# Forsaken



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Well, I got so worked up about my next story idea, that I'm going to be working on _Chronicles of Deimos_, it's sequel (the last Altair story I'm going to write for a while), and this one, which will be a bit more gritty and realistic then Altair's heroic storyline. 

Anyhow, the main point is this also takes place in the early 42nd Millienium, so don't be confused if some things stick out as weird.

Of course, this is MY story, so things are bound to be a little weird....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

F.N.G.

Corporal Tobias "Twitch" Stalger had seen his fair share of the Guard. 

When the commissars had preached to his homeworld of Basis, he hadn't hesitated to sign up. He had taken a day and a half to gather his meager belongings from his hab, and had left his parents weeping at the front doors. 

He had been met by a friendly sergeant named Reikan and a gaggle of new recruits. The sergeant gestured with a gloved hand at the back door of a truck. The boys climbed into the back.

Six hours later, a bruised and sore group pulled themselves from the truck. Tobias later learned that Reikan had removed the rear shocks on the truck before coming to get them.

Basic was easy enough. He was issued a bunk and a footlocker, which had two uniforms, a set of flak armor, a helmet, a kneepad, his belt (complete with a canteen and a bayonet), and an entrenching tool. A surly armorer provided him with a lasgun and laspistol. 

Two weeks into Basic, he met a private named Kjel Berenson. Tobias learned that Kjel was only two bunks away, and with a little bribery to his bunkmate, Kjel slept on the top bunk of Tobias' bed. 

The two quickly became inseperable, forcing Sergeant Reikan to put them both in the same fireteam, along with Ignis "Izzy" Chambers, Viktor Ghesmane, and a shadowy, thin sergeant everyone just called Ghost.

After four weeks, they began to drill.

"Hey, Twitch, how many do the Reds still have?" hissed Izzy over the comm.

"Four, Sarge took out their sergeant."

"Gotcha. I've got two over here, Kjel and Vick are with me. Contact." Tobias heard shots. 

"Sorry. Hard Contact."

Ghost suddenly appeared next to him, making Tobias flinch. The man seemed to simply warp from place to place, and almost never spoke, earning him his name. 

Ghost whipped his hand into a series of signals. Tobias' eyes widened at their meaning.

_Two right above._

He looked up, each beat of his heart a bass drum.

Sure enough, two of Red Team's men were crouched in a makeshift treestand a dozen feet from where he and Ghost lay prone in the muddy undergrowth.

He heard them whispering, cursing himself for responding to Izzy's vox.

One leapt down from the stand, not ten feet from him. The man walked casually in Tobias' direction, his boots making noises like the habs falling to Tobias. 

He was right underneath the man. He felt branches compress his back. 

There was no way the man couldn't see him. He wondered where Ghost had gone.

The man squatted down above him, examining a bootprint. Tobias saw the look of terror in the man's eyes for a split second before his mouth opened to scream a warning to his comrade. Tobias leapt straight up, putting a paint round square in the man's visor. His friend tripped out of the stand and fell to the ground. Tobias was hit by the paint-blinded man in his stuggles on the ground. He tripped, cursing. The surviving Red lined up a shot. At this range, there was no need to aim high. 

A paint round the size of Tobias' fist smote the man in the side of his head, knocking him out instantly. His helmet, upper chest, and visor were instantly coated in red paint.

Ghost stalked out of the treeline, holding a bolter. Smoke coiled from the barrel.

"Twitch, this is Izzy. Vick got hit, but we managed to hit both of them. Clear?"

"Yeah. Me n' Sarge got the missing two."

Ghost was impassive behind his emotionless visor. Tobias realised he had never seen the man's face. His sergeant wore a full-faced Kasrkin helmet, along with a full-length camoflague trenchcoat, making him almost impossible to spot in the dense forests of his homeworld.


Ghost put his hand on Tobias' shoulder. He nodded a "job well done", and left, carrying the knocked-out Red Team man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The blinded Red was still foundering in the underbrush. Tobias helped him to his feet and removed his helmet for him. The man nodded his thanks and together they left, meeting the other six men in the observaton shack a half-mile away.


----------



## sea dragons (Jan 14, 2008)

sweet nice cool. nxt plz !!!


