Brother-captain Iscariot stood on the podium, under the banner of the Angels of Retribution, and addressed the gathered ranks, "Battle-brothers, once more, we venture onto the field of war. Detroit has been infested with forces from the Warp, and on us falls the task of clearing the planet, so that the purging fires of Exterminatus can be applied. Inquisitor Kline will now address you."
The Inquisitor acknowledged the captain and looked out at the gathered company of Space Marines.
"You know your roles. Purge the heretics, and slay the Chaos spawn who intrude on the sacred lands of the Emperor. The Grey Knights will join you on the battlefield. Praise the Emperor."
In unison, the company replied, "Praise the Emperor."
Inquisitor Kline nodded and Captain Iscariot spoke again, "Don again your battle gear. The dropships will be released in two hours. Let us restore Detroit to the guiding light of the Emperor. Dismissed."
The dropships descended silently through the black vastness of space. Inside, the marines quietly intoned the liturgy of loading, calling on the spirit of the Emperor to guide each of their bolts to strike truly. The Chaplains moved among the troops, chanting the liturgy of retribution, steeling their spirits and those of the brother marines nearby.
Below, the slavering hordes awaited the coming of the Marines, and the chance to spill blood for the Blood God.
Damn them, he thought, their skulls were hardly worthy to consecrate to the Blood God. He had hoped that their warriors would give even a simulacrum of a battle. But their defense had been a mockery, and they had been slain with contemptuous ease. At present, his marines were searching for the women, children, and elderly that the men of the village must have been defending. When they were found, the sacrifices would begin.
He spoke into his communicator. "Sergeant Kalar, have you found them yet?"
"No sir. We have two buildings still to search."
"The charges have been set on the others?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. But find them quickly. I do not want to have to come over there and search for them myself. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. You are dismissed. End communication."
Sergeant Kalar was a dedicated marine and a competent officer. It would not do to have to kill him. But he demanded efficiency from his men. And he did not want to leave the town square just now. If he did, in all likelihood the wounded would be dead, either from their wounds, or through the attentions of Lieutenants Dukarth and Zhurar, before he could return. And, more importantly, Heartrender was still thirsty. There had simply not been enough of the defenders to satiate the mighty blade. Which reminded him. He had not fired his storm bolter during the 'battle', for the lack of adequate targets. He glanced across the square and located a rather large dog, which was beginning to feed on its former masters. It would do. A short burst and a bloody cloud assured him that weapon was in proper working order. Suddenly, a short, sharp tone rang in his ear. It was a signal from his space hulk, Blood Scourge.
"Report, Sergeant Halurth."
"Captain , scanners detect a vessel, most likely an Imperial warship, coming around from the other side of the sun. It is neither large enough nor armed appropriately to threaten the Blood Scourge. What are your orders?"
"Let them come. But fire a few shots in their direction. Make them aware of our knowledge of their arrival. Do not prevent the landing of any of their troops. If they are foolish enough to attempt to board the Blood Scourge, deal with the boarding parties as you see fit. Has the computer projected a possible landing site and an ETA?"
"Yes sir. If they land, it will most likely be at sector 251863, in approximately 30 minutes."
He ran through the computations in his head. "Very well. I shall attempt to be on hand to receive them. Are any of the other commanders in range of the projected drop site?"
"No sir. The closest is Kharne, and he is in sector 247561."
"Advise the other commanders of the situation, then. And advise me if it changes. You are dismissed. End communication."
So, it seems that this planet may provide a good fight after all, he mused. "Sergeant Kalar, discontinue the search. It seems we may have Imperial visitors soon. Mine the remaining buildings heavily, and report back to the square. We have little time to spare. They will land in 29 minutes, and we have nine kilometers to cover. You are dismissed. End communication."
He was pleased with this new development. The only forces which would be able to respond to their raid on this planet this quickly would be Imperial Space Marines. His millennia old mind could not conceive of a reason why the Marines were so willing to fight for this pitiful planet, but if they wished to die, he and his World Eaters would accommodate them.
"Dukarth, Zhurar, finish off the wounded and prepare to depart. We have a battle to attend."
"Blood for the Blood God" answered Lieutenant Dukarth.
"Skulls for the Skull Throne" finished Lieutenant Zhurar.
"Praise be to Khorne, and to Lord Angron. End communication." he replied.
Yes, it was a good day to shed blood. Already he could hear Heartrender whispering to him - "khalcruth...blood..."
Brother-Captain Iscariot stood on the bridge of the drop ship, listening to the comms crew bringing reports of the battle.
"Ravenwing reports sector 1 secure. No resistance met."
"Sensor auguries report Chaos force approaching in sector 2. Much comm traffic."
"Brother-Captain, Grey Knight squad Invincible reports heavy resistance in sector 2. Fourth squad is down. They are under heavy attack."
Captain Iscariot looked at the map, "Jam the traffic in sector two."
The Captain activated his comm-jewel on the command channel, "Chaplain Conall, Codicier Brion, meet in deployment area 3."
He switched over to the squad channel, "Tenth squad, Revelations squad, meet in deployment area 3."
He ran from the bridge.
The comm jewel whispered in his ear as he ran. The Grey Knights were able to beat back the attack and hold the area. Reinforcements were ten minutes out. He checked the map. They could make it in time.
