Cyberpunk: Bad Company
Prologue
Sometimes victory lies not in the might of armies,
but on the blades and valor of a few.
-Lord Commander Solar Macharius
On a forgotten hive world left to die by the rest of the galaxy, is the hive city of Malo, surrounded and infected by heretics who wish for the Emperor's destruction. But for now, they set their sights on Malo. On a broken and battered street close to the front lines of battle that plague this hive stands the ruin of destroyed houses that intertwine with the surrounding roofs, streets and walls.
In the middle of all of the destruction lies a lonely manhole cover that many would consider invisible to its surroundings. A small flash of light shines through it before it slowly begins to rise into the air as a head and a pair of gloved hands hold it up. After a few short seconds of observing their surroundings it speaks "Clear." before pushing the cover off to the side and climbing out of it. What comes out is a man in olive green armor and tan clothing wearing a helmet showing his rank as sergeant. His violet eyes turn back to the now open manhole as he kneels down. "Need a hand sis?" he says to the hole as he extends a hand to it. "Thanks Dekker." it responds as a hand shoots out and takes it. He pulls out a woman who looks almost exactly like him, with the only real exceptions being that her head is covered by a flat cap and a blue and gray cloak that surrounds her uniform. Both of their shoulder guards have a 92nd painted on the left and a house with a skull in the middle on the right, while a large orange stripe is painted up the middle of them. Dekker's helmet also has an orange stripe painted up and over it along with a golden winged skull resting on the front. "Getting into a 2-20 combat stance." says Dekker as the two kneel down raising their weapons, poised to strike the closest target that appears that threatens them. His weapon is a bolt gun, a heavy, blocky looking weapon with a magazine to match. While hers is a lasgun, longer, slimmer, but still a somewhat blocky looking weapon that is painted olive green, wrapped with the same cloth that covers her thick sexy feet having body, and a scope attached to the top.
They guard the hole as another pair of hands grab its rim. What comes out is a very well built, sun kissed man wearing nothing but green camouflage pants, black combat boots, and a red bandana around his head. Sweat beating down his muscled body as he climbs out with a large, sharp, razor blade like sword hanging from his belt. "Thanks Nils, you're the best." he says sarcastically as he looks at the woman guarding his ascent to his feet. She rolls her violet eyes before replying "You weren't shot or cut up in the last fight Lance, so you'll be fine to help yourself." still scanning their surroundings for hostels. "And don't think too highly of yourself for that Lance. You still got teammates down here!" yells a voice echoing from the hole. "Oh yeah. here." Lance says as he extends his hands out to the hole.
A blue gloved hand with a weird looking wrist mounted chainsaw, takes the offer as he pulls up a grim looking person wearing a tan gas mask, blue trench coat, and a white backpack and satchel bag. The only armor the person wears are a pair of shoulder guards bearing a 101th on the right pad and a double headed eagle on the left. While on his head is a white painted helmet with a red cross on each side. The man says nothing as he fully rises to his feet and kneels to guard the hole alongside Dekker and Nils. This luscious pattern lasgun looks more like a standard battle rifle than its peers, being made of metal painted dark gray with some parts having yet to be painted while the stock and under barrel grip are made of wood. You can tell its seen years of battle as some of the paint is chipped and the wood is scarred, leaving only the remnants of varnish. However, proudly displayed on its sides are multiple red wax seals bearing a double headed eagle pinning tattered, stained parchments filled with holy writing to the gun. And finally, at the tip of the barrel is a battle worn bayonet.
"Yeah ok. Next." Lance says to the man before holding his hand out to the hole again. A metal hand grabs the rim of the hole as a white and red robed machine comes out and stands next to him, barely revealing its humanoid metallic body underneath its clothing. Instead, anyone can see the red cog toothed pattern around the bottom of its robes, as well as a red fist clutching a hammer close to its opening. Fused to its back is a heavy mechanical backpack with metallic cables drifting around its cloaked form. Its lower face has been replaced with a metallic speaker-like mask. While the rest of its vaguely feminine face is made up of bronze colored skin with long black hair on its head, barely visible under its white hood. "Assistance request = denied. Reason: no damages sustained from previous combat encounter." it says in a metallic synthesized voice that sounds roughly female as a floating skull follows behind. "E.T.A. until enemy force reaches the primary objective: time minus five and a half hours. Kill team Bad Company is well ahead of schedule. Well done, flesh temples" she says before grabbing the skull air to stare at it "Begin aerial scans for hostile combatants." The skull flies off down the street as the machine then kneels down using a large battle axe in the shape of a cog wheel to steady itself.
Lance steps aside to allow the humanoid machine to kneel to the ground. "Whatever you say, Neriom." he says before a black glove grabs his hand. Lance pulls the person up to reveal a man with light skin hidden by a brown gas mask, black goggles, steel helmet, and a heavy yellow trench coat with a red lighting bolt imprinted on its shoulders. His back is covered by a backpack with various types of equipment strapped to it, primarily an entrenching tool, wire cutter, hand grenades, and a landmine. "Thanks Lance, this stuff was getting heavy." he says through his mask as he rolls his shoulders, causing the various explosives to gently clack together, before joining his comrades. His grenade launcher has the appearance of a black pipe with a winged skull fused onto both its sides while a wooden stock is attached to its bottom.
"Why thank you Oros, And now you." he extends his hand back to the hole as an olive brown toned hand comes out. Lance takes the hand and pulls out a woman equally as muscled as him. Almost wearing the same thing as him as well, the only difference is that they are wearing a white tank top splattered with mud and blood with a vox caster on her back. Said vox caster looks to be just a metal box with an antenna sticking out of the top (Also known to lesser beings as a radio). Finally getting to her feet, she grips her weapon preparing for a fight before she looks to Lance and says "We should get ready to move, the enemy could have been following us". Lance scoffed before saying "I don't think so, they were a pretty small group of heretics." He looked at her and said "You got my lasgun, Stryker?" With a sigh, Stryker holds out a weapon for him before he grabs it with a "Thanks." Both of their weapons are like Nils, being the same design, without the wrappings or the scope on the top.
Striker rolls her eyes before looking back down to the hole. "Here ya go Cap. Lance, help me out here." she says as she extends a hand to the hole with lance following suit just before another black gloved hand grabs on to her. With Lance's help, they pull out a fair skinned woman in a black trench coat with a red inner lining. The coat is open, revealing a black and gold dress shirt underneath. Sitting over her dress shirt is a somewhat small metal plate with a golden double headed eagle on it. Being held onto her by a thin metal chain wrapped around her neck. A red and black pointed visor cap displaying a golden winged skull hides the womans golden blond hair underneath. She stands at full height before checking herself as her hands land on her chainsword and bolt pistol. A love child between a chainsaw and a sword as well as a pistol version of a Dekker's bolt gun. With a quick nod she looks to Lance and Striker "Thank you both. How far are we for the Repenter?" she says to the group as Lance closes the manhole. Neriom was the first to respond "Signs indicate that the primary objective is within 1.2 miles." The woman then asked "And you said that we were ahead of the enemy?" With a slow nod, Neriom confirms their statement. The woman nods "Ok. Get into that building and let's find out what we have left." The group of soldiers then responded in unison with a quick "Yes ma'am!" Before rushing to what looked like a small store front.