----------



## Master Andael (Jan 18, 2008)

Really nice, especially that you used my name in your story:so_happy:


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Awesome start, can't wait for the second part ^^


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Wow! Been a bit. Eh, I have an excuse though. My cousin just graduated from Great Lakes Naval...we had a big party. Oh, and SBC Yahoo! decided it hated me and killed my Internet connection.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BASIC

The same surly armorer relieved Tobias of the practice lasguns they had been given for training. The fat man leaned under the counter and handed him four heavy autoguns and a duffel bag full of clips and SOPMOD gear. Tobias handed the guns to Kjel, and the clips to Viktor. The armorer turned to Ghost.

"Yer special request came in terday. You wan it now?"

Ghost nodded behind his impassive visor. The armorer nodded and pulled a burlap sack onto the counter. A massive clip spilled out of the bag. 

"Bolter shells?" asked Izzy in incredulity.

Ghost nodded as the armorer strained under the weight of a Bolter as he hefted it onto the squad's side of the table.

Ghost picked up the weapon one-handed and inserted a clip, cocking the weapon.

Tobias looked on in awe. He'd only ever seen Bolters used on Leman Russ and Chimera. Obviously Ghost had learned the Bolter well during their practice drills.

The armorer looked at the squad, obviously familiar with their smiles.

"Careful these first few days, these are as dangerous ter idiots are they are ter enemies."


A half-hour later, Kjel and Tobias were on the practice ranges. 

Sixteen targets were set up, representing Orks, Hrud, Eldar, Tyranids, Humans, and even massive, armored Space Marine figures (depending on the training for the day). Today, a group of human cut-outs surrounded a slab of Ceramite cut into a Chaos Marine shape.

Kjel and Tobias opened fire, autogun rounds scything through the flak armored targets. The Chaos Marine target remained impervious to everything. Kjel pulled the pin on a frag grenade and hurled it downrange. The target was peppered with fragments,but remained impervious.

Ghost appeared next to them. He pulled the Bolter from a holster on his back, and seeming to only extend his arms, pulled the trigger.

Three shots rang out, three holes appeared clean through the head of the Marine target.


----------



## Master Andael (Jan 18, 2008)

Very cool drivingrange practice. Keep it up.k:


----------



## sea dragons (Jan 14, 2008)

nice keep it up !!


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

EN TEMPLAR NOMINAE

Major Kowalski moved through the platoon, occasionally checking a trooper's autogun or uniform. 

Tobias and Kjel were standing side by side with Viktor and Izzy, with Ghost standing with the last of what might pass for parade attention.

Kowalski stopped before Ghost as if to berate him. Ghost's breathing remained even. The major swallowed, and turned to Kjel.

"Trooper! Name and number!"

"Trooper Berenson, Kjel A! Serial zero-zero-seven-two-dash-six sir!

"Weapon!"

Kjel handed him his weapon.

The major checked the bayonet lug, then the flash surpressor, and the cartridge port.

"Trooper Berenson,what should you do to prevent your weapon misfiring?"

"Well sir,first you should recite the litany of unjamming, then-"

"Dammit soldier! I said what should you doto _prevent_ a misfire, not what he should do when it fails!"

"He should check the ammuntion ports, lugs, bolt, and trigger everyday sir."

"And if it fails him?"

Kjel began to sweat.

"He should affix bayonets sir."

The major looked as if he was on the verge of violence. "With the enemy upon him,trooper?"

"Then he should club the enemy with the stock of his weapon, sir."

"Where, soldier?"

"The head, neck, and face, sir."

The major grinned. Tobias flinched.

"I see."

With that, the major smashed Kjel's face with the butt of the auogun. Blood flowed from his nose.

Kjel fell to his knees, clutching his face. Kowalski tossed the gun at his feet.

"Clean that filth up, Berenson, this weapon is so dirty, it'll fail after a few shots."

Ghost looked dispassionately at his trooper, then venomously at the major. He tightened the clasps on his hemet.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Gaud, da basturd broke by dose!"

"I'm surprised he didn't knock you too, Twitch. Thought you were a good punching bag too."

Kjel had a large bandage wrapped around his face, covering the scar where Kowalski had broken his nose.

Viktor walked up, carrying five trays of barely identifiable food.

"God-Emperor, I thought the stuff they served at Basic was bad." said Izzy, holding a glob upside-down on his spoon.

Viktor pointed at Izzy's new Medicae patch. "Maybe you should use it to glue people back together."

Tobias chuckled. "It'd work better then the stuff they give us."

Izzy gestured with his medpack. "That's because you don't get all the stuff. You get hurt, you need a medic. Just scream loud and I'll come running."

