Arkhans Story Part 8

 Arkhan grabbed his back pack and made sure he had everything he needed and that Sgt Helius has told him and Luvall. Spare power pack bandolier, field dressings, ration bars, knife etc. He checked his pouches and armour and was satisfied. Arkhan looked around  his squad, second squad of Marauder platoon were all checking and re checking bits of armour, straps and pockets. Their khaki green and black Camouflage armour looked very menacing, Arkhan hoped he to looked reasonably menacing as well. Some of his squad were applying war paint. Red lines along their cheeks. 2 lines for second squad.  A tall blond haired ranger walked over to Arkhan. "You ready Ranger? “ he asked, he was called Elias Adrernarn but everyone called him Eli. " I think so everything secured and within easy reach" Eli nodded, he tugged a few straps on Arkhans to double check. "Good. No fighting any big guys in this battle OK? That's not how we work, team work makes the dream work OK? “ Arkhan laughed, Eli loved quoting from trashy action vids he found on various planets. Arkhan had been relentlessly questioned on his battle with the Ork War boss even though he didn't really consider it a battle more of getting the frak kicked out of him. "How's the arm?" Eli asked, Arkhan didn't really think about it now thanks to the request from Sgt Jatar he had a superb quality cybernetic replacement so it felt no different to his old arm now. "It's good thanks" Eli nodded " try and keep the servos dry trust me I know" He knocked his knee with his knife and a metallic clung rang out. Arkhan hadn't known about Elis' knee. Keep servos dry good to know. "Will do." Eli walked off Arkhan turned and saw Luvall triple checking his kit. He went over and did a quick glance at Luvalls kit. Arkhan noticed Luvalls bandolier full of spare power packs. He grabbed it and handed it to Luvall "Thanks" he said as he put it over his shoulders. "I'm nervous... You? “ Arkhan smiled" yep don't wanna let the squad down" Luvalls face changed to a slightly happier one "Yeah me to. I've seen combat back on Panthos but that wasn't organised like this. We were fighting for survival not this" Arkhan felt the same so was relieved he wasn't just the only one. "Me to, we had some kind of order from PDF but it was just survival. Listen to the squad, react fast and don't panic. That's what I'm going for" Luvall put his hand on Arkhans soldier. "Solid plan."

"Let's go you lay abouts!!" Corporal Deacon yelled. Arkhan put his combat helmet on, adjusting it so it sat comfy on his head. 2nd squad filed out of the barracks towards the armoury. A queue formed as Marauder platoon waited for their weapons. Idle chatter filled the corridor. Sgt Helius was at the front of 2nd Squad his armour immaculate and with out scratches. Others in second squad had marked armour. Some repaired, others left deliberately scarred as maybe battle reminders. Arkhan could see Dax working with  the quartermaster handing out Las guns and Las pistols. Eventually Arkhan made it to the armoury desk, Dax smiled "Arkhan my lad. How you been? “ Arkhan  handed his chit over" I'm good Dax, good to see you. They treating you right here? "Arkhan replied." Can't complain Arkhan. You stay safe out there don't forgot the emperor watches over you " Arkhan nodded. Dax went to the armoury and returned with Arkhans Las gun and Las pistol." Thank you Dax. See you when we get back" Arkhan checked the Las pistol and put it in his hip holster.  He checked the working on his Las gun as he followed the squad. After all the training he was used to the Las gun now, so much better than any weapon he had owned in the underhive. Much better built and super reliable. The platoon left the corridors and entered the hangers off the space ship. The noise got louder, the whine of valkyrie engines, the shouts of naval officers directing troops and vehicles. Sgt Helius pointed to a khaki painted Valkyrie with the numbers 216 stencilled on the side. There's our ride 2nd squad!! " he banged on the side of the Valkyrie and the rear door lowered down. Arkhan had trained loading into a valkyrie so knew where to sit and secure his Las gun. The inside smelt of oil and sweat. 2 red lights lit the interior of the valkyrie, it was barren apart from the seats for the passengers. To his right  he could see into  the cockpit, the 2 pilots checking switches against a data slate. Sgt Helius was the last one in, pressed a button and the rear hatch closed with a hiss. Over the speakers a rasping electronic voice sounded "Hatch secure".  The nerves returned to Arkhan, he had trained in a Valkyrie all manner of ways but as they were in space he has never actually flown in one. Chatter came from the cockpit and all the lights dimmed. Arkhans stomach flipped as the Valkyrie rose off the ground.

