mortars began to inch forward.
Before any further progress could be made, the bombs had found their target.
"Evacuate!" Came the call as the infantrymen and commanders alike scurried out of their trenches and bunkers like insects from a hive.
The sound of exploding bolt rounds began to feather atop the sound of the exploding ordinances as the cries of the Death Korps mixed almost harmonically with the sound of the carnage unfolding; their souls making their way to the Emperor.
"They're here." Said the commander. And they were! Had the Iron Warriors exhausted their infinite supply of human cannon fodder? Was there a higher tactical reason for them to attend the battlefield in person? Who knew? What all present knew was that the Iron Warriors were now present and the real killing would begin.