Ghost refused a tray from Viktor, who piled the glop onto his own tray.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later, Major Kowalski promoted the entire division to active service.

A party was held in the 792nd's mess.

The next day, Tobias woke up with an empty mess can on his head, a thousand buzzing noises in his ears, and a serious lack of coordination.

Ghost's helmeted face swan into view. The man hadn't even drank the night before, deigning to remain in the practice ranges, firing an exorbident amount of bolter shells into the armorer's walls and targets (often both).

Tobias shook his head to clear his vision, but his head throbbed painfully and he slumped to the wall. Ghost had a white and red patch on his trenchcoat, and a white diamond-shaped splotch on his helmet. A red cross was emblazoned on it.

He dropped a similar patch on Tobias' chest. A note from Kjel was stuck to it.

_We've got a name, Twitch. 792nd Templars._


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

That was wicked.

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is an "autogun" like an assault rifle or a really fast firing lasgun?



Edit: don't worry I just checked it up on lexicanum.com
Why don't they just use autoguns in the IG rather than lasguns >_>


----------



## casanova (Nov 1, 2007)

amazing you should get this stuff published


----------



## angels of fire (Dec 4, 2007)

Because autoguns are probably strength 2 and not as effective. Las in-game are shite but in fluff they melt peoples faces off!


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

I was reading about them though an apparently the autogun and las gun where pretty much matched and the autopistol has a better range than the laspistol, but the lasgun cauterizes wounds so they can't bleed to death which kinda lowers it's killingness >_>

Not sure about the table top game though las is probably better in that.


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

Autoguns and lasguns are identical in game, but lasguns are easier to make, use, repair and maintain.


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

But autoguns are cooler, and I've been playing lots of CoD4, so a kinetic energy weapon is much better. Plus, enemies can bleed to death from autogun wounds. 

Thanks for all the feedback!
-Dirge


----------



## Master Andael (Jan 18, 2008)

Me like the idea that food in the army hasn't improved, but that it is even worse.
Great storyk:


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

EVASIVE MANEUVERS
(And the 792nd's Motion Sickness Test.)

Tobias walked along the plank to the hangers, his head still hurting from a rather large drinking contest held by the 792nd's mess chief. He hadn't even won, some older guy from D company had drank the mess dry, and then promptly collapsed and died.

Oh well.

Initially, all he could see was the back of Ghost's kitbag, and the massive bolter slung on his back. Then, Ghost moved, and a tremendous lander came into view. 

Tobias' breath immediately went away. The thing was huge! It could easily have fit the entire company, and equipment and tanks. 

Major Kowalski pushed troopers aside as he fought his way to the front of the gawking Guardsmen.

"Come on, somebody's gonna think you bumpkins ain't seen a lander before!"

In truth, none of them had. Basis was a mostly agricultural world, with a few massive hives dotting the planet. The largest ships most of them had seen were the battered utility sprayers that occasionally crashed and burned in the fields of the farmers.

The company made it's way to the front of the lander's ramp, where a bored-looking crewman waved them into the hold. 

Ghost sat down at the first seat, clipping himself into place. The rest of the squad followed his example, placing weapons in the racks beside their deployment seats.

The pilot walked by, stretching. The man had been sleeping quietly in one of the bucket seats near the rear of the lander.

Kowalski stopped him, and they talked. 

"....evasive, alright? Wanna give these ladies somethin' to hurl about."

The pilot nodded, an evil grin spreading on his face. "Gonna have to give'r a good cleanin' after this'n, I thinks."

Kowalski smiled. That was never a good sign.

Tobias swallowed.

"It's alright man. Chill." said Kjel, in the seat next to him.

[Attention. Recieving ground fire. Evasive maneuvers.]

Ghost sat back in his seat, nodding to a particularly thumping piece of music.

Tobias had one sickening sensation of falling, and suddenly the entire ship lurched. The lander bucked and twisted. Troopers cried out in alarm. Tobias heard Viktor heave, then the contents of his breakfast saw the light of day again, going to splatter some unfortunate elsewhere in the lander. Tobias closed his eyes. 

When he opened them again, the lander had stopped bucking. They were gliding perfectly along, angled slightly upward. 

He noticed pools of hurl in the lander, more evidence this wasn't exactly the ODST. Several troopers were gagging, covered in pools of vomit. 

Ghost continued to nod to the beat of his music feed. 