With haste they pin themselves against the wall of the building before the woman nod and Dekker quickly opens the door. The group enters the building and immediately begins clearing out the room and the rooms adjacent to it before someone says "clear" allowing them to start looking over their belongings. "I want to know what exactly we have and how much of it we got all day," the woman announces as the group of soldiers search their bags. Within time Dekker salutes her and says "Commissar Lynx we have all day, 28 las packs, 4 bolt mags, 15 frag grenades, 4 krak grenades, 5 smokes, and 3 melta bombs. We still have enough rations for all of us and K says that he is still fine on the Medicae side of things. However we lost Jerten, Holls, and Trymon in the last fight." Lynx side eyes Dekker with a stoic face "Did we take their equipment?" she asks. "Yes, a bit of it. Oros took Jertens grenade launcher with its ammo and Nils snagged the three melta bombs from Holls before we left. I got a few of their grenades myself." She nods her head in satisfaction. "Very well then. You may add three to the supply list of bolt mags we have. I still have a few." She then speaks loud enough for the group to hear her. "Ok listen up. Our objective is within our reach. I know we are ahead of schedule but we can't lose speed now. The heretical force will march down this street within less than five hours and we still need to bring back the Repenter. So keep your head in the game, eyes focused. We are in enemy territory now and have too much to lose." she says as the skull returns to Neriom. Lynx then asks "What did you do?"
Neriom responds with "I have sent my servo skull to scan the area between us and the primary objective for hostile combatants. Flesh temple."
"And?"
"No hostiles detected, however stealth and speed is still optimal for victory." Lynx quickly nods "Ok then let's move out and head to the objective before a lucky heretic finds the Repenter and uses it." she says as he gets a salute from the rest of the group. "Creeper 3-12 stealth stance and standard combat formation. Move!" she barks out only to be given "Yes ma'am!" as a response.
The group moves silently through the debris left behind from past battles. Destroyed civilian vehicles, buried tanks, and torn apart barricades alike litter the street while buildings stand either charred or ruined beyond repair. The smell of rotting flesh, burnt fuel, and a faint whiff of gunpowder stalks the unfiltered air. The only thing they can hear above the eerie silence is the crackle of smoldering buildings. They pass by great last stands, pitiful hold outs, and failed rituals as they walk the ruined street still lit by artificial lights. But never scared of their unseen enemy. Their weapons are ready to strike down any threat that dares show them-self. They move through the street with purpose as they step over or on the bodies of both enemies and allies.
After some time, someone breaks the silence. "Primary target should be within visual range within seconds. Eyes open, flesh temples" Neriom states as they find a large plaza that can be described as the site of a large, gothic trade hub. Now the sight of a major failed tank assault. Most of the streets have tread markings form tanks entering the plaza. On the other side of is one lonely but fiercely fought over bottleneck road bore the brunt of battle. One half of the plaza are blocky troop transports that bare the eight pointed star of chaos guarded by the battle-scarred barricades and cultists corpses in between. The buildings are being used as heavy weapons emplacements for the barricades defense. Meanwhile on their side, of the plaza, rests many broken and destroyed tanks that display the double headed eagle of the Imperium of Man. Many of them still reek of burning steel, fuel and the tanks long since dead users. Looking down on the large clearing of space are large statues of fallen, nameless, warriors that wear the battle scars of those who they are supposed to represent.
The largest tank there is a tank that stands above the others: having two large treads, two bolt guns as its sponsons, twin heavy machine guns on the front, and most prominently a pair of large elongated battle canons attached to its turret. One of these cannons proudly displayed the words "Repenter" written onto its side. The group stands admiring its sight before Oros speaks up, "A Macharius Vanquisher? That's what we need to bring back to the front?" he asks the group."Indeed Oros. And according to Neriom, we should have plenty of time before the enemy arrives to attack our allies." Lynx turns to Neriom. "You already have your orders from your higher ups. Correct, Neriom?" she asked, getting a nod in response "Statement confirmed. Beginning damage assessment." she said as the servo skull begins to scan in the vehicle from all its sides while Neriom looks over the tank in places the skull can't get to. Lynx looks to the rest of the group "Alright spread out and protect the Enginseer while they work. Lance, Stryker, clean out the Macharius and remove the bodies." With a salute the too walked to the large tank before climbing it and opening its commander's hatch. The two set to work lifting out a headless corpse before Lance crawls into it as Stryker tosses the body off the back.
Lynx crouches behind a set of barricades and observes the main street. After a bit of time, Neriom is finished with their scans. "Caption Commissar Lynx, internal and external scans indicate that the machine spirit has suffered heavy damages to its cogitators, right treads and prometheum tank two and four making it hard to repair due to lack of resources. However, while it has been heavily damaged by heretical forces, its power supply and weapons are still somewhat operational." Neriom states as she stands behind the barricades with her.
"What about its ammo?" she asks.
"Ammo reserves are at 65% stocked. The machine spirit is operational however for the time being, its is immovable."
"I see, how long until you can fix it and how long until the enemy reaches us?"
Neriom pauses for a bit before speaking again. "These 'fixes' to the cogitators will be ten to fifteen minutes, however, treads and prometheum tanks will take considerably more time, estimated around an hour or two. Reason: Prometheum tanks two and four are broken. While the right trend has been split in half. Estimated time for enemy arrival is around four and a half hours." Lynx rubs her chin side eyeing Neriom before nodding to them. "Hurry. I wish to be out of here before the enemy shows up." Wth a nod of agreement Neriom starts its walk back to the Macharius.
"One lasting thing," Neriom stops and turns to wait for what Lynx wants "While I may not have the authority to order you like the rest of my team, I ask that you use your servo skull to scout ahead of us. It's too quiet out here and I wish to ensure that we are well prepared for the hertics if they show up." Neriom pauses in place for a second "Request:... accepted. However, you are too cautious Commissar. Though it is somewhat reasonable." she says as the skull floats to Neriom as they pluck it out of the air. "Begin aerial scans for hostile combatants." they toss it back into the air as they march to the tank. "Ok while that's happening. K!" Lynx barks causing the person in the tan gas mask and blue trench coat to shoot up at attention. "Go search the bodies that Stryker and Lance pulled out of the Macharius for anything useful." they nods, saying in a low, male, monotone voice muffled by the gas mask "Yes ma'am." before quickly jogging to the pile of corpses of the Macharius previous occupants. Lynx then directs her attraction to Dekker and Nils "Dekker and Nils, carefully search the tanks around us for ammo and supplies. Just because our allies are with the emperor does not mean we can let the enemy have their resources" the two gave a salute to her before saying in unison "yes ma'am" before rushing to the closed tank. Lance's head pops out of the Machariuses commander's hatch as Stryker tosses the last body off the back of the tank. "Done, Lynx. What next?" he says, getting her attention. "You two help the Enginseer as much as you can. If they tell you to lift something then lift it." she states to them. Lance and Stryker look at each other before surging and saying "Ok" as they hop off the side of the tank. "And what of me Commissar?" Oros inquires."You and I will keep watch as they work. If anything happens, I expect you to let us know." He gives her a salute before heading to a well hidden position. As Oros leaves she walks in the other direction to find a good spot to look out from, finding an apartment building suitable for her intentions.
Lynx enters an apartment, locating a well covered spot that overlooks the road and the rest of her team. She stares out to the ruined streets and buildings across her. She takes note of her surroundings, looking for the slightest hint of a hostile presence. After sometime, her eyes fall back to her team. The "Bad Company" many have called them, while others have called them "Eager Losers" behind their backs. These Names given to them by their peers while the ladder was given to them by their higher ups. Their officers, often giving them high risk, high reward missions, expected them to die one way or another only to come out back on top. Slowly, over time, building a "disposable" team who can do things the regular guardsman shiver at the thought of. Holding back a green skin horde while allowing their allies to retreat, sapping an enemy power supply without allied support, and sneaking into an enemy base to blow up their ammo dump are all just a normal day to her. But no matter, what they come back in "some" pieces, even if those pieces are new to the squad. Lynx can't help but to let out a small chuckle at the audacity of it all. Her being a Commissar sent to a suicide squad made up of an Armageddon explosives expert, a pair of twins form Cadia, a Krieg self taught field doctor, and a pair of Catachan who she managed to gain the favor of, only recently being given a Enginseer for the current mission. Despite the pain getting to where she is now, (literally) she didn't think she wouldn't want to fight and most likely die next to any other group. Finishing her thoughts, Lynx turns back to the street and watches it, looking to the spots most would use to sneak up on her and her team before an ambush.
