AN:As standard, many thanks to Blazblade for his help with writing this chapter!

"Lieutenant!"

Welkin watched as Matt followed him not too far behind. Artillery had ceased fire not too long ago, but the faraway sound of gunfire remained. A squadron of Cadians marched back from a patrol/skirmish nearby with what seemingly remained of the East Imp units on this riverbank just as sunlight had begun to fade. The young Gallian officer stopped, to greet Matt in a face-to-face talk and the Colonel stopped just in front of him. Raising a brow, the Lieutenant asked "Something the matter, Colonel?"

Matt, arms crossed, said "Lieutenant Gunther, as much as I myself would love to show your two insubordinate subordinates up for that near-mutiny event, I don't think making a bet with them was the most advised thing. I wanted to intervene and I could clearly see your Sergeant did so too, but alas, we figure you have at least some form of plan..." before turning toward the riverbank itself and speaking on "You were staring at some plants... Reeds of sorts. If I remember that one single biology class I was given a while ago, those grow only in shallower parts of the river..."

Noticing a smile on the Lieutenant's face, the boy raised a brow. Welkin said "Very good guess, Colonel. I've been considering a plan with Isara."

"Your sister is an engineer, correct? And she works on your tank. What could she possibly..." As the realization slowly crept up into Matt's brain, his face went through a myriad of expressions, before settling on a combination of surprised and curious. He snorted, arms still crossed, then asked "Can she actually make a tank a submersible vehicle? Because, if yes, our Engineers and Techpriests may or may not start asking questions."

"Yes. I believe in Isara." The man nodded.

Matt looked over the river, onto the enemy's side and saw fires burning, either from artillery or their own camps. Sighing, he said "Alright... If I can acquire a few rowboats, I and some of my men will breach with you." before turning around. He stopped before walking away "Oh, Lieutenant. Send a runner toward me for when we begin operation Cloudburst, will you?"

"I will." Welkin gave a nod. Matt smirked, then stepped away.

Near the tent of the Sevens, Alicia was cleaning her rifle and preparing for the next mission. As she did so, she glanced over to her right, to see the lone Sniper sitting there, checking her own rifle's scope. Alicia had seen her working to cover them and she never once missed a shot. Her skill was a spectacle that was terrifying to behold. Alas, she was glad they had her on their side.

... She was aiming the sniper as they spoke. Alicia watched the bullet pass mere inches from her face, flying toward an Imperial... The clang of a helmet being hit came from afar and Alicia had to wonder what the heck was in her head. She didn't have to ask though, as the girl saw a tall boy pat her on the shoulder and tell her off about firing random shots... Luckily for them, Marina nodded, then pointed something out about hitting the target. The man and his friend, members of Squad 2, gave nods to Alicia as they passed by her, into the square... And Alicia could swear she recognized the leading guy.

Juno and Susie sat together not too far from the Sergeant of the scout unit, checking their guns...

"The Cadians are terrifying..." Susie sighed, looking at Juno. "I mean... How can children be so careless for the lives they take?" and she put her rifle down beside her. Her fellow blonde shrugged, looking over at the kids. Many looked like the dead, their eyes sharp and always looking for targets. The rumble of vehicles echoed from the road and the two girls turned their heads, to see more Basilisk artillery arriving, followed by a trio of Chimeras and the troops they transported...

With a grin on her face, the commander of the Kasrkin jumped off the back of the IFV/transport and approached Colin and the Colonel. Juno turned to Susie and said "I figure it's because they're not exactly children when comparing their experiences of war to ours... Something tells me that Mercy is something they can ill afford where they come from and, thus, that brutal fighting style has transferred over to here."

On the side, two individuals were watching the young soldiers move off the the transport. One had black hair in small spikes with deep Azure eyes who looked upon the Cadians with interest and scrutiny. He had similar uniform to the Militia, but had the red replaced with white and had the same stylized dragon coat of arms as General Siegfried. One had a Mags M4 SMG and Gallian M4 rifle on his back, with two Gallian Colt M1911 pistols and two sabers on his hips. His friend had the standard Militia uniform with a Darcsen patterned armband on his right arm. He had a GSR-M4 on his back, a pair of binoculars on his chest, two Colts on his hips along with two large hunting knives and multiple throwing knives on his belt. His most striking feature was his both hair and eyes being two different colors. His right eye was crimson red and his left eye was a dark blue, while his hair was mostly Dark blue with silver on the edges of his hair.