Tobias looked at him incredulously. The man was probably the toughest Tobias had ever known. He ate Guard food constantly, slept outside, fired a bolter, never spoke, and listened to music so loud Tobias could make out the lyrics. Some screaming woman to an extremely loud instrument. A low throbbing note made the backround. 

Ghost noticed his stare and nodded in greeting. He gave Tobias a thumbs-up and sat back.

Kjel was heaving, his hand over his mouth. Viktor had a towel over his face. 

Izzy had passed out. 

Kowalski opened the door to the cockpit.

"Y'like that, ladies?! Cause that's a combat drop! Wait till' we do REAL maneuvers! That'll make yer wish yer never joined the Guard!"

He stopped, looking at Ghost.

"Unless you're a hard-ass like our friend here. Ain't that right, Tinkerbell?"

Ghost didn't even look up.

Kowalski moved closer. Tobias noticed he still had one hand on the door.

"Hey! Babysitter! I'm talkin' to you! You think you're a tough guy. You ever killed somebody?"

Ghost cut the music with frightening finality.

He unclipped his harness and stood up. Tobias realized how tall the man was.

Ghost turned to face the Major, his helmet's featureless visor staring the man down. Tobias noticed a gleam of fear in the Major's eyes.

Ghost looked at the Major. The two men stared at each other for a minute or two. Ghost pulled a standard-issue Guard helmet from his pack. KOWALSKI was written on it in stenciled letters.

Ghost placed the helmet between his hands, and crushed it like an empty ration tin.

Tobias looked in shock.

The Major paled.

Ghost sat back down, dropping the crushed helmet to the floor, and turned on his music.

Kowalski looked around at a couple of snickering troopers. 

"You all! Shut up! Get the hell ready to deploy!"

He slammed the door closed.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Either guard helmets are REALLY shit or Ghost is an Astartes >_>

Story's getting good, can't wait for the next part


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Oh, you'll see.

-------------------------------------------------

REVELATION

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm tellling you. Crushed it like a wad of paper!"

"Well, look up his file then."

"Shut up! I'm trying!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imperial Encyrption 002839 Passcode access.

Code accepted.

Trooper 0837E-56C
Rank: Sergeant Major
Name: Unregistered
Age: Unregistered
Homeworld: Reach
Specialization: EOD, ATO, NOPs, SpecOPS

Previous Operations: Tortuga IV, Port Maw, Mars, Cadia, Armaggeddon, Mordia, Basis, Leonold V, Operation TREBUCHET, Thurmian II, Fallorn XVI, _Shadow of Trepedation_.

Note: TREBUCHET Subject 225-03F AUG.

Note: Anamoly 0028 <Access Denied>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Tobias and Kjel looked at each other.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Seeing his homeworld as Reach only leads me to one conclusion. That he's a Spartan (Kinda like the Astartes but from the Halo series and inferior in every way xD.). but this is warhammer 40k so that wouldn't work.


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Never said it was the same Reach XD. If you'll notice I steal quite a few planets from other stories or games.

Plus, a Spartan-II could take on twenty generic SMs and totally kick their collective asses.

-Dirge


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

20! How xD!

A SM is what.. 7, 8 foot plus?

A spartan II is 7 foot tall, and only as strong as an elite WITH power armour on ;]

And can't an avarage SM kill a normal human in one punch even un armoured?

And SM power armour does look conciderably stronger in terms of raw power (ability to lift weight, punch harder etc) and the amount of damage it looks like it can take is more, imo. Except it doesn't have a shield (Unless they wear an Iron halo?)

I could be conciderably wrong though (seems to be the case a lot of the time).

I was off school for over a week with a major case of teh flu so all had was my laptop and Halopedia and the Lexicanum (Warhammer 40k encyclopedia) so i know a lot about SMs and Spartans >_>

Keeping on topic though. Whens the next part gonna be posted, can't wait ^^


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

Crushing a guard helmet? I think we may have some form of mutant, as you haven't described bionics and no astartes would integrate in a guard regiment, unless it was very important to do so.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

What about if it's one of the fallen or whatever from the dark angels?

I can't remember what book, might've been sons of fenris or something (one of the books with Ragnar Blackmane in) there's one of the fallen in this planets PDF forces. Sorry if I'm not more precise, I lost the book somewhere under my bed or in my room lol.