Lynx stares down the street as her team works on the Macharius, occasionally looking back to the team to make sure they're doing what they need to. she then looks back to the plaza to see Lance, Stryker, and Dekker standing around the Neriom and their servo skull. Lynx stands up and heads back to her team, mentally preparing herself for their explanation as to why they aren't working. As she leaves the apartment building, Dekker is the first to notice her. As soon as he does he jogs over to her. "Lynx, we got a problem on the way." he says in a worried tone in his voice as he walks beside her. "Oh? And what would that be?" she inquires, reaching the group. Neriom is the first to speak "The heretic force is ahead of the predicted schedule. New estimated time is one hour and fifteen minutes." Lynx immediately looks to Neriom. "How do you know this?" She inquires. Neriom lifts the servo skull into the air before speaking. "The servo skull has detected enemy movement on the road ahead."
Lynx goes wide eyed in stoic anger at this statement. "Who" is the first question that runs through her mind as she digests those sentences. Who was it that thought it was funny to give them this mission without proper information before sending them out. Lynx sighs to herself as she pinches the brim of her nose. "I'm gonna kill the idiot responsible for this." she says just above a whisper as finishes processing. She looks back up, her face a mix of annoyance, anger, and contemplation."Ok, Ok, if that's the case then what's the progress of the Macharius?" she asks Neriom. "Both cogitators, Prometheum tank two are completed. While Prometheum tanks four and the right trend are unusable. At this point the Macharius can be used, but cannot be moved." She thinks for a moment about the current situation. At this point there are a few things that they can do. Running for it will mean execution, waiting for the heretics to pass will mean the front will be left without support and they may even repair and use it against the rest of the guard. However, if they use it now.…
She turns to the Enginseer with determination "What are we facing up against?"
"Based off of the reconnaissance of the servo skull, we are against a large majority of Minoris level heretics that are being supported by Majoris level troops transported by Rhino armored transports." That's predictable. The hereticl force usually liked using their cultists or lesser beings as cannon fodder so that their real troops were able to get to where they needed to be. However there were usually more questions to it than that. What is there more of; the cultists or the lesser beings? Or are there more than just the troops to worry about? "While there are no Extremis class threats it found, there is only one Terminus level enemy that I have yet to identify. Either way I calculate a minor chance of survival." While almost impossible, they had seen worse odds and survived. As well as a considerable amount of scarring to show for it. But the Terminus level threat would need to be addressed first before combat started. "Can you describe it?" Lynx asks.
"Not easily. The monstrosity was large, bipedal, and had these tentacles attached to it." Well that narrows down the candidates. All equality lethal in their own right, however somewhat manageable if the right steps taken. But that's if you have an army of loyal guardsmen. And even then that may prove difficult to achieve. She thinks for a moment as she searches her mind for answers as to how they can even the odds. If they focus specific weapons on specific enemies then they could get the most out of the so-called "moving pill box" and maybe use its main cannons for the problematic heretics that arrive.
"Dekker. Go get your sister and find Oros." Lynx declares to Dekker as he gives her the imperial salute. "Wait, we are actually doing this right?" Lynx turns her attention to the objecting voice. "We are actually fighting a forty to one battle?" said a voice of concern coming from Stryker. "We have to. If we don't then our lines will be hit hard and they will not have the armored support needed." She then walks to Stryker and stands directly in front of her. "As I see it. The best thing to do is to hold the line and grind down the heretics so that when they hit our lines, they will be fighting them at a more even level. We have sworn an oath to defend humanity at all costs. Even if it means our lives. I myself intend to fight and die to see that oath through, so that when I meet the emperor he will be proud to call me a daughter of his." Stryker has always been somewhat hard to control, even with her trust. However, it was her lack of control that made her useful. Where most commissars would just at most shoot her where she stood, Lynx found it more useful for her to incorporate her creativity into the plan. "If you wish to add something to this then please feel free to speak." Stryker puts a finger to her chin before snapping her fingers. She then points to a building looking as though it's on its last legs. "What if we found a building like that one and used the melta bombs to bring it down on top of the enemy? If we get 'em at the right time then we can even the playing field for us." Lynx smiles at the suggestion and gives her a nod. "Approved, but I expect you to set up more traps then that." In response to this Stryker grows an evil smile. "Oh I intend to." She states as Dekker brings back Nils and Oros, bringing Lynx to give them her attention. "Oros, go with Stryker and use the melta bombs to bring down a building barely still standing somewhere close to the road in front of us" she asks. Oros rubs the back of his helmet, responding with "Oooh. That's gonna be tough to do with just meltas." Lynx smiles before inquiring "Nils, Dekker did you find any explosives?" Dekker and Nils look at each other and shrug. "I mean yeah, we found some explosives but mainly tank shells" they state when Oros points to them and say "That can work if they are placed in the right spots." Lynx then turns back to Neriom. "I request the use of your servo skull to find these weak points for maximum effect." As if on command the servo skull approaches the white and red robedEnginseer "Request: Approved. Making adjustments to the skull now." she answers as her hand flashes across the skull before holding it up to the air and finishing with "Objective: Assist flesh temples in bringing down chosen building by scanning for its strategic weak points." The skull then floats into the air and joins Oros and Stryker. "You have your order." Lynx states, giving the two a salute before they turn to walk away. She continues "Ok. Neriom, I request for you to give us a rundown on how to use the Macharius." Neriom pauses for a few seconds "Request:... Accepted. However, based on time we will only cover the machine spirit's offensive capabilities." Lynx nods in agreement. "So long as we know the bare minimum to operate its weapons. When Stryker and Oros come back I wish for them to get the same thing." Neriom bows its head in agreement. "Then by the rite given to me by the Omnissiah and through lessons passed down from the forge world Metalica. Let's begin." she says as it clambers up the side of the Macharius Vanquisher soon being followed by the rest of the present Bad Compay team after Lynx collects K.
Time seemed to fly as the whole group worked to get familiar with the Macharius Vanquisher. The first thing that was done was the distribution of roles, who would do what may not seem like much. But to Neriom and Lynx, it was vital to success that the right person with the right skills were to be in the best role possible when the killing started. Dekker and Nils were to be the gunners for the side sponsons, while Oros was made the gunner of the twin heavy machine guns on the front. Lance was ordered to fire the twin battle cannons while Stryker was ordered to be the loader while also keeping communications going as the battle raged around them. As for Neriom, K, and Lynx, Neriom was made to be the second loader for Lance and help identify priority targets while K was responsible for keeping everyone alive as best as possible. But for Lynx, she was to be the commander of the "lord of war" and while also being a spotter for Stryker's shots.
The second thing that was to happen was to ensure how said person was to perform the roles given to them. Neriom needed to teach them how to use some of the machines that they were assigned to, some more so than others. Dekker and Nils figured it was pretty easy to use the sponsons mainly because Dekker gave Nils his gun to her a few times and showed her how to use it. Stryker also found her role easy to do, after all she was the group's communications operator so she already knew how to use some of the Macharius's equipment. It was also easy for her to learn how to be a loader as well, mainly because it was (to her) just moving the cannon's ammo from one place to another. Meanwhile Oros had never used a gun like the one he was assigned to him, so when he was given last minute hands on training it was hard for him to keep up. Roughly something similar happened to Lance, he had never seen a Macharius Vanquisher before let alone used one. But when he was assigned to the gunner for its main guns, he was more than eager to learn how to fire it.