These were Sergeant Matthew Siegfried and Private Ragna of Squad 2, one of the sister Squads to the Sevens in the 3rd Militia Regiment.

"I still can't believe that they have kids in combat." Ragna said with a frown. "I know they give off the look of professional and die-hard fighters, but it is still kind of a war crime isn't it?"

"Yeah, I get how you mean." Matthew said as he looked upon the child soldiers who had the level discipline and professionalism of the most elite forces in the world. He did look with a bit of cringe at the techpreists as they had rather painful looking implants and how they looked like something out of a horror movie. He did also wondered why some of their transports and tanks looked like more advanced versions of tanks from EW1 (hell most of them had rivets instead of being wielded, the latter being far more common nowadays) with the the tracks of these vehicles resembling them quite a bit.

It really was a strange force, where, while they had advanced looking weapons, some of said weapons looked old...

"Still though, do these guys even have any adults in their forces?" Ragna said. "I'm just concerned about these guys being worse then the damn Hunters can be to their victims."

"Care to explain your viewpoint, Gallian?"

Both of them turned to see the Colonel approaching them, both hands behind his back. Matt was a bit worried since Ragna's bluntness did get him in trouble a few times with Darcsen-Haters and arrogant Nobles, which had gotten under their skin or even ended with a fist fight. Plus from what he had heard him his father, these kids were far from arrogant or even undisciplined like how most child soldiers are seen in the eyes of many countries on their world.

"Yeah, why exactly are kids like yourself soldiers?" Ragna furrowed his brow. "While I appreciate that we now have a new ally to help kick the Imps around, I'm a bit concerned about your people not getting too into the fight and leaving us in a vulnerable position or worse."

"Ragna, I know you're usually blunt, but take it easy." Matt said to his friend i warning. He then turned to Mathias and spoke, "I'm Sergeant Matthew Siegfried and this is my friend, Corporal Ragna. We're members of Squad 2, in the same Militia Regiment as that of the Sevens and friends of Lt. Gunther if you're curious."

Mathias raised an eyebrow at that. He had seen that General Siegfried was a more competent breed of officer than that waste of breathable oxygen, Damon. What did surprise him was that the man's son was fighting along with the Militia. However, he would've guessed it was due to his friends also being in that branch of the military... Plus he wouldn't have needed to put up with the more incompetent Nobles in the Regular Army, such as the Gassenarls.

"Listen here, Ragna was it?" Mathias said as he glared at the Darcsen sniper. "You shouldn't make assumptions about someone until you understand the situation around their upbringing. You may think my soldiers and I shouldn't be fighting all because we are too young, or we're not trained, but believe when I say we have faced greater threats then anything this false Empire could ever come up with." He then sighed. "So, I advise you to learn about where we came from and understand why we fought before you come to conclusions. That type of talk could end up with an incident that could have been avoided and my fellow Cadians would like to not have a war on two fronts."

Ragna raised an eyebrow at the young Colonel's statement. He had the idea that maybe he shouldn't have jump to conclusions about them. However, he still felt disturbed with the idea of child soldiers and if they would be willing to follow along with the Gallians. This was in addition to this Imperium being rather unknown to him and it made him wary of having soldiers who acted too close to the damned Hunters for his liking, if not worse.

Matthew then spoke up to Mathias. "Look, it's just that having kids as soldiers isn't something that our world sees as a good thing. We do follow a set of Rules and Laws of War and making children into soldiers is considered wrong to us."

Mathias sighed at that. "Believe me, Sergeant Siegfried, where me and my fellow soldiers come from, such laws, if they even existed, have been long lost to common knowledge, with no desire of the Imperium to lay out ground rules against Xenos and monsters that would willingly see us all dead. We have to deal with many different powerful forces that could wipe us out if we do not fight with all of our capability, ferocity, and firepower. Our Imperium has endured endless war for millennia, thus we are always willing and able to send even our youngest into the grinder, to secure our survival..."