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

That is a good theory! I hadn't though of that, despite being mainly a Dark Angel player. Still what about the stuff in his file? He's a subject of TREBUCHET, that doesn't sound like what a fallen would be involved in.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Good point. 
Still it's a theory that's stuck in my head xD.

Now if you'll excuse me. i have Good Luck Chuck to watch (h)


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

He is NOT a Fallen, nor is he an Astartes. But, he does have a few things going for him.

-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Hey everybody! Went to a cousin's for a few days. Had lots of fun, lots of photos.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEUS EX MACHINA

Tobias ducked below a chattering stream of gunfire. Explosions sounded all around. Viktor sprinted to the bunker's door and threw his back to the wall. Kjel and Izzy drew back a pneumatic ram and knocked the door down. Viktor threw a grenade in. Tobias rose to a crouch and let loose a hail of bullets through the firing slit. 

"Endex! Endex!" screamed Kowalski.

Everyone stopped. Guardsmen broke cover warily.

"What the hell happened here, Guardsmen?" asked Kowalski dangerously, eyeing Kjel and Izzy.

"Uh, nothing sir. Looks proper to my eyes." said Izzy nervously.

"You didn't prime the ram, trooper."

Izzy gulped. "It's a fake door, sir."

"Oh, is it now?"

Kowalski gripped the door in one hand and flung it backwards, sending the two men sprawling.

"This door is real enough, gentlemen, and until you realise that this would have killed you, you're on latrine. Fall out."

Ghost stalked up to him, looking him dead in the eye.

The major paled as before, but didn't flinch.

"You've got your orders, soldier. Fall out." said Kowalski, an edge of anger in his voice.

Ghost looked at the major in his dress finery (complete with dozens of medals). He turned and looked at Tobias in his muddy, sodden uniform. He reached down, picked up an handful of mud from the training arena floor, and dropped it on the major's shined boots.

Then turned around and left.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tobias knocked on the door.

"Sarge? Sarge, you in there?"

Ghost opened the door silently. Wisps of machine incense spilled out.

Tobias walked in after Ghost, taking note of the small bed in one corner, and a small book atop it. A desk sat squarely in a second corner, covered in machinery and tools. A servo-skull hovered over the desk, it's chattering arms making small clicking noises as it moved.

The third corner had Ghost's footlocker in it, his bolter set on top. A small burner of incense trickled smoke onto the weapon.

Ghost sat down at his desk, obviously where he was before Tobias had knocked. He removed his gloves, and then his coat.

Ghost had no hands.

Two silvery augmetics, ending just below the elbow, adorned the man's arms. Tobias didn't even have to ask how it happened. He'd seen Ghost's file. EOD. Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

Ghost picked up a small device from the desk and began to tinker with his arm. 

"When did that happen?" said Tobias.

"Four years ago. Armageddon" said Ghost.

Tobias looked up, surprised. Ghost had never said a word to anyone.

"I was fresh out of EOD training. My second defuse went wrong. Don't even remember it."

"Did it hurt?"

"It did when I woke up in the ICU, about two days later."

Tobias looked at his own gloved hands. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Standing up to Major Kowalski."

"Kowalski was my Sergeant in ATO training. Everyone hated him, but couldn't do anything. I want to make sure you don't make the same mistakes. Now, if you don't mind..." 

Ghost gestured at his dismantled arm.

"Oh," said Tobias, "Ok. I'll see you tomorrow."


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Tomorrow guys. Still beaten down from Friday.

-Dirge


----------



## angels of fire (Dec 4, 2007)

That explains it, Luciferi and Thomas2 now have nothing to discuss.:cray:


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Dirge Eterna said:


> Tomorrow guys. Still beaten down from Friday.
> 
> -Dirge


Come onnn D=!

After tragically dissproving my theory of Ghost being an Astartes the least you could do is post more xD

And "Tomorrow" was 6 days ago >_>


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Mrehhhh. Too tired.

Tomorrow Tomorrow. Promise.

-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Eh, well. Tomorrow Tomorrow Tomorrow.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

KARLIEN V
"So you lot are goin' dirtside, eh? Looks pretty bad from me. Watch your backs down there."
-Unnamed crewman, Valkyrie (Callsign Echo 419)

Tobias first noticed Karlien V's sky. It was blue, like Basis. Most of the world was covered in forest and scrubs, with vast oceans. 

"Alright whelps! You lot are going straight to the front lines! Move it!" screamed a sergeant at the end of the field. He waved the company at a line of Chimeras.