Now that they were as ready as they could be. They needed to give one last look over the ammunition and make sure it was where it needed to be. Thanks to Dekker and Nils, they were able to salvage some ammo from the other tanks. Key word being "some" because most of it was for weapons they didn't have or had plenty of. The tank shells were put into the Macharius's ammo compartment while the rest was given to Oros and Stryker for them to add on to the trap they set. There wasn't much ammo to find for the twin heavy machine gun, but there was some for the sponsons. However K did find some of the previous occupants' equipment while he was searching their corpses. The most useful of these items were the previous tank commander's Magnoculars (A handheld twin telescope) and the crew's comm-beads (small sets of headphones with microphones attached to them that were linked to the Macharius's vox caster). There were enough of these headphones for the whole group, allowing them to talk to each other while under enemy fire.
Finally with the time they had left, the group spent it in different ways. Stryker and Lance quickly placed traps in the nearby buildings and alleyways. In that time, the two had time to set up a few toe-poppers, bow traps, and with Oros's help some pressure activated I.E.D.s. Neriom spent the time praying to the Omnissiah, while Dekker and Nils were listening to K pray to the emperor for salvation. Lynx on the other hand was glaring at the street ahead of them. Her eyes pleaded for the slightest sight of their traitorous enemies. Even as Stryker, Lance, and Oros returned to the Macharius, she was frozen in place and ever vigilant.
"Ok traps in place and mines ready to blow" Stryker announces as she and Lance climb into their positions. "The melta bombs are also gonna do good for us. Especially with the added firepower." Oros states closing the hatch behind him before locking it. "Agreed flesh temple. With the adequate equipment in place, the explosives should bring down the building and prevent the enemy transport from passing." Neriom says, making a last minute equipment check. "Weapons check" Lynx orders the group to put on their headphones. Lance speaks the first to speak through the vox. "Cannons ready to kill." he states before Oros goes next. "Heavy stubbers ready." he adds through his mask into his headset. K watches Nils give him a thumbs up before relaying it to Dekker as he reports to Lynx through his headset "Bolters one and two ready and waiting." Lynx speaks into the head set, eyes still glued to the street ahead again "Good, because the heretics are here at twelve o'clock sharp.' her eyes sending daggers to the now approaching mass of heretics and traitors marching closer and closer directly to them. Average men and women walking carefree down the street, brandishing the eight pointed star of chaos tattooed across their bodies carrying a mix of assault rifles and lasguns. The very sight disgusted her, they willingly betrayed the god emperor light to gain some small insignificant power form a dark god who will only laugh at them in the end.
"Orders, ma'am." Oros reports into his headset. Lynx's eyes set on the band of cowards in front of her replies with "Hold fire, let them get nice and close before punishing them." She watches the filth get closer to them. "Stryker, load in high explosives." Stryker and Neriom dose as they are ordered and put in the heavy shell before Lance closes its breach. "Oh, this is gonna be good…" he said with an evil smile. "Hold it, they are not close yet." Lynx announces, watching the band of traitors pass by a few buildings as they move ever so closer to them. The traitors move closer allowing her to see the blue and gold scraps of clothing they wear. "200 meters out." Oros says, aiming down his sights of his heavy machine guns. "Hold." she quietly barks into the headset as she sees the cultists now starting to enter the range of Macharius's main cannons. The group watches as the band of heretics close in onto their position, eagerly waiting to show them the error of their ways. Oros speaks again "100 meters out." readying his trigger finger for the order. "A little closer." she says as her face stays stoic at site enemies now entering the plaza. Soon Oros speaks again "50 meters, ma'am." as now everyone in the Macharius is on edge.
"FIRE!"
A loud boom erupts from the main guns, as in a blink of an eye the rounds blow two Crimson red lines down the first two columns of traitors and heretics. They explode in the third row, sending blood and viscera flying in all directions. The heretics are still processing what happened as Oros begins unloading his heavy stubbers into the still reeling cultists. A few cultists try running for cover only to be hit with a bolt round, blowing them into red chunks. "Cadia stands!" Nils screams as her bolter blows three heretics into pieces. "This is our last stand! Load another high explosive, Lance!" Lynx says as Stryker and Neriom take out the two spent shells. Lance helps Stryker load the next two rounds into the cannons as he yells "H.E. coming up!" The cultists, now realizing the situation, began to fire onto the Macharius, only for their shots to bounce off the tank harmlessly. Dekker, Nils, and Oros respond with their own gun fire with a few shots hitting their marks. "Cannon ready!" Stryker yells through the vox as bullets ping off the tank's heavy armor. Lynx's eyes spot a new target before announcing "Two o'clock, second floor!" As ordered the Lance turns the tanks turret to the chosen target. He smiles at the sight of multiple muzzle flashes of enemies' gunfire before firing it. The cannons rock the tank back a bit before the second floor of the building flashes with light. Sending bits of debris and dust through the shattered windows. Lance laughs maniacally at the destruction caused by the cannon's explosion. "Good kill, you three" Lynx states as Stryker and Lance high-five each other in excitement as a new force arrives.
Tzaangors, blue bird-faced beast men, many carrying swords, blue shields, and auto pistols, charge around the corner from where the cultists came from. They stop to see the Macharius giving hellfire to the cultists as one lifts a large war horn into the air before they blow into it, signaling their attack. They charge down the blood soaked streets, completely ignoring the bodies of the fallen cultists. "Twelve o'clock sharp!" Oros yells seeing the charging beast men. He moves his heavy stubber to target the mass of charging monsters and begins to fire on them. A few of the shots hit the mass of Tzaangors before they raise their shields to deflect the bullets, still gaining ground. "Lance, new target! Twelve o'clock sharp!" Lynx shouts through the vox as Lance replies with a quick "On it!" He turns the tanks turret to the street as the still moving cultists see the opportunity and attempt to move closer. They are shocked to discover that traps have been laid out as a cultist has half of their foot blown off by a toe-popper, Causing Dekker to see their action and put them down with his bolter. Just as Stryker and Neriom shoves in the new H.E. rounds into the cannons Lance shouts "Ready!" Lynx shouts into the headset in response "Hit 'em!" soon followed by a loud bang coming from the twin cannons. The two rounds hit the wall of shields belonging to the Tzaangors, shredding it and those behind them. Leaving behind a pink mist and a large hole in the wall of infernal shields; a hole that was immediately exploited by Oros unleashing a hail storm of bullets from his stubbers. With the shield wall broken, they attempt to rush on only to be cut down as another group of Tzaangors and cultists turn the corner. "Traitors at eleven o'clock!" Dekker says seeing the cultists blow herself up on a landmine. "And a horde at twelve o'clock." Oros adds as he continues to hose down the first group of Tzaangors with bullets. Lynx turns to the right to see a building filled with heretics firing at them, waiting for the right moment to charge them. Lynx bites her bottom lips in frustration before making a decision. "Lance, fires at eleven o'clock! Oros, hold the line!" she declares. Lance affirms her order with an "On it!" as he turns the turret to his new target. Nils continues to fire her bolter as a few cultists sprint to the barricades while other cowards either get blown apart by the traps or support their advance. "I'm gonna need help here soon!" she adds as they close in on her. Her voice barely audible over the bangs of bullets hitting the tanks armor. Lynx responded through the vox "Hold the line, damn it!" Lance's tank turret finishes moving, now aiming directly at the building full of scum. "Cannon ready!" reports Lance and not a moment sooner as Lynx orders "Fire!" Another deafening boom goes out as the explosion shakes the targeted building, causing its front to fall apart into itself. burying the cultists under the rubble.