"Is your Imperium really in that bad of a state?" Matt said. "Wouldn't it be better to bring in newer weapons and equipment? From what it sounds like, your Imperium could use any improvement it can get their hands on."

"I understand why you would say that." Mathias said while crossing his arms. "However, the Imperium has been dealing with rather archaic bureaucracy for millennia. It would take the act of the God-Emperor Himself rising from the Golden Throne, or one of the Primarchs returning, in order to get things moving faster. In addition, the techpriests you've probably seen on your walk here are rather inflexible when it comes to bringing in new weapons and our soldiers would stick with those weapons which are reliable and can kill their opponents."

"So it really is that hard making new weapons?" Matt said. "That to us just seems..."

"Backwards?" Mathias finished. "I understand that is seems strange to you as an outsider looking in. However, its a reality for us that we had to deal with. Even with all of the roadblocks that our Imperium faces, we choose to fight and die for it as we are among those that fight to prevent humanity's extinction among the dangerous and bile xeno and heretic forces that wish to snuff out our existence. In this regard we have to fight against our enemies without mercy and making due with whatever we have to allow the Imperium to fight another day.

"So I'm guessing the Imperium doesn't have any allies or something?" Ragna said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Only the rare Eldar, a race of arrogant and selfish creatures if you're wondering, have made alliances when it benefited both sides at the time, but more-so them." Mathias said with a frown. "Of course, the knife-eared freaks always find a way to stab us in the back. So no, we don't have any real allies where we come from."

That made both Gallians realize that perhaps the Cadians were like this thanks to a whole galaxy that was out to kill them and their compatriots. While they had trouble truly grasping such a thing (though there had been media about aliens invading to take over the world and such), it seemed that the Imperium was stuck in a war to which they were struggling to find anyway to turn the tide. Hell, comparing to what had been affecting Gallia with all of the incompetent and selfish leaders they had, the Imperium was a magnitude of times worse off. It made them wonder how it was even standing to begin with.

"I see..." Matt said while thinking it over. "With how your Imperium is in the position it is in, I guess your people thought that nothing was out of the question in dealing with your foes and trying to win at all costs. While I can't say I''ll be comfortable with child soldiers right now, it will be something that we'll have to get used to. If it means kicking out the Imps and retaking our land, I guess this is our best chance.

"Yeah." Ragna said with a heavy sigh "I have issues with it too, but after hearing what you had to say I get why things are as they are. Sorry about doubting your side of things Colonel."

"It's fine." Mathias said. "It will take time for us to get used to this world and vise versa. We have been given a new chance to do the Emperor's will and by the Golden Throne we will make sure to do Him on Terra proud and crush our common foe."

Matt Siegfried extended his hand to Matt Telos... And Telos shook calmly. The Cadian spoke "We shall see each-other on the battlefield, Sergeant. Corporal." He nodded respectfully to Ragna. He added "For now, we've got Operation Cloudburst to take care of." upon noticing a Squad 7 female scout running toward him. The Colonel turned to greet the Scout, who stopped, saluted and told him the Operation was about to commence...

And indeed, as Night had fallen over the front and the clouds and mist impaired the vision of both friend and foe alike. Whilst not commonly a smart idea to send forth the high commander of a Regiment, Mathias had insisted on joining the assigned squadron that was to fight alongside Squad 7 on the enemy's own riverbank. The colonel had now armed himself with a Lasgun, stowing his Power Sword and pistol in his belt holsters and the Chainsword and Guardsman's Bolt Pistol within the confines of the Baneblade...

He looked to his left. Six boats. Three were full of Cadians, three of Gallians. He eyed the leading rowboat, to see the Gallian Sniper, her rifle shouldered as she scanned the rooftops and windows. The lone wolf was a terrifying beast, especially with her seeming years of experience in sniper training. Her aim was impeccable, to the point the Colonel had considered inquiring to her about training his Marksmen.