To take his mind off the flight Arkhan thought back to the briefing. Captain Jaman had explained they were headed to the imperial World of Tarrek Beta. The governor had been lax in paying his tithes. The end result was a guard regiment showing up and being attacked by PDF forces as they landed. The regiment was a Mordian iron guard regiment, they had beat off the attack with heavy losses and managed to find a defensive position in a warehouse district. Now they are holding out against the local PDF. More worryingly the naval escort for the Mordian Iron Guard had gone quiet so no supplies or reinforcements were avaliable. The Rangers job was to drop in behind PDF and break their attack. Other units will join the assault and the planet will be retaken. Arkhan assumed they don't need to know about the naval effort to find out why the other navy units went quiet. He was after all a lowly trooper in the guard.  The Valkyrie moved sharply and there were lots of bangs and clunks. Arkhan looked around, most of the squad didn't seem bothered so Arkhan worried a bit less. Eli stuck his thumb up and grinned. The valkyrie shook violently, Arkhan remembered that's the valkyrie entering the planets atmosphere. Sgt Helius's voice crackled in his ear "Get ready. 5 minutes  till  planet fall. He jumped, he often forgot about his com bead and the voice in your ear can be quite disturbing. Arkhan made sure he had a power pack loaded and his Las rifle was ready to be used. He could hear explosions now. The valkyrie was jinking, not staying on the same course so the anti aircraft fire couldn't get a fix on them. "Remember your training, out the Valkyrie secure immediate area and then we will push forwards." Arkhan tapped his com bead to send a confirmation of order to the Sgt. The Valkyrie banked to the left and then dropped faster than normal. Bullets ricocheted off the Hull, Arkhans stomach jumped as the valkyrie landed hard. The rear door dropped and the outside world burst in. Loud explosions, gun fire and shouts. "Go Go Go For the emperor!!!", Sgt Helius yelled rasing his chainsword and charging out of the Valkyrie. Arkhan joined in with 2nd squad "For the emperor!!!!" he had his Las rifle on his hands and charged out of the valkyrie. As trained he ran to the right and lay down covering his arc of fire. They were in the middle of an industrial zone. Thankfully not a hive on this world just sprawling cities and factories. To his front he could see soldiers pointing and turning towards them. They wore grey battledress and were frantically pointing and turning their guns around to meet the new threat. Arkhan recognised them as the local PDF from the pics at the briefing. Luvall was in his left and Eli to his right. The Valkyrie blasted off onto the air leaving Arkhan and his squad alone. Well the sensible part of Arkhans brain knew the whole company was here as well but seeing your transport fly away he couldn't help but think. Las and stubber fire started to stitch the ground around Arkhan. He raised his Las rifle sight and picked out a PDF soldier kneeling with a pistol and pointing at something. Arkhan squeezed the trigger and the Las rifle pulsed, lances of light burst out and the PDF soldier collapsed clutching his chest. Arkhan felt a burst of pride! Then sadness, that was a fellow human. What could have happened to make them turn on the Guard?  Maybe that PDF soldier didn't know why either and was just defending his planet? Arkhan shook his head and pushed that thought to a dark recess of his mind. They went against the emperor for what ever reason and that was all he needed to know. His hand quickly clutched the golden aquila around his neck and then he started to fire his Las gun again. Over his conn bead he heard Sgt Helius's voice "Fix bayonets! We'll charge these turn coat scum on my signal"

Arkhan reached for his knife and attached to his Las rifle. It locked into place with a satisfying click. It had been awhike since Arkhan had been on the attack. Way back in the underhive it would have been. This some how felt more right than the clashes on the darkness over pieces of old scrap. A loud mechanical scream could be heard, several valkyrie flew across the enemy lines lashing them with fire. The enemy fire lulled. "Go go go For the Emperor!!!" Sgt Helius yelled over his com. Arkhan saw the Sgt rise up raise his chainsword and sprinted forward. Arkhan got to his feet and charged forward yelling "For the emperor!" the rest of 2nd squad were moving now also. Luvall was slightly behind him and Eli matched his running speed. The enemy had recovered now and started to fire back. Arkhan breathing heavily looked to his left and right. It seemed the entire company of rangers was pushing forward, Arkhan screamed as he reached the enemy  positions. As he approached the positions he clutched his rifle tightly, heart pounding, lungs burning with the sprint. In front of him PDF soldiers were scrambling for weapons or taking aim at the charging rangers. Arkhan shot 2 PDF troopers point blank as they raised their guns at him. He leapt over the dead bodies and landed in a hastily dug PDF position. A yell to his right got Arkhans attention, a PDF trooper his face covered in grime and sweat eyes wide with fear leapt at Arkhan knife in hand. Arkhan raised his Las rifle and his bayonet skewered the soldier stopping his attack. He made a gurgling sound as Arkhan pulled out his bayonet, the soldier fell lifeless to the floor. Arkhan took a quick second to look at the man he had killed. His uniform looked like a standard pattern uniform no signs of the ruinous powers.  Nothing out of the ordinary, wait Arkhan spotted a badge that seemed familiar but very odd at the same time. It was like an image of the emperor on thr golden throne but this emperor had 4 arms. He tapped his comm "13 this is 78 " com bead numbers were a new thing for Arkhan. In the underhive you just yelled. You were assigned a number so three enemy can't find out to much info. Arkhans was 78,  he guessed that he just got a number of an old unit member who had died.  Ann impatient voice erupted in Arkhans ear. "13 here go ahead"  Arkhan wiped dirt off his face,  "Found a wierd symbol on one of the enemy. Could be a intelligence on why they chose to attack the  other guard"  Arkhan scanned the surrounding area, las fire was still popping off but he couldn't see any enemy nearby. Seems they had broken the rear guard of units who were attack the Mordian Iron guard. Eli was about 5 metres to his east checking a dead enemy body. He must have heard Arkhans comm call. "Heard that 78" came the reply.  Arkhan assumed what ever he had noticed was nothing or passed on up the chain.  Captain Jamans voice came over the net "5 to Marauders. Push on till we make contact! Come on you apes you wanna live for ever! “ Arkhan grinned at hearing Captain Jaman sound exactly as he did back in the underhive. " Arkhan! " turned at hearing his name, he saw Corporal Deacon jogging towards him Eli and Nova in tow. Nova was the squads flame specialist, she was a tall red haired  woman, lean and athletic. They hadn't really spoke, as Nova kept herself to herself a lot of the time but Arkhan had heard she was the one to go if you need something burnt.