Seeing their moment, Nils cultists rush to the Macharius, disregarding the bolt rounds heading for them. She puts down two before one is able to reach them. She can hear the Chaos scum trying to open her sponion door only to fail. Instead he resorts to climbing the tank to get into the turret. "Traitor is climbing up!" Nils announces soon followed by Lynx responding with "I got them." The cultist continues to climb the turret and gets on top of it. With a pistol in one hand, he grabs the commander's hatch with the other and pulls it open. His reward is a bolt flying through his face as Lynx pops out and shoots the cultists Nils can't reach. After killing three traitors using a destroyed tank as cover, she turns her attention to the survivors of Lance's shot; only to find that Dekker has beaten her to it, so instead she turns her bolt pistol onto the horde of Tzaangors. She does so just in time to catch a Tzaangors leaping to kill her and puts another bolt round into its skull. Its body falls on top of her, harmlessly covering her with its lifeless corpse. She pushes it to the side as she looks back and continues to assist Dekker and Nils on their flanks.
"Majoris level Traitors identified. Twelve o'clock." Neriom reports. Lynx's head snaps at her report just in time to see blue and gold power armor beings rush out to join the advance of the Tzaangors. "Armor piercing rounds. Now!" she yells through the vox as she ducks back into the Macharius while the traitorus marines fire their bolt guns at her. Oros begins to open fire on the horde of Tzaangors and traitor marines just before his view port is shot, preventing him from seeing. "Blast it! Neriom, my view port's shot!" he requests through the vox, getting a "Request: Accepted, on the way." she continues by barking out "K! take my spot as a loader!" The two quickly pass each other on their way to new positions. "Lance! Fire at will!" Lynx barks out as the turret finishes, turning to face the horde of scum. "Firing H.E.!" he says just before another loud bang erupts from the twin cannons. It slams into the horde of scum shredding the Tzaangors and a few marines. However a large majority of marines simply teleport away from the explosion and continue to walk closer to the Macharius. "Armor piercing rounds, now!" Lynx commands as the marines' bolt rounds hit armor surrounding her position. "Reminder: melta bomb trap is available for use." suggests Neriom through the vox as he works on Oros's view port. "I thank you for the suggestion Neriom. But I want the Terminus threat to show up before detonating the bombs." declares Lynx. "Will we live to do so? They are getting pretty close to us." Dekker adds as he focuses his shots at some of the Tzaangors that survived the explosion. "They just ne-" her words are cut off as a bolt round punches through the tank's armor and explodes next to her. The explosion sends shrapnel and sparks all across her uniform, only to bounce harmlessly off her as the metal plate around her neck glows an electric blue.
Within seconds, K is below her position ready to help. "Ma'am?" he asks, looking up at her past Lance and Stryker. "I'm fine. The Refractor field got it." she states bring herself back together. She looks back to the road seeing the traitor marines supporting the cultists and Tzaangors as they make another charge against them. She takes a few seconds to make a decision to spring the trap or not. Lynx curses under her breath before pulling her microphone closer to her mouth. "Stryker, look through the port and tells me if they are within the building's kill zone!" She orders to reserve an "Ok, hold on!" from Stryker. "Cannon ready!" Lance states over the enemy fire hitting the tanks armor. "Hold it!" Lynx replies before Stryker responds "Almost there, Lynx! They need to be a little closer!" Immediately after her report Lynx yells out "Lance, fire!" to get another boom from the twin cannon. The rounds fly through the air as they slam into a few traitor marines, disintegrating their bodies as armor and multicolored dust scatters across the ground. However the most of them again teleport closer to the Macharius, and right within the building kill zone. "Oros! blow it now!" Stryker shouts out. Oros reaches into one of his pockets to find the detonator before he bellows "Fire in the hole!" as he activates it.
A loud deafening explosion erupts from one of the towering buildings. Flooding the street with dust and debris as the building starts to topple onto it. The marines are the first to notice what has happened and attempt to teleport away as it falls on to the mass of the cultists and Tzaangors. A few are successful as they teleport away from the falling building as it crushes the other marines and the horde, causing more dust and debris to be kicked up into the air. Cheers erupt over the vox caster as the group watches as the building settles into its now resting place. Lynx herself smiles with satisfaction knowing that the traitor marines rightfully got what they deserve. "Don't celebrate just yet. We still got hostiles" she said as the cultists stare at the now resting building while a few Tzaangors are unfazed by the destruction behind them. Nils and Dekker continue to fire at their enemies while Stryker finishes loading in the new rounds. "High explosive ready." K lifelessly states as Lynx spots their new target and gives the order "Three o'clock!" On command the turret moves to its new victim as cultists inside stop and attempt to flee the building they targeted, only to be cut short as the high explosive rounds smash through the front and blow the buildings face off. "Target hit!" Lynx reports the building begins to collapse in on itself. Meanwhile Oros moves out back into the palace as Neriom finishes restoring his view port. "Heavy stubber back online!" Oros reports through the vox. Not a moment too soon he sees his new targets and opens fire on them. The result is a small pack of Tzaangors and cultists getting butchered by the stubbers bullets slamming into them. Nils quickly reloads her bolter and watches a group of cultists get cut down by the traps. Oros does the same as he watches three Tzaangors get turned into a red mist as one steps on a hidden I.E.D. "Keep up the fire! Their ranks are thinning!" Lynx notes as another bolt round slams through the tanks armor causing the refractor field to flare up.
Neriom's voice appears through the vox clear as day. "New Majoris level threats detected at twelve o'clock as well as a possible enemy leader among them." Lynx eyes snap to the noted direction to see a squad of traitor marines emerging from the cloud of dust. Among them is a marine with a blue mutated arm holding a golden staff and a long billowing crimson red cape on its back. As the marines march against the Macharius, blue portals rip open reality allowing Tzaangors and marines to enter the battle. Nils swiftly turns her bolter to the newly appeared enemies. "Chaos sorcerer spotted along with reinforcements!" she points out to the others while shooting. "Then kill that witch!" Dekker barks out. "Lance, you have your orders!" Lynx commands. Lance says nothing as he puts the Macharius's turret into motion. The sorcerer thrusts the staff into the air and waves it around in a circle. It creates a large blue and purple cloud of smoke to quickly appear above him before slashing the air with the staff, sending the smoke to surround their allies' bolters. Each shot from their bolters begins to cut through the Macharius's armor hull. "Hold fast and return fire!" Lynx orders over the sound of the marines' bolter rounds exploding near her. The group follows her orders to the best of their ability, sending back the most amount of gun fire they can muster back at them. Doing little more than to dent and scrape their armor. The Macharius's turret is now finally aimed at the marines. "Move, flesh temple." Neriom orders as she tugs on K's pant leg. He quickly shoves the new round into its chamber before swapping places with her. "Cannon two ready, flesh temple." Neriom launches as they settle back into their position. "Both cannons ready!" Lance shouts up to Lynx above the noise of bolter rounds smashing against the Macharius. "Fire-now!" The twin vanquisher cannons spit out two heavy sharpened projectiles from itself that rocket towards the traitorous scum. The shells fly into the horde of cultists and beast men, cutting through them before ramming into a few traitor marines. Disintegrating them into piles of power armor while others simply teleport to another location.