Kjel leaned over to Tobias. "So, what are we fighting again? I forgot my briefing slate."

Tobias took the slate in Ghost's outstretched hand. "Orks. Tons of them. Apparently they just dropped out of the warp a few months ago. We dug in, and stopped them, but can't push them back."

"Ah. Lovely."

Izzy looked rather pale. "If we don't get shot up first."

Viktor loomed over him. "Don't worry, little man. I will protect you."

Major Kowalski shoved the sergeant out of the way and was screaming gibberish at the closest troopers. They panicked and fell over each other to get into the Chimeras.

As Tobias' squad and Sergeant Wal's squad boarded a second Chimera, Kowlaski tripped Ghost. The two men stared at each other.

Kowlaski glanced at a Commissar pacing the parade ground.

"Fall out, trooper." he said smugly.

Ghost turned to his fireteam and motioned for them to board. 

He made sure the Commissar was on the far side of the Chimeras, and hooked his entrentching tool under Kowlaski's legs, pulling them man's balance out from under him.

He shut the ramp with a _clang_, leaving Kowalski to curse in the mud.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later, Tobias' squad reached the trenches. 

Troopers scurried to and fro on meaningless tasks. A small cloud of flies had gathered over the latrine trench. Huge artillery pieces spat shells as big as Tobias was tall at a far line of brightly colored walls.

A Leman Russ was entrenched to Tobias' left. 

Ghost motioned for the squad to follow him into a dugout below the trench lip. The dugout was relatively clean, compared to some trench stories Tobias had heard. It smelled vaguely of autogun smoke, ozone, and sweat. He threw his kitbag onto a bunk. 

"I'm starving." whined Viktor. "I wonder what's to eat around here."

A filthy trooper in the bare minimum of a uniform answered him. 

"This is a bad place to be hungry, lad. We've been here for a week and we only eat lunch, and dinner, if we're lucky."

Tobias leaned out of the dugout, and stepped onto the firing line. He took a pair of field binocs from the trooper next to him and looked across the field. A single green figure stood alone in no-man's-land.

"Is that an Ork?" he asked the man.

"You wish. That's a Gretchin. A gretch. Don't waste the round. Save it for the Orks."

Ten minutes later, his entire squad had joined him on the firing step. Ghost had a long rifle from Stores, and had shot the brains out of the first Gretchin Tobias had seen. Hundreds now stood in no-man's-land, chattering.

"Heads up! We got a signal!"

Tobias heard a loud warcry.

_*WWAAAAAAAAGGH!!*

"Shit! Incoming! Artillery, open zero-two-six, position delta, regiment strength!" yelled a trooper into a vox.

Ghost sat looking through the scope of his rifle.

Izzy had a targeter in one hand.

"600...500....400.......300....200 metres! Entering firing zone!"_


----------



## Master Andael (Jan 18, 2008)

Once again a big fight. :biggrin: I like big fights.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Moar =O!!!


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Update tomorrow.

-Dirge


----------



## sea dragons (Jan 14, 2008)

yo what happened dude??? the next part never came up :angry::threaten: lol


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Yes... I got a trip, then disgustingly lazy, but here's a cop-out. Forgive me!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRIAL BY FIRE
"Just remember, your weapon is made by the lowest bidder."
-Unknown

"Entering firing zone!" screamed Izzy.

A black-swathed commissar reared up from his men.

"Guardsmen! Unleash hell!" he roared, spitting off bolt shells into the green tide.

Mortars dropped down on the greenskins. The first waves were scythed down under autogun fire. Lascannon stabbed into the mass, killing hundreds. A Leman Russ belched a fat shell into the mass, sending bodies and weapons skywards. 

A single warrior was yelling above all the others. Clad in a gunmetal suit of massive armor, it's vox-unit blared out a screaming prayer.

"From the curse of the mutant! Our Emperor, deliver us! From the depredations of demons! Our Emperor, deliver us! From the begetting of heretics, our Emperor, deliver us!"

Tobias recognized the song. The churches of Basis had taught it to them while they were still youths. The Fede Imperialis, used by the Sisters of Battle and multiple Inquisitiorial branches. 

