Storm Riders: The 42nd Catachan Story

The planet Catachan: Death World, barely 10% of the population make it to adulthood. Those that do become some of the deadlist troops in the Imperial Guard. Our story begins like most war stories begin, in boot camp.

The sound of revelile plays in the backround.

"RISE AND SHINE MAGGOTS!!! I am senior drill instructor Dwight T. Barnes. The first and last words I want to hear out of your stinking holes is sir, do you get me?!!!"

"Sir, yes sir." came the reply.

"BULLSHIT!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! SOUND OFF!!!"

"SIR YES SIR!!!!"

"Good, at least we're getting somewhere."

Barnes walks up to a solider and stares him straight in the eyes.

"WHATS YOUR NAME DIRTBAG?!!"

"SIR! HAWKINS, JASON! SIR!!!"

"Hawkins eh? Looks more like dogshit to me."

Barnes moves on down the line and stops in front of another solider.

"WHATS YOUR NAME SOLIDER!!!"

"SIR, BLADE SIR!!!"

"BLADE?! WHAT THE HELL KINDA NAME IS THAT?!"

"THE NAME I WAS GIVEN SIR!!!"

"NAME LIKE THAT, WHAT ARE YOU? SOME KINDA TRIBAL TYPE?"

"SIR YES SIR!!!"

"Tribal type, ALLRIGHT ALL YOU DIRTBAGS. PT, WE'RE RUNNING TOP HAVEN, BARACKS SERGEANT!!"

"YES SIR!!!"

"MOVE YOUR PEOPLE OUT!!"

"YES SIR!!"

The catachans start heading out to the field for the morning run, the camp is alive with activity. Other troops running around drilling. The group that was just woken up was in the final phase of their traning. Top Haven, the mountain on the base grounds was nothing to them to run up and down. They still had to pass "The Crucible", the final test in the traning to become full fledged Catachan soliders.

"Platoon! FALL IN!!! Right Face! Foward, March! Double Time, March!!!"

The Catachan platoon starts running in formation up the "Hill" known as Top Haven, morning exercises included runs like this one finishing up with some pushups. Morning chow was next, today, runny eggs and toast.

"Hey Blade, why are we getting something that only partly resembles real food?" asked trooper Silas.

"That's because we're up for 'The Crucible' Silas." replied platoon guide Bates.

"Hey Bates, how many got washed out recently?" asked trooper Clarke.

"Not sure Clarke, I think only two or three. Why?"

"Just wondering how many of us are going to make it to 'The Crucible', that's all." Clarke replied.

Just then the drill instructor walked in and started yelling.

"ALL RIGHT MAGGOTS, YOU'VE ALL HAD ENOUGH TO EAT!!! OUT ON THE DRILL FIELD, COME ON, DOUBLE TIME IT!!!. ECHO COMPANY STAND FAST!!!"

"On your feet Echo Company!!!" Bates yelled.

The Catachans of Echo Company jump to their feet and stand at attention.

"ECHO COMPANY," the D.I. yells.

"ECHO COMPANY EVER READY SIR!!!" the motto of Echo company rings out across the mess hall as the other troops move out to the drill field.

"GO GET YOUR GEAR AND GET TO THE ASSEMBLY AREA! YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES! MOVE!!!"

The troopers of Echo company rush back to their barracks grabbing gear they had packed the night before. Forming up at their assembly area Echo Company receives its last lesson from the Drill Instructors.

"Today, you all will embark on 'The Crucible'. It will determine if you can work together as a team to accomplish a comon goal. If you suceed, you WILL be soliders. Your test will last the next three days, and take you to the breaking point and change you. When you return....."

"Hey Blade, come on! We're moving out!" Zagar called over.

Blade shook his head, grabbed his shotgun and ran over to his squad. Just then Lieuenant O'Dell calls over to him.

"Sergeant Blade?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Take your squad and scout out sector 18 with Sergeant Carter."

"Yes Sir!"

Blade salutes and takes off toward his squad. Meeting up with his second in command, corporal Simmons.

"Simmons?"

"Yes Sergeant?"

"Come on we're moving out to sector 18, where is sergeant Carter?"

"I'm right here Blade. It's good to see you too, eh? Though this is nothing like Hisperus II right?"

"I don't want to hear about Hisperus right now Alex, let's just get out there and get out job done. The sooner we complete our tour, the sooner we can go home." Blade says.

"Roger that." Alex replys.

The two squads board thier designated personnel transports and they head off toward sector 18. Blade sits back and continues to think about the past...

"After two days of hiking, no sorry, trudging through this jungle we have come to a stand still! What's going on man!"

"Will you calm down back there, we're here." Hawkins says.

"All right, let's do what we came here to do. Hawkins, Blade, Carter; sweep the right. Silas, Bordelli, Karl; sweep left. Clarke, Juno, and Teal; strait up the center. The rest of you are with me, we'll be right behind you guys. Get moving." Bates orders.

As the soliders move to thier positions, something beyond the clearing moves quickly and quietly to observe the Catachans.

"Hold up, I saw something." Trooper Juno says.

"Where?" Clarke asks.

"Right up ahead of us and to the left a bit."

"I don't see anything." Trooper Teal says.

"Don't worry about it now, come on let's keep moving." Trooper Clarke says.

Just then gunfire erupts from the left side of the group.

"Silas, Report!? What's going on over there?" Bates calls out over the com line.

"Under attack, Karl is wounded, need back up now!" Came the reply.