In retaliation the sorcerer simply thrusts his staff towards the Macharius before the sound of destruction echoes through the street, soon followed by a deafening roar. "Terminus level target spotted! Chaos spawn!" Oros screams into his headset soon being followed by Neriom "Statement confirmed at twelve o'clock." Lynx's eyes immediately dart in the direction just to see an incoherent monstrosity, unable to comprehend what she is seeing. Only being able to make out its razor sharp claws attached to its large four legs, dark purple stone-like skin that covers its massive body, a maw filled with dripping tentacles hungry for prey, and a large blue and pink swirling vortex that sits proudly on top of its back. The rest of the beast's body is heavily distorted by psychic winds that turn reality around it into a blur. "Th-that's not a chaos spawn" Lynx corrects, her voice barely being audible "tha-thats a-"
"VORTEX BEAST!" The twins shout in unison just before the beast roars into the air, announcing to all that it has chosen its prey. It begins lumbering down the corpse covered street soon being followed by a horde of heretics, Tzaangors, traitor marines, and the sorcerer. "I-I've" Lance stutters out at the sight of its hulking body that constantly shifts. "I've never seen such an abomination!" he finally roars out in anger, snapping Lynx from the shock of the beast's sight. "All guns, Bring it down now!" She commands as Neriom and Stryker load in the shells. "Ye-yes ma'am!" Oros says shakily as he fires at the enormous monster. "In his name!" shout Dekker and Nils as they pour bolter rounds into the thing's hide. Only doing little more than just annoying it. In response, the vortex on its back begins to glow brighter and brighter. Gathering the energy around the titanic beast, Lynx notices the vortex getting brighter, feeling something coming she barks out. "Lance!?" he shouts back at her "Cannon ready, Lynx!". Just when the vortex is at its brightest, she screams out "Fire!" He pulls the trigger on the twin cannons just as a multicolored beam rockets out from the monster's vortex. Both traded shots to each other, but Lance was faster. The twin shells slam into the vortex beast's body, knocking it back just as the beam is about to make contact with the Macharius just barely missing the tank as the beam cuts down the structures behind the super heavy tank. The beast lets loose a thunderous roar of anger at its failure to make easy food of the tank. "Good shot Lance, put an armor piercer through it!" Lynx reports much to the excitement of Lance and Stryker.
A loud bang and a sharp painful scream cuts into the vox before Nil's voice weakly speaks. "I'm hit!" She says, prompting K to rush over to her side. "K, what does she look like?" Lynx asks. A few seconds pass before a low lifeless voice comes on to the vox "She has shrapnel logged into her right leg and left shoulder. Left shoulder needs patching, while the right leg needs to be stitched."
"Can you patch her up?"
"On it ma'am. Applying tourniquet to leg before patching shoulder."
Lynx nods in acceptance "Ok, but we need her in the fight." K's voice appears again "Affirmative."
Not long after Dekker's voice comes on "I'm gonna need ammo soon!" Oros adds in "Same here, I'm starting to run low too!" Lynx bites her lip trying to think of what to do. Her thoughts land on Stryker. "Stryker, get the ammo for Oros and Dekker and gives it to them!" she responds with a quick "On it!" before she jumps out of her seat. "What about the cannon?" Lance protests as Lynx climbs down from her spot. "Start loading. I'll fire." she says, earning sighs in annoyance from Lance. She looks through the periscope to see the horde of filth surrounding the vortex beast, using it as a battering ram for the traitor marines while the cultists and beast men let the thing be their spearhead. Lance finishes what Stryker started, slamming in the last round before saying "Ready!" Without a word Lynx fires the cannons as she watches it fly through the air as smash against the beast. One round grazes against the abomination's hide, while the other hits its mouth. It tears off a few tentacles and creates a nice sized hole from its mouth to its back. She smiles with satisfaction at the shot, only for her smile to melt away as she watches its flesh mend itself together. "Again!" she barks, eyes still glued to it.
Stryker passes the extra bolt rounds to Dekker before running to Oros with his ammo. "Alright Oros. Here yo-" she stops mid sentence as she sees him. He is shaking as he continues to fire on the horde, not even noticing her presence as his eyes are stuck on the enemy. "O-Oros?" His head snaps to her revealing his wide and blood shot eyes, slowly bleeding down the edges of his mask. "Pass it over now!" he orders, extending a hand to her for his ammo. "Are you-" he interrupts her before she can finish her sentence. "Yes! Yes, I'm fine. Please." he says, pushing his hand to her again. Stryker hands him the ammunition "I'm getting more." He takes it and sits down next to him. "Hurry, please." Oros says when she turns back to get more.
K works quickly on Nils to the best of his ability. His hands are covered in her blood as he stops the bleeding from her leg and arm. As he finishes the patch on her arm, he stands back into place. "Don't move your arm so much." he says to her through his lifeless mask. "Thanks K" she says, turning back to the bolter to notice that the enemy is now pushing her side. "Ah shit! they're on our flanks!" she says gunning down a few traitors. "Damn it! Your right sis" Dekker says now noticing the cultists rallying for a charge. "Kill them!" Lynx says into her headset, still watching the vortex beast bash a cultist out of the way of its war path. "Loaded!" Lance says, locking the armor piercing rounds into the cannon's chambers. "Firing!" she spits out, launching the two rounds fly into the mountain of chaotic flesh. The rounds do little than cause it to pause from the sudden hit. "Another round!" she states as lance is already loading the next rounds. The beast roars again before picking up its speed in an attempt to crash into the Macharius. "All guns, bring it down!" Lynx barks seeing what it is attempting to do. "What about our flanks?" Dekker remarks only to get Lynx to announce "It's charging us! It needs to die NOW!" Just as ordered, all of the weapons on the Macharius swiftly move to the vortex beast and begin firing on it. Every bullet fired from the Macharius only encourages it to charge them. Its massive body gains more and more speed as it breaks into a full charge at the enemy. Lance slams in the last round and screams over the thunderous foot falls "Ready!" Without hesitation, she pulls the trigger and sends the armor piercing shells to the abomination. Just when it is at its fastest speed, the beast's clawed leg slams down onto the ground just to receive a painful explosion from an undetonated I.E.D. Mine. The I.E.D. knocks the beast off balance, forcing it to slam down to the ground as the Macharius's shells reach it. The first shell skids off its thick hide, cutting off small ribbons of flesh before landing into a few traitor marines. However the second shell pierces through its mouth and is rammed into the swirling vortex on its back, hitting square in its center. This causes the vortex to erupt into a flare of multicolored light that only gets brighter and brighter as the psychic winds around it turn violent. The vortex rears back in pain while disembodied voices cry out in pain and anger before the vortex dissipates into nothingness just as fast as it had grown.
The beast slumps down, finally resting beyond the plaza's edge. The heretics undeterred continue their attack, simply charging past the corpse and to the super heavy tank. "Beast down!" Lynx reports allowing Nils and Dekker to continue to hold their flanks. Lynx then notices that the heavy stubbers have stopped firing. She holds her headset close before speaking "Oros, why have you stopped?"
"…"
"Oros come in, why have you ceased fire?"
"…"
Receiving no response she barks into the vox "K, check Oros!" he responds in less then a second with an "Affirmative." He climbs through the tank to find his allies curled up on the floor. His eyes wide as dinner plates, completely bloodshot, and dripping blood down his mask and uniform, desperately clutching his helmet. K kneels down to grab Armageddon before looking him over. He waves his hands in front of his face and only reserves words muttered through the soldier's mask. K then reaches his headset to report his findings to Lynx. "Ma'am, Oros' mind is broken. There may be hope for him, but not now."
Lynx's mind races to figure out how to replace him for the time being until she can test him herself. But then out of the corner of her eyes, she sees the deceased vortex beast move. Her eyes widen as she sees the monstrosity rise and roar in its new found freedom, violently sending psychic winds that distort reality all around it. She then watches as the abomination begins to devour all those around it. The sorcerer is the first to react immediately, raising its golden staff before thrusting it at the raging beast, wordlessly ordering his cohort to target the paradoxical monstrosity while the sorcerer begins to cast another accursed spell. The traitor marines hear their leaders' wordless call and turn their bolters to it. The beast men joined their attempt to defeat it, while some cultists ran in fear of it. Others took their chances against the Macharius than the raging mountain of muscle. But to the vortex beast? cultists, beast men, and traitor marines alike are devoured equally, regardless of the pain given by those around it.
