Arkhans Story Part 2

 

Dax looked stunned.

"What's an ork??" he threw his hands in the air

"How do you not know coming from the Hive what those filthy Xenos are?  Surely the broadcasts would have mentioned something of what's out there."

Arkhan suddenly felt ashamed of coming from the under Hive. He shifted his feet uncomfortably

"Never got the broadcasts in the under hive" Arkhan said quietly.. Dax's demeanour changed instantly. He climbed over to Arkhan 

"Fair enough. Emperor knows you had bigger things to worry about I imagine"

Arkhan nodded. 

The town was in chaos  when they arrived, the 2 Departmento Munitorium officials were trying to organise something but no one was paying to much attention Arkhan smiled this is why he preferred it out here rather than in the Hive. People knew the rules but were more practical out here . Folks were all filling the main street, there must have been about 50 60 people out. Silus being a work crew manager was looked up to and as the crawler arrived Arkhan could see many eyes set upon him for advice. Clearly everyone knew about the Orks now.

Xenos Arkhan thought to himself, he heard horror stories of things out in space but those were stories told on a night to scare the juves. He had never paid attention, well he wish he had now. The crawler stopped, Shem jumped down, he looked back at Arkhan,

"I have to go check on my family. I'll see you back here in a minute." He looked worried as he pushed his way through the crowd. Arkhan didn't really know what to do, he had only been in the frontier town for a few weeks and was still billeted in the Munitorium building. Silus and Dax were talking fast and intense with the Munitorium offcials. Dax pointed up to the hills. Silus looked concerned, held his hand up to Dax and turned to face the crowd. Their murmuring stopped when he cleared his throats,

"Now we all know something bad is happening. The Hive isn't answering our vox calls. Guessing the shields are blocking the signal. The town isn't defensible we need to move. Dax has suggested Over Look Peak."

"What does that old man know!" someone in the crowd yelled out, a few ripples of agreement rumbled round

"Dax was PDF so he knows a bit more about this than you and me ordinary folk." Silus replied remarkably calm.

"Lets get to the Hive and get behind those shields" someone else called out, more shouts of agreement. Silus raised his hands for calm, he didn't look fazed at all Arkhan thought sign of a good leader don't show panic. Reminded him of Razor the old gang leader before he got took away by the arbites. Arkhan spat at that memory, that only led to a tale of betrayal and the escape from the Hive. 

"The Orks have landed between us and the Hive. It's by the emperors mercy we haven't been found by them yet. We need to use that mercy. Dax says Over Look Peak has one way in one way out and sheer cliffs on every other side. We'd only have to hold the one place." the crowd mumbled to each other. They looked worried Arkhan had started to know  these people as a tough rugged people but Xenos that wasn't just trying to make it  away from the Hive this... This was something else. 

" I know you are all worried, we ain't the guard we ain't PDF but we made a home out here didn't we? They said we wouldn't" Silus pointed at the Hive, "They said we would starve before achieving anything. But who do they come to for the best grain? 

Us. We Can do this, we have to do this. Help will arrive we just have to hold on till then." the crowd started to look a bit more confident. Amazing what a bit of purpose can do. Arkhan smiled, that's what Razor used to say after getting the gang ready to go out on some job. Silus paused,

" Right go to your homes grab supplies only what you can carry and what will be useful. Food, weapons, medicine and clothes. Grab any vehicles you can and we meet back here. I want to be leaving in the hour" there was a moment pause and then everyone started to move. Now they had a mission people could ignore the panic clawing at their mind. They could focus on immediate needs. Arkhan headed to his billet, he opened his locker and pulled out his bag and shoved clothes into it. He took out a combat knife, given to him by Razor when he turned Ganger he could never get rid of it, silly he thought turns out now it could prove useful. Razor watching out for him still, he slid it into his boot. He didn't have that much stuff. He heard footsteps behind him, he turned and there stood a short slim female with long black hair, Kahla was one of the department Munitorium officials.

"Hey Arkhan, thought you could use these" she passed him some imperium ration packs.

"Figured you would have no food in that locker of yours." She lent against the door frame

"Fracking Xenos. Emperor curse them. Let's get out of here"

Arkhan nodded and stood up. He pulled out the Las pistol and checked it.

"Where'd you get that?" Kahla asked suspiciously. Arkhan figured can't get in to much trouble now with Xenos invading.

"We found a downed imperial flyer. The pilot well he didn't need it anymore let's say"

Kahla looked impassive "You know how to use it?" Arkhan smiled, "Let's just say I didn't have a normal job in the Hive." Kahla laughed. "ooo very mysterious. Well guess you are the least of my worries now. Don't give to much away to the other officials they are not from around here and are still moaning that the Orks arriving is very inconvienant for their list s and plans" she rolled her eyes and walked to the exit. Arkhan put the Las pistol away and followed her.  They headed to the main street. Several crawlers brig and small were parked up and people throwing supplies onto them. Silus was stood in his crawler yelling directions. Arkhan spotted Shem helping an older lady into a crawlers bed, that must be his mother Arkhan thought to himself.  People had a smattering of weapons, there were plenty of farming implements but Arkhan spotted several shotguns and lots of Stub pistols. He wasn't convinced they could hold off the Orks and an inner voice told him to cut and run. He squashed that thought hard. That's not what Razor would have done, he always said never abandon your friends there all you got. Shame after he got took away the gang went away from that. He shook his head to remove the thought. Kahla noticed, "You ok?" Arkhan looked surprised "Uh yeah sorry stuck in an old memory"

Silus yelled "Let's go!" the press of humans moved forward following Silus's Crawler Arkhan adjust his bag and walked with the crowd.