He called ahead to the deployment area, "Bring teleporter homers. We'll need to evacuate the downed battle brothers."
In the deployment area he briefed the troops, "Fourth squad is down. We're going to recover them. A squad of Grey Knights is on the scene. Move out."
The troops boarded rhinos and they drove rapidly to the area. They disembarked and Captain Iscariot deployed his men, "Heavy weapons squad, take cover behind that wall and watch for jumping troops. Brion, lead the light squad to the left and into the bunker complex. Conall, take Revelations and join the Grey Knights on the right. Squad Invincible, report."
"We've beaten back the first assault, but the tactical squad was felled in the bunker complex directly ahead. We were unable to hold it in the face of a Chaos assault."
Captain Iscariot stood just to the right and watched for the enemy, "Very well, men, move out on my mark. Heavy weapons, hold fire until you have a target. Cover to the front."
The terminators moved forward, and came around a building set just behind the bunker complex. The light squad ran forward, and we near cover in the bunker complex, where their battle brothers lay downed.
With a howl, 19 traitor marines rose slowly into the air from behind a covering wall, waving chain swords and pistols. The heavy bolters chattered, while the lascannon stitched a bright line off into the air. 6 traitors landed in bloody heaps, torn to pieces by the heavy explosive bolt fire.
A volley of blind grenades were thrown forward, covering the chaos advance. The terminators prepared to move forward, when one of their number snagged a wire, strung low to the ground. A series of explosions sounded and one of the heavy bolter gunners fell, a shell fragment punched through his chest. The heavy armour of the terminators shrugged off the explosions, and one of the Grey Knights gestured, opening a gate between the two terminator squads.
Both squads charged and emerged in the thick of the Chaos force. The thunder hammerers both engaged the hero leading the assault, while one Knight charged a squad on foot sneaking up through the trees. The remainder of the troops picked their targets and charged. The foul hero stood his ground as the terminators approached, menacingly swinging his whirring chainaxe. Suddenly, he screamed and ran forward. The terminators tried to bring their hammers to bear, but had to rely on their shields. Even then, the onslaught proved too much. Both terminators died and the traitor charged through the gate. One of the Knights followed, and called a whirling vortex which sucked the hero of Khorne into the warp.
The single Grey Knight swung his halberd in quick deft movements, fighting off the full squad. He used his thick armour to maximum advantage, taking blows on the shield mounted on his left shoulder, and his halberd swung out, flashes of force knocking the traitor scum down until none remained standing. The remainder of the terminators fared equally well, standing the bite of the traitor's swords until help could be brought forward, splitting the traitors open with swords and powerfists and halberds.
The last traitor squad came forward from behind the bunker complex and opened up on the Grey Knights with their ancient plasma pistols. There was a flash, and plasma hung in the air. One Grey Knight fell, armour torn open by the ravening fires. The remainder of the Knights set their feet and opened up with their storm bolters. The traitors fell, except for one who fled before the explosive bolts could claim his life.
On the left flank, one of the Chaos champions landed on top of the bunkers in plain sight. Conall and the brother marines laid down a hail of bolter fire forcing the traitor to duck beneath the wall briefly. Brion took advantage of the time to run forward and put a teleport homer on one of the fallen marines.
Then, screaming "Blood for the Blood God," the hero jumped down from the bunker's walkway and charged Brion.
The cry was echoed to the behind the Marines. The commander sprinted forward, howling and swinging his daemon possessed sword. He lit into a single marine who in a surpassing display of blind luck fended the commander off, managing to shoot his bolt pistol twice at him. The commander sagged as the drugs ravaged his system, and the Marines countercharged. Brother Captain Iscariot triggered the injectors and sprinted forward as the drugs brought his system to its fighting peak. Two marines went to Brion's aid, and Conall and the three marines joined the swirling melee led by their captain around the Chaos commander. The commander howled for blood and he received it. The marines fell, screaming as their souls were drawn into the sword, until Captain Iscariot stood alone facing him. The commander swung his daemon sword and even with the drugs coursing with his system to make him the match for the Chaos spawn, he staggered back as the daemon sword swung again and again and again. His soul proved more stalwart than that of his battle brothers, and he was chanting the Litany of Slaying when his displacer field flashed, bringing him out of that deadly combat.
The drugs wore off and he hesitated a moment before returning to battle. Then the comm jewel chimed in his ear, "Line of fire clear. Stand back brother- captain."
Revelation squad had come back through the gate. They opened up with a hail of storm bolter and assault cannon fire, and the lascannon and the heavy bolters also spoke. The computer processor in the visor of Captain Iscariot cut the light flashing from the field around the Captain to bearable levels, and when the light faded, the commander lay dead.
The traitor terminators had run left to secure the bunker complex. While one of the Knight waited for them, the others ran to the felled marines and called for the teleporters in the ship above to call bring the fallen battle brothers back to the orbiting ship. The last Knight again called up the Vortex, felling half of the terminators. The last traitor jumped forward and brought his pistol to bear on the captain. It flared and again, Captain Iscariot was displaced out of harm's way, but not before he sustained a solid hit.
The last traitor looked down the barrels of the heavy weapons. The Marines smiled at their chance to send another servant of Chaos back to meet his Gods. All that was left was the mop-up.
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