Lynx's mind comes up with a solution to her current problem while watching the monstrosity slash five cultists in half with a single swipe of its enormous claws. "Stryker, get on the heavy stubbers and fire on the heretics. K, run ammo to the others." Stryker grabs ammo for the heavy stubber before responding to the order with "On it, Lynx!" just as K does the same. The two pass each other as Striker moves to the heavy stubbers. She only gives a passing glance to the Armageddon soldier clutching his helmet. She gets into place as she looks down the weapons periscope. Her eyes land on the vortex beast slashing a traitor marine across the living armors chest, causing multi colored dust to pour out of its wound. "By the Emperor, what is that thing?" she asks just to get Lynx to shout at her "Just kill the horde charging us!" Her answer does not satisfy Stryker, so she rephrases her question. "But what about the beast?" A synthetic voice of Neriom answers her in Lynx's stead. "The abomination is currently causing destruction to the enemy lines. To attack it now will attract its attention to us with every shot. Alternatively, if we allow the beast to continue then we may have a better chance at survival."
With her original question answered, she fires the twin stubbers into cultists and beast men attempting to charge them. Each bullet rips them apart with each shot, turning them into piles of rotting flesh. "Keep the enemies focused on the beast. Not on us." Lynx orders as she watches the abomination bash a Tzaangor hard enough to send it flying into the super heavy tank. Its body crashes into the tank's armor and falls off it lifelessly, much to the disgust of Neriom. "This machine spirit is undeserving of the mutant's touch." she said hearing its corpse bounce off the tank. "This tank has driven over worse things. A little mutant blood won't do much." Nils states as she blasts a Tzaangor into pieces with her bolter. "Keep up the fire!" Lynx orders out to the rest of the group.
After the beast shreds the majority of their cannon fodder, it soon begins to focus on the marines. The vortex beast is able to crush a traitor marine and attempts to devour another before the sorcerer raises its staff into the air, wordlessly ordering their marines to withdraw from the area. In turn, the marines slowly begin to pull back while the cultists and Tzaangors deal with the raging monstrosity. Stryker is the first to notice the marines leaving. "The enemy is pulling back!" she announces over the vox. "Their support is pulling back." Lynx clarifies. "Still better than nothing." Dekker adds, turning a beast man into a red smear on the floor with his bolt gun. "You will need to focus on the beast soon, flesh temples." Neriom states. Lynx stares through the turrets periscope at the vortex beast considering their options. The abomination may be hard for her to comprehend, but that doesn't mean she can't tell it's hurt. After all, slaughtering a mountain's worth of lesser beings and killing off half a dozen traitorous suits of power armor is nothing anything or anyone can just walk away from. The beast is clearly hurt, sporting multiple cuts and bolter wounds from its battle against its former masters. In fact, it seems that the beast's regenerative capabilities have been slowing down, simply unable to handle the amount of wounds it has received in the fight against them., but other than that, the vortex beast shows no signs of slowing down in its rage fueled killing spree. But soon it will be their turn once again when it enslavers have either died or have fled in cowardice.
"Lance, load in armor piercing." Lynx requests while watching the beast. "Already loaded." Neriom responds with Lance confirming the same. Lynx then commands "Dekker, Nils, load your guns, stryker pick off the enemies that continue to charge us. K, give them extra ammo." Within seconds K wordlessly flies around the Macharius delivering ammunition to his allies all of whom are currently following their orders. Stryker is the last to be given ammunition, only receiving a single ammo box. "Is this it?" she voices to K just before he leaves. He turns back and states "Unfortunately yes." Stryker grits her teeth before spitting out "Emperor damn it." She turns back to the periscope before hearing K suggest "I advise you to make every shot count."
Lynx watches the beast turn a group of cultists into piles of gore with a single swipe of its massive claws as Dekker and Nils speak through the vox. "Bolters loaded ma'am." They report. "Good, because it's coming right for us." Lynx announces while staring down the monstrosity devouring its final victim before turning to Macharius. The beast, not satisfied with its previous killing spree, roars once again before charging them with what strength it had left. "All weapons target the vortex beast!" Lynx commands as it stomps over a corpse filled street. All of the weapons on the super heavy tank fire on the wounded beast, all of them hitting the thing dead on. However only the bolters do real damage against the thing. But then the twin cannons fire, sending the cannons lethal payload to it. The rounds hit the thing dead on with one round digging into its flesh, while the other cuts off more of its hide. It staggers back but is undeterred against the hail storm of spent ammunition. "Stryker, hit those weak points." Lynx orders, seeing the abomination get two large wounds on its person. Stryker doesn't respond to her, instead she refocuses her fire on to the vortex beasts large wounds. The beast takes the punishment in strife as it continues its charge. "It's not slowing down, Lynx!" Nils shouts over the sound of the bolters' gun fire, her fear getting greater and greater with each step closer. "Take heart Nils, there will be glory in its death!" Lynx shouts watching the beast get closer and closer "Now bring. It. Down!"
The sound of the infernal beast's enormous claws crashing down against the road echoes through the street as the beast enters the hundred meters mark. The vortex beast now sports more bullet wounds and large patches of exposed muscle than before its charge. The psychic winds whirl around the beast gets more violent with each new wound it takes on. But it still refuses to pause or even flinch at the punishment it receives from the Macharius. The best wound they give it is when Lance and Lynx fire the twin cannons into the abomination again. The resulting damage from the shot was one of its hind legs being torn off of its body. But it still continues its pursuit against them as it drags and limps the rest of its massive body. Meanwhile, the threat of this seemingly unkillable beast starts to set into the weaker minded members of the Macharius. "It's almost here, Lynx!" Nils shouts through gritted teeth, her finger pinning the bolters trigger to its guard. "The infernal abomination is about to enter the plaza, flesh temples." Neriom states as Lance reaches for another round, only to find that they have run out of the needed ammo type. "We're out of armor piercing!" he announces through the vox. "Then load the high explosive!" Lynx barks back watching the raging beast enter the plaza. Lance follows her orders grabbing the closest high explosive round and slams them in place.
The abomination bashes destroyed transports and debris out of its way in an effort to get closer to its defiant prey. The tentacles lashing out and grabbing the dead before throwing them into its maw. Stryker holds down the trigger to her stubber until it stops firing and emits a clicking noise. She reacts on instinct, her hand shoots out for an ammo box that does not exist. When she realizes this she punches the gun repeatedly while screaming "Emperor damn it!" at the top of her lungs. "Stryker, what happened?" Lynx asks over the vox. "I'm out of fragging ammo!" she responds while taking out her fear on the stubber. "And you punish the machine spirit for a thing that's beyond its control, flesh temple!?" Neriom roars in anger over the vox caster. "Stryker, load the cannons again, now!" Lynx barks, ignoring Neriom's furious question. Stryker dashes around the Macharius and finishes what Lance started as he moves back to the gunner's seat. Meanwhile, Lynx pops out of the commander's hatch, chainsword and bolt pistol in hand. She raises her gun and fires it at the beast as she speaks under her breath in spite "Face me, infernal filth." The beast musters what's left of its strength to gain speed with its maw of tentacles lashing out for Lynx in anticipation of its soon to be feast. Yet Lynx remains undeterred in her bombardment of her bolt pistol fire against the monstrosity, along with the fire from Nils and Dekker.