Later, though. He watched as the riverbank became clearer... Only to hear the whir of the engine as it emerged from the water at high speed. He grinned as the boats made it aground on the Bank, before his soldiers poured out in a fighting formation. Six False Imp patrols numbering around 3 soldiers each awoke to the sight of a dozen and some Lasguns firing at them, their armor melting as the Las-rounds punched through the thin sheet metal.

The Colonel nodded to the Edelweiss's cupola, to Welkin... The man stood up from the turret, nodded back and raised a flare gun. Firing it into the air gave the brightest signal that the other side of the river could receive. Operation:Cloudburst was a-go. The soldiers poured up over the opening, into the cover of the walls of collapsed buildings. A light stubber squad, or an LMG squad according to Gallian doctrines, took to defending the T-Intersection they'd entered upon deploying.

The Colonel looked to everyone, then spoke "Soldiers of the First Youth! Remember your objective! Secure the bridgehead and slaughter any bastard False Imperial you see! No prisoners! The Emperor watches over us!"

"The Emperor Protects!" Chanted the Cadians in unison.

"Let's move!" The Colonel called out, raising his Las Pistol and blasting the first False Imp he saw.

The MG Team opened up. The autogun roared as the large-caliber bullets struck and carved deep holes into the concrete, brick and wood of the broken houses. Lasguns chattered, followed by the crack of Gallian rifles, as the soldiers advanced in unison. Rosie herself hurled a Grenade over the cover of an Imp Shock Trooper. She took a knee and dumped a full magazine into a squad of retreating Scouts, watching for any movement from the tanks currently sat in neat rows in the motorpool...

One turned its turret...

"Oh, CRAP!" Rosie called out, before pushing a Cadian out of the way and diving into cover, just as a 75mm Shell screamed over their heads, landing in the water behind. She looked over to the tank and cried out "BOSS, WE GOT AN IMP LIGHT TANK!"

"Eleven o'clock." The Cadian kid she'd rescued from turning into paste added, before joining her in cover and firing six shots off from his Lasgun. He turned toward her, then said "Thank you." with a shaken, but appreciative tone. She nodded, smirking, before patting him on the shoulder. She raised her SMG and fired again as an Imperial Scout came past the corner of the little Motor Pool, scratching the wall and hitting two bullets into the man's throat and hip.

The Colonel saw a Shock Trooper approach and let loose a stream of rounds. He dodged to the left, letting the man get close, before slashing his chest armor in half, cutting through steel, cloth and, finally, flesh, to sever his sternum and kill him as the cut entered deep. The soldier spun and collapsed as the Colonel raised his pistol again and fired... Marina's rifle cracked the air and a helmet flew off the head of an enemy Lance-wielding soldier.

A sniper's round struck a Cadian in the armor plating on her shins, knocking her off balance and onto the floor. Noticing shock troops advancing between the tanks and a fuel tank just beside them, she raised her Lasgun and dumped rounds into the blue-shining Ragnite canister. The explosion that ensued engulfed and destroyed three parked vehicles and five of the ten Shock Troops that ran past them...

"Engaging enemy Shock Troops!" Juno cried out, raising her rifle and firing. Susie helped up the Cadian that was knocked off her feet, before both moved into cover just as another round from the Sniper flew right between their heads, narrowly missing both. The Guard Girl nodded to Susie, then raised her Lasgun and fired away at the enemy sniper. The energy beams scorched the concrete behind which the man was hiding, on the second floor of a building. The thunder of the Edelweiss's gun echoed throughout all the combat... And the Imperial Light Tank didn't get to fire again.

Marina's rifle cracked the air. She looked to her left to see Rosie, Edy and Homer approaching.

"Anything big on scope?" Rosie asked, taking a knee beside Maria while Homer handed out ammunition.

"Two tanks on the other side of the two collapsed buildings we're moving around of. Light." Marina stated, before loading another round in the chamber of her rifle.