The Orks screeched a bestial warcry, and thousands hit the Imperial line. Tobias' world shrunk to a painful slice of dead bodies, swinging autogun stocks, and brutish Ork faces. The first he caught in the head with a point-blank burst of fire. The creature's larger partner vaulted over it, swinging a massive axe. Tobias was pinned under the Ork as it lifted the Choppa, already yelling in victory. The young Guardsman yanked a Combat Knife out of his boot, and plunged it up to the hilt in the Ork's eye. The creature gargled, and dropped. Tobias pushed the body off of himself. 

Ghost grabbed an Ork's head with his bionic arms, and twisted it's head. The thing's neck broke with a horrific _crack_ and it died without a sound.

Izzy was on the ground, hands clamped over a screaming trooper's stomach. The Guardsman's uniform was soaked in blood, and a pool was slowly spreading from his lying frame.

The Ork leader's head flashed by, teeth still gritted in defiance. The armored warrior stood atop it's body, holding a sizzling powerblade. It's armor was an unknown make to Tobias, probably offworld. The warrior had an odd hood over a breathing mask of some kind, making it look sinister and insectile to Tobias. It had a slim form, much thinner then the posters of Space Marines Tobias had seen, yet several marks indicated the Orkish projectiles didn't penetrate any of it's plates.

In one hand, the warrior held the red power sword. In the other, it held a long rosary, made of some kind of black stone. The rosary ended in a silver I, crested with a skull.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tobias sat alone on an upturned ammunition crate. Ghost had left with Viktor to get food, and Kjel was on watch. Izzy had gone with the trooper Tobias had seen earlier. He had looked odd when he left, almost triumphant.

The grey-armored warrior exited the command tent to his left, cursing under it's breath. Tobias stood.

"What is the problem, Lord?" he asked, staring at the Inquisitorial seal decorating the soldier's armor.

"Lord?" asked the soldier. Tobias was shocked to hear a woman's voice come from the respirator.

"Oh, you're one of the Guard that repelled the attack earlier." said the Inquisitor.

"Yes, milady. PFC Tobias Stalger, 792nd Templars, fourth squad." he held out a hand.

"Ah. Well met, PFC Stalger. Inquisitor Sarah Ramakien, of the Ordo Hereticus' convent on Justain IV." 

She took his hand in her armored gauntlet. Tobias was surprised at the dexterity of the heavily armored glove. 

"Trooper, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your superiors.."

She pointed at a tent at the far end of the camp. Pitch black, and surrounded by braziers and servo-skulls. A bored-looking Crusader sat on a stump nearby, sharpening his weapon.

Tobias gulped.


----------



## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Damn your stories are so good, Dirge.

I'm gonna re read this tomorow because it's almost 4am and I think my tired mind has missread some stuff quite badly xD.


Edit: Moar o_o


----------



## sea dragons (Jan 14, 2008)

sisters of battle..... sweet !!!! looking forward to the next part


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Inquisition...much, much, worse.

-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Update tomorrow, guys!

-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Well then. Next piece.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

IRA DEORUM
"Inquisitors are a sneaky bunch. I don't think I'd buy a used aircar from any one of them."
-Attributed to Palchis Valorum (Removed from office by the Officio Assassinorium, 994.M41)

Tobias swallowed hard as he entered the Inquisitor's tent. The robed Crusader closed the flap of the tent, and seated himself on a small keg in the corner. A techpriest fussed over Sarah's power armor as she removed it piece by piece. She sat opposite him, taking a glass of amasec from a second Crusader. A Sister Hospitaller completed the group.

The inquisitor sipped from the glass.

Tobias noticed he was breathing rather hard.

Sarah set the glass on a small table. 

"I've a reason for calling you here." she said.

"And?" asked Tobias, eyeing the massive power swords the Crusaders carried.

"Firstly, stop worrying so much. I'm not here for you." 

Tobias nodded.

"It's your battlegroup in particular, though. You're from Basis, correct?"

Tobias nodded again.

"The 792nd Basis "Templars". Nice name...anyways, I am of the Ordo Hereticus. I need to know anything you may have about the 14th Tallarn?"

"The Tallarns?" asked Tobias. "They...they landed about a day after we did. They set up field shrines and all sorts of habs, then reinforced the 57th Archeron two days ago."

Sarah nodded, removing a dataslate from her robe, which she had donned over the black bodyglove. 

"Uh, ma'am?" asked Tobias.

"Yes?" said the inquisitor, drawing the word out.

"Why are you wearing that mask? The orks don't use gas."

Sarah Ramakien chuckled. "It's to keep me breathing, trooper. My lungs are torn apart by poison from Murder. I have to wear this to filter out any and all pollutants."