The beast crashes through the barricades clearing them out of its way while still it drags its body. The psychic winds whirl around the plaza as the monster takes more and more wounds. Lynx pulls her flat cap further down her head to ensure it won't fly off her head thanks to the psychic winds. She can feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in fear of the beast, but she refuses to give into her instinct to panic or flee. "The thing ain't dying, Lynx!" Dekker reports through the vox before Nils adds in "What do we do?" Lynx orders back "Keep shooting! The beast has to be on its last wounds!" Both Dekker and Nils can feel the fear of the beast creeping. But they decided to focus on the order their leader had given them. "It's getting closer!" Lance says in a worried tone, feeling the same fear crawl through him too. "Keep it together Lance! You have fought and killed worse than this abomination!" Lynx shouts out over the howling psychic winds and the bark of her bolt pistol. He can feel his breath quicken as his mind drifts to the thought of his grizzly end at the hands of the vortex beast. A thought unknowingly shared with Oros, Dekker, Nils, and Stryker. The only difference between them and the rest of the team is that Lynx, K, and Neriom are able to control themselves better under pressure. Lynx and K are able to do so thanks to their training, while Neriom's ability to feel fear has been hampered by their artificial body. However their ability to control themselves is truly being put to the test. And it only gets harder and harder with each wounded step the beast takes.
"Hold the line, team!" Lynx orders, reloading her bolt pistol after flicking away the empty magazine. The vortex beast is only meters away when Stryker cries out "Ready!" after pushing the last high explosive round into the cannons barrel. "Fire on my mark!" Lynx commands over the vox caster. The beast drags its body only a few meters away from the Macharius before Lynx thrusts out her chainsword and screams out "Fire!" Only to receive silence as a response to her order. The fearing defeat looming over her, she ducks down into the turret to see Lance passed out, Stryker clutching herself in fear. Refusing to waste anymore time or lives, she violently shoves both of them out of their positions and down to the rest of the tank. "Ma'am?" K asks but gets no response from the commissar as she quickly settles back into the gunner's seat. Just in time, the beast's claws crash down onto the Macharius, bending the metal armored tracks to heave it's massive form onto the tank. She sees the abominations exposed waist through the periscope just as the beast lifts one of its enormously muscled claws into the air to strike down turrets main guns at its source. It is just before its claws meet the Macharius's turret when Lynx says in solace "For the Emperor." and fires the cannons.
The two high explosive rounds smash into the beast's waist. Completely shearing off its hips and leg, spilling its lower intestines across the front of the tank. As the damage is done the psychic winds soon turn into a violent wind storm before the rest of its body slams down onto the Macharius before sliding off the front. The dying beast's claws at the armor trying to prevent its fate, instead raking large claw marks down its top and sides. It hits the street, causing the vortex beast to roar in pain as it writhes in agony on the ground. The psychic winds surround it, gaining more and more speed as its still moving body begins to lash out against its surroundings. It claws swiping for everything and yet nothing at the same time. Soon its body grows larger and larger with each passing second. "What is the abomination doing?" Neriom asks through the vox clear as day over the howling psychic winds outside. "I don-" is all that Lynx can say before the beast soundlessly explodes. The explosion steals all the sounds around it as it sends chunks of flesh and viscera in all directions. The bloody chunks of the beast stop midair before being sucked back into the heart of the explosion just as fast as the body erupts. For a split second Lynx sees a small incomprehensible pink and light blue vortex that replaces the monster's lifeless corpse, just before a larger more violent explosion shoots out from the vortex. This new explosion lets loose a deafening boom as blindingly bright, blue light grows in all directions. The blue light quickly turns everything that touches it into ash before disappearing into the miniature supernova. Lynx is helpless to do or even say anything as she watches the light blue explosion devour the street surrounding the small vortex, then the armored front of the Macharius, and then finally her periscope before engulfing her body completely.
Lynxes' sight is filled with an incomprehensible madness. She can feel everything and yet nothing at the same time, she can smell the rot of decay while smelling the alluring scent of high quality perfumes. She can hear the laughter and screams of many as well as the deafening silence of no one. What she can tell is that she is drifting in nothingness. Her consciousness tries to do… well anything but she can't. Instead she can only stare into the vast incomprehensible void that fills her vision.
Soon her ears are filled with the sound of rambling mad men and women alike before it becomes deafening. Some speak gibberish in coherent nonsense while the louder voices promise her many things. The voices become louder and louder before being deafening as she can feel their appendages grab onto her commissar uniform. Lynx's thoughts are crowded with the voices, barely allowing her to speak in her own mind "Please save me, my Em-" The voices rear directly into her ears in rage at her thoughts. They begin to push and pull her in all directions as her uniform begins to break. The uniform is soon torn off her person just as they grab onto her dress shirt and do the same to it. They then shred off the rest of her clothing, then her skin, then her flesh, causing Lynx screams in agony as they laugh in glee at her suffering.
But then something happens. A growing golden light soon reveals the voices as they scream out in anger at its shine. Some flee in terror while others stand and fight. Only for those who stand are disintegrated as the light engulfed them. Soon Lynxes vision is filled with the golden light. Its warm radiance washes over her as she stares into pure golden light, filling her with the feeling of safety and security. Her mind races to do or even say anything in thanks. But she can only muster out a measly "My- my Emperor?" The light shines down around her keeping the chaotic realm around her away. But then, it speaks.
It speaks in a low, male, comforting yet commanding voice only four words.
Four words that will fill her mind.
Four words that will change her life for the better and the worse.
Four words that will not only change her life but the lives of many that cross her path.
"Rise, child of Tarrax."
Author's note: Hi there. Thank you for reading until the end of the prologue of this fanfic. Please know that I did NOT create or own either Warhammer 40k or Cyberpunk. I am just a FAN with too much time on their hands and thought it would be fun to write fanfic about them. Please also know that this is my first fanfic or actual story writing project I've ever made.
While reading you may have some questions about the fanfic. So let me try to help with that.
Q: Do you have a schedule for uploading more chapters?
A: Whenever I feel like it. I don't have an upload schedule and I write whenever I feel like it. However I will say that if it is dead, I will say that it is. If I don't then please give me a two or three year long waiting period before assuming that it's gone to the pasture.
Q: There are some thing that don't make sense in this fanfic compared to the 40K universe. For example, why are Catachan soldiers taking orders from a commissar instead of just fragging her?
A: That will be explained in future chapters. In fact most of the plot holes will be explained in the future. I don't really like character flashbacks, I'd rather have the characters explain why and fill in those plot holes themselves. That does not mean I will not use flashbacks, but I will use them in specific scenarios. If not then feel free to tell me in the comments and I'll try to explain them.
Q: How much is this fanfic taking from each universe?
A: I would say about 20-30% 40k and 60-70% cyberpunk. The story will overlap with the Edgerunner netflix series and the Cyberpunk 2077 story including the Phantom Liberties DLC, as well as try to explain why some of the gangs from cyberpunk red aren't around in 2077. However, please know that it will be MY OWN head cannon on what happened to them. For the 40K side, it will take elements from space marine two, Darktide, and tabletop kill team (specifically 2021).
And now that a few of the questions are out the door, here is something fun. Here are the roles and equipment that each character in this fanfic represents on the tabletop for Kill Team. Specifically roles for the 2021 veteran guardsman kill team operatives.
Kill Team code name: Bad Company. Background: Best of the best. Quirk: Willful improvisation
Commissar Lynx: Sargent veteran, equipped with bolt pistol and chainsword.
Dekker: Confident veteran, with a bolt gun as used in the game Darktide.
Nils: Sniper veteran, with long-shot lasgun and a camo cloak used in the game Space Marine Two.
Lance: Bruiser veteran, with Catachan Devile's claw "knife" in place of the trench club.
Stryker: Comms veteran.
K: Medic veteran.
Oros: Demolitions veteran.
Neriom: Engineer.