Deacon crouched next to the hole Arkhan had ended up in "You and Luvall follow us" Arkhan nodded, he turned and yelled Luvall to follow them. When he turned back Deacon had ripped the patch off the fallen enemy. His face grimaced he tapped his com bead "13. 12. Its confirmed" Arkhan was confused, what was confirmed? Deacon adjusted his helmet, "Let's go. Follow me"

The five moved through the battlefield pushing forwards towards what looked like store houses. Arkhan could see signs of battle ahead. Explosions, Las fire and dead bodies. They hadn't encountered many enemy those that were seen were swiftly dealt with. The rest of 2nd squad were on Arkhans left side advancing behind Sgt Helius . Eli suddenly stopped and raised his fist, everyone froze and crouched low. Arkhan scanned around to see if he could see anything. Ahead of them was a line of storehouses and factories. The Imperium forces were just beyond as Arkhan could see Las fire going out of the store houses and not towards them. There seemed to be returned fire so someone was still fighting. His com bead beeped "Enemy command post ahead" Eli reported. Sgt Helius replied "13 take your half to west I will take  my half to east. Attack at same time on my signal. Deacon signalled for them to follow him, Arkhan crouched low as they approached a storehouse, the squad flowed around it. Half the squad went one way and Deacon led this half round the other way. Arkhan followed Deacon, he could hear voices inside. Deacon stopped turned and pointed at Nova. She moved forward and Deacon whispered something to her. She moved forward a few more metres. Deacon counted down with his fingers 3....2.....1 Nova turned a corner and sent a blast of white hot promethium into the building. Screams and shouts erupted through the walls. Nova gave one last blast and moved to the side. Deacon yelled "Let's go!!" He was up and charged through the door. Arkhan followed rifle up , as he entered the room  he stepped over a flaming body,  saw an enemy rasing up from behind some kind of machinery. Arkhan fired first and caught the enemy in the face. They fell backwards  clutching their face. Arkhan charged around the machinery, the man he shot was dead clutching the cauterized wound on his face. The room was a mass of shouting and Las shots as 2nd squad piled inside. Arkhan scanned for more targets but the squad had took the room. Sgt Helius walked up to Arkhan "Good spot on that uniform Arkhan. Now we know what we are facing at least and the reason this planet turned. Right listen up everyone, they know we are here now and this is the main focus of their attack so expect heavy resistance from now on." as he said that an explosion rocked the building. Arkhans wiped sweat and dirt from his eyes. The helmet made his head sweat more than he liked and that would take some getting used to but of it stopped shrapnel or bullets he could live with the discomfort. Another explosion and a section of wall collapsed "We need to go sarge" Deacon said. "Correct, spread out  when we get outside and advance" the squad piled out of the building, Nova was in front of Arkhan as they headed for a door. He spotted something in the shadows moving. He rushed forward just as a hiding PDF trooper leapt out and tried to bayonet Nova! Arkhan managed to grab the bayonet with his cybernetic hand. The pdf trooper look puzzled that Arkhan could just do that then the back of his head exploded from a Las shot. Deacon holstere  his Las pistol "Good spot  Arkhan" he filed past Nova  and Arkhan. Nova nodded her head at Arkhan "Thanks" then she headed outside. Outside the air was criss crossed with Las bolts, mortars were landing near the buildings Arkhans squad was just leaving. The squad spread out and advanced used the factory ruins as cover. The traitor PDF were well aware they had a new enemy to fight now it seemed.