An hour into the journey and Arkhans legs ached. They were mostly walking through woods everyone moved a bit quicker when they got to open spaces. The sounds of war were constant now. Every now and then they got a glimpse of the Hive being battered by weapons fire. The shields still flickered. Thankfully the Hive seemed to have all of the Orks attention. Only a few times had some flying craft flew over head causing a ripple of panic but the emperor had watched over them so far. The road was getting steeper now this slowed down the column which worried Arkhan. That feeling started again, his neck tingling he slowed his pace and ended up at the rear of the column where he found Dax cradling a Las rifle in his arms  watching the rear,

"You feel it to? Something not quite right? “ Dax spoke as Arkhan arrived" How did you know? " Arkhan asked.

" You might not have been in the PDF but I would reckon you have seen more action than me in that under hive? " He spoken in a quiet tone, Arkhan felt that Dax wouldn't judge like so many other people.

" I've had my share of..... Issues "  Arkhan replied choosing his words carefully. 

Dax snorted" Issues! Ha! You looking to run at the first sign of trouble? " Dax stared intently at Arkhan,." No. You don't abandon your crew. You stand your ground and fight" Dax nodded "I didn't think you looked the type to run." Dax stopped suddenly and seemed to be listening intently. He walked over Arkhan and whispered "We've got company. Don't sound like to many thank the emperor. I need your help. Listen Orks are relentless and tough as hell. You keep shooting till you are 3 times sure they are dead OK?" Arkhan nodded  and pulled out his Las pistol. Dax indicated that Arkhan should hide behind a tree just off the road. Arkhan found a thick looking Bush next to a tree and hid. He could just see Dax on the other side of the road. They waited and then Arkhan heard heavy foot steps  followed by heavy breathing and snarling.

"da ain't no humies here ya stoopid lump!"

"I tell you da is" a huge crack was heard "Right let's go" 2 green humanoid figures trudged into view, they were around 6 to 7 feet tall, green and slabs of muscle. There faces were grotesque with 2 tusks protruding from their mouths. They wore bits of armour hanging loose over their body. They carried large imposing guns and were festooned with bullets. Arkhan gripped his Las pistol tight and drew his knife. The 2 Orks walked past Dax and Arkhan unaware. Arkhan waited for more Orks but none came. Dax stepped out of the foliage and raised his Las rifle, Arkhan stepped out and raised his las pistol. 

*Snap!! *

Dax stopped in horror as he stepped on a branch, the Orks swung round. Arkhan sprinted forward, he wasn't the biggest man but he had learned in the Hive bursts of aggression and attack catch many an opponent out. Human opponent that is.... The ork bellowed and raised his gun. Arkhan peppered the Ork's face with Las shots. That would have downed any normal man Arkhan thought but the ork just seemed slightly annoyed by it more that anything. It bought Arkhan a valuable second though he dived past the ork who swung his gun at him but Arkhan avoided the swing and stabbed his knife deep into the Orks knee. The ork howled in pain and collapsed down onto its knees grabbing at the knife hilt , Arkhan shoved the Las pistol virtually into the Orks ear. He emptied the  pistols energy pack and the ork slumped to the ground. Arkhan breathed deep lungfuks of air, it had been so long since he'd had to fight like that, he was glad he hadn't lost some of his edge but it wasn't over yet. Dax was unloading his Las rifle into the ork who was charging forward. Arkhan noted the Las rifle was at least doing more damage than his pistol. The ork Dax was facing had a smaller gun (Smaller in comparison to their guns Arkhan thought it was still massive) and an axe. It first at Dax who duck and the ork swung its axe. Dax raised his Las rifle to block the blow and a loud crack was heard as the metal shattered the rifle but it stopped the blow. The ork raised the axe again as Dax desperately crawled backwards against a tree, fear was all over Dax's face as the ork swung down. Arkhan charged, he probably should have run and left Dax but these people had accepted him without question as long as he worked hard. Getting away from the gang after Razor wasn't easy and he wasn't gonna throw it away. He crashed into the ork in his head the ork would have gone flying to the ground but in reality the ork stumbled sideways but not down. It did how ever drop its axe, it turned to face (well look down at) Arkhan its face full of evil intent and  drool dripping from its mouth. The ork punched Arkhan who dropped like a brick. He had taken hundreds of punches but nothing like that his, his face exploded in pain and all the air left his lungs. The ork loomed over Arkhan grinning madly then its face exploded in a plume of dark red blood. The body totterred as if it still wanted to fight but then it crumpled to the ground. Arkhan was stunned he looked around and saw Dax holding a smoking stub pistol. 

"Those were Orks Arkhan" he said. "throne how do we fight more than 2 of these?!" Arkhan asked as he climbed to his feet. 

"We need bigger  guns is how. Let's catch up with the others" Dax said. The 2 walked up the trail towards Over View Peek