She adjusted a small knob on the device, making it hiss quietly, then continued.

"Now, then. The 14th Tallarn poses a moral threat. Their last assignment was on Murder, with myself as a laison. They fought a chaos legion, and might have been corrupted."

Tobias' face took on a shocked look. "How?"

"The forces of chaos are many in number and name. I don't know, that's why I followed them here."

"Inquisitor?" interrupted the tech-adept. "Your armor's spirit is displeased. It will require extensive placation, and will not be able for use for some time."

Tobias' comm-bead chirped quietly. 

"All 792nd, general order. Any and all with visual contact on the Tallarn 14th please confirm, repeat, contact lost with Tallarn 14th."

The inquisitor's face took on a sad distance under the cowl.

"Sic transit gloria mundi." she said, shaking her head.


----------



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

UNDER FIRE
"You never have to be faster then your enemy. Only faster then your squad."
-Unnamed Sergeant, 243rd Archeron ODST [KIA]

A week after the Tallarns abandoned the field, all hell broke loose. The 14th was quickly sidelined after horrific losses mounted against a second Ork incursion. Fortunately for the 792nd, the Orks seemed more concerned fighting each other then the Imperials. However, every once in a while a horde would batter itself to pieces against the stubborn defense.

Tobias' second chat with the Inquisitor also provided information about the few vulnerabilities of the Orks, which his fireteam put to good use. 

"How about that last attack?" asked Izzy, sipping out of his canteen.

"I saw Sarge take down that big one, the one with the trophy racks?"

"Yeah, man. Serious shit we're in now. The 63rd's reinforced the Valhallans on the right flank, but we're not expecting anybody for another week. Colonel's thinking about bringing in 3rd Company."

The thought of cooks, medicaes, and the regimental band protecting them from screaming Orks wasn't comforting.

The 933rd Field Artillery had made short work of most of the major Ork hordes, but the smaller ones didn't qualify for Hellraiser shells, and had to be destroyed the old fashioned way.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Captain? We're getting a weird reading. One of our pickets to the rear just sent out a distress call, but it's not Orks."

"The Tallarns quit the field, is it possible that the picket's mistaken?"

"Throne of Earth! I just picked up weapions fire. Three pickets down!"

Captain Rableq of the 933rd leaned out the viewing port of the Capitol Imperialis.

"Damnation! Call a general order! Ready weapons, and bring us about!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Tobias was sitting in the trench talking with Kjel when the order came through.

"792nd! Stand to and ready weapons!"

The troopers of Basis stood up, grabbing autoguns and meltaguns.

A bloodcurdling scream cut through the wind. Red-clothed troopers flung themselves at the Imperials. The clothes over their faces were black, as were the remains of their flak armor. 

A squad leapt into the trench, and the battle shrank to bayonet range. Tobias shot the first, then wrenched his combat blade and autopistol from their pouches. A lunatic threw himself bayonet first at the young Guardsmen.

"Blood for the Blood God!" howled the man, slashing at Tobias. The blade nicked the edge of his armor, spinning him around. 

He leveled his pistol, pinning the trooper's weapon to the wall of the trench with his combat knife.

"Apostles for the Cup!" he remarked, and put a round clean through the man's forehead.

The Khornate dropped into the trench. More were charging into the Imperial defenders. 

A Krieg Grenadier gasped for breath, his rebreather making the breaths more dramatic. Tobias helped the man up, and he immediately doubled up again. Tobias noticed a deep cut in the man's chest. 

The Grenadier nodded his thanks, and coughed twice, picking up his weapon.

Tobias turned his attention back to the flailing attackers. A blood-red Leman Russ lurched forward, spewing black smog into the clear sky. It coughed a fat shell into the fray before a shimmering melta-stream detonated it, blasting the turret a dozen meters into the air.

A massive detonation shook the ground where the Guardsmen stood. The earth fractured, tossing cultists thirty meters. Great cracks rent the earth from the massive crater left in the ground. 

The Capitol Imperialis stood resolute on the hills above the Imperial lines. 

The 933rd's artillery smashed into the traitors not yet at the trench lines, while the few beleagured Guardsmen fought their way clear of the melee.


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

I've been following this story through subscription emails, so I haven't posted for a while. Still enjoying it, in fact it is the only story I'm currently reading in this fiction section, partly due to a current inability to read large chunks of text with yours being nicely divided up.


----------