"Got it." Rosie nodded. She looked back and cried out "Largo! We got two tanks just over the other side of those buildings!" as the man, his Lancers and a mixed fire-team of Engineers and Shock Troopers advanced, under the cover of the Edelweiss's machine gun. A Cadian took a round to the shoulder, sending him to the floor while the others tried to get him dragged out of the line of fire.

Welkin listened into Radio... He paused... Then called out to the Colonel via their Vox "Colonel! We've got an incoming Battalion of Imperial reinforcements about to cross the river!"

"Roger. We'll quicken pace." Mathias answered.

Lynn's SMG chattered as they ran past an enemy position, turning the corner and finding a new enemy tank outpost. A squad of Cadians followed in with rifles at the ready. One even had a Rocket Launcher, from wherever he managed to pull that. The one following him hauled the rockets for the massive ,tubular launcher. The Edelweiss turned the corner with them, its main gun roaring. An AP shell punched through the side of a now-crewed Imperial tank that attempted to leave the place and engage them.

A Lasgun round ignited another barrel of fuel and a dozen more tanks were left as smoking piles of twisted metal. The AT Launcher and his loader took a knee, aiming toward an MG nest set up by the False Imps, before the rocketteer cried out "CLEAR BACKBLAST!" and squeezed the trigger. The missile ignited, the rear part of the tube coughed smoke and a high-explosive warhead trailed through the air with a sharp whistle, slamming into the MG Nest. The remains were a smoking crater and two carbonized corpses.

A defensive position had been set up around the control room of the bridge. One the Cadians were intent on taking. The Colonel led from the front, Power Sword drawn... And under the gazes of Gallians, among which Isara, the men and women... The Boys and Girls of the First Youth, once again surged forward, their Lasguns crying damnation for those they called traitors, false and heretic.

The Colonel jumped over the first line of sandbags, stabbing an imp through with his power sword. The enemy soldier fell, lungs collapsed, onto the floor, as the Colonel rolled forth like a tank, slashing through Imp after Imp and taking rounds into his Carapace armor. A sniper struck a Scout next to him, sending the False One to meet his Maker. The woman bounded the distance between the wall she took cover behind to the Edelweiss. She went prone, stabilizing her rifle on a pair of sandbags and firing again... A False Imp fell into the river.

She bounded again, drawing both pistol and bayonet and firing. Two Imperials that came out of a building due North of them, to their right, fell. Marina gifted each a 9mm bullet from her handgun, a strange action pistol with an exposed barrel and kick-up short-recoil mechanism. She raised it again and fired twice. One in the stomach, one in the head. One gone Imp.

Isara watched Mathias pounce over two more Sandbag walls, before she gasped as two Imperial soldiers drew Bayonets and tried to stab him. He stopped one strike by slicing the man's hand off at the wrist, before stabbing the other through the thigh and executing both with Las-Pistol shots to the head. He walked inside the control room, followed by two Engineers, as the rest of the units cleared out and found hiding spots... He smirked, then pulled the lever that raised the bridge...

The unit of ten tanks and almost 200 individual infantrymen attempting crossing over the river sound found themselves scrambling for their dear lives. The tanks' treads scratched against the drawbridge's surface as it opened, but lost grip... They fell into the water, screaming their prayers to their false gods... Matt stepped out of the control room, sitting himself down on one of the sandbag walls and pulling out his flask. He opened it and took a swig of water... A smile crossed his lips as he saw Isara approach him. He then noticed the Lieutenant, Sergeants and Corporal discussing...

"So... They getting along now?" He quipped.

Isara chuckled, sitting down face-to-face with him. She nodded "Yeah... Thanks for the trust."

"Don't thank me." He shrugged. "Your brother came with that Emperor-forsaken insanity of a plan."

"You helped him develop it." Isara retorted.

He snorted "I will be honest, your brother may seem a bit... Easily distracted." He found the best-suited words "But he is smart... Though most of the success to his plan comes out of your skill with tools." and he thought he caught a faint red tint in her cheeks. She gave a half-mouthed 'thanks' before he offered "Shall we return to the ranks? We've still got to clear most of this bank out."

She nodded... And the two left for their units.