"Clarke, your group is closer. Move to support, Blade move to the center and support if needed. Stern, get you group over to the right; fill in the gaps!"

Acknowledgements came back and the soliders moved to support the left flank in good order
.....

"15 minutes sergeant." the crew chief calls over to Blade.

"Roger, weapons and equipment checks."

....

The incoming fire tears up the bushes near the Catachans position, but the troops continue to press on.

"KEEP DOWN!!!" Silas yells over the gunfire.

Clarke's group arrives to help when the firing slackens a bit.

"Are they stopping?" asks trooper Bordelli.

Just then a sharp whistleing sound is heard.

"Oh shit, MOARTARS!!! GET DOWN, GET DOWN NOW!!!" Blade starts yelling.

Mortar shells start falling around the Catachans as they try to group themselves for the coming assault. Shortly after they started to fall, the shells stop.

"GET READY!!! GET READY!!!" Bates yells.

No assault came however. Instead heavy machine gun fire opens up on them.

"We're goning to get slaughtered if we just sit here, Conor, use your rifle grenades. Take out that machine gun!!!"

Conor moves up to shoot his rifle grenades. He jumps up and fires one toward the first machine gun.

"FRAG OUT!!!"

One machine gun nest is blown up, the other seems to fire even more now that the first of the two guns is gone.

"The other gun sounds like it's over by those rocks." Carter points out

"Try it Conor!" Bates orders.

Conor jumps up again to fire his grenade but a large branch being ripped apart by the gunfire hits him. Conor falls to the ground, grenade going off in another direction.

"Blade, Carter; Smoke, Smoke!!!" Bates yells.

Blade and Carter throw smoke grenades out into the clearing to try and help their dire situation.

"Conor? CONOR!!! Are you ok?" Silas asks.

"Ugh....." Conor moans. "My leg, it hurts." Conor says through gritted teeth.

Trooper Teal runs over to the fallen trooper. Teal had been selected as the squad medic because of his knowledge of the surrounding enviroment, and his knowledge and ability with local medicines. Some believed that Teal, like Blade was one of the almost forgotten tribals. Legend states that the tribals were the first people to settle on the planet of Catachan. They lived in the deep jungles where they honed their skills at stalking, hunting, and surviving. When the Great Crusade came and the planet was returned to the Imperium, the first soldiers that came from Catachan were tribal stalkers. Over the years since the Horus Hersey the tribal people were forgotten in the deep jungle areas as the people that came to be the current Catachans settled in other areas and became the troops that deployed off world for the Imperial army.

Teal looks at Conor's leg and turns to Bates.

"It's broken. Not too bad, I can try to patch it up..."

"Good, stay here with him, Juno, grab Conor's rifle and try to take out that last gun."

"YES SIR!" Juno replies.

Juno picks up Conor's rifle and loads another grenade and crawls back to the mud wall that the rest had been taking cover behind.

"Standby Juno, everybody but Teal and Conor, covering fire on my mark."

The gun continues firing until the gunner has to stop to switch barrels due to overheating. The firing stops as the gunners try to switch barrels and load more ammo as quickly as possible.

"NOW!! COVERING FIRE!!!" Bates yells.

The Catachans get up and start firing at the gun emplacement. Juno stands and fires a grenade at the gun. The grenade takes the whole gun pit out in a rather large explosion.

The whoops and hollars of the squad fill the area briefly as they move to the gun pits to secure them before they move on.

"Teal, how's Conor?" Bates asks.

"He'll make it. Luckly we're on our last day out here, he might not get to graduate with the rest of us though."

"We'll see about that. Good job Teal. Blade?"

"Sir?"

"Get the squad ready to move, 3 meter spread, no noise."

"Roger that"

Blade starts to get the squad ready to move as Bates and Teal try to get Conor up on his feet.
....

"Now we know that sector 18 is a route for the orcs to try and reinforce thier positions near the southern line. So we are running our own patrols up and down the line to see what we can do about heavy orc movements. Blade, you and Carter will take a south-eastern road. Sweep the road, and report back to HQ. Understood?"

"Yes Sir. Sweep sector 18 and report back."

"Hop to it."

....

The group moves toward the temple ruins in a loose formation watching for movement. They pass the machinegun nests that they had taken out on the way. Remote controlled, training aids used instead of trying to use blank rounds and trainers out in the field. It insured that the field training was as real as it could get.

"Right, here goes." Bates says to himself. "Blade, Clarke, Hawkins; move up. Cover them." Bates orders.

Blade, Clarke, and Hawkins start moving toward the entrance of the temple while the rest of the platoon cover their advance.

"Looks clear Bates, moving inside." Blade relays over the com.

"Roger that Blade, look alive Juno, move in behind Blade's team."

"Roger, moving." Juno replies.

Blade walks into the temple and switches on his glow-lamp after attaching it to his las rifle, the others follow suit. Even Clarke, who tries to jury-rig his light to his flamer.

Units on the crucible are allowed only two heavy weapons: Flamer, a Heavy Stubber, which is like a heavy machine gun, Mortar, or combination weapon, like a rifle/grenade launcher. Bates' team's weapon are a flamer and a combi-weapon.

"Clarke, take point. I'm right behind you, Blade, you have rear guard." Hawkins orders.

"Hawkins, Juno and his team are right behind us. Let me get the right side behind Clarke, you take the left, we'll cover each other better from a frontal threat."

"Sounds like a better plan. Juno, how far behind us are you?"

"About 100 meters and moving Hawkins. Bates is coming in with 3rd team while the rest of the platoon covers the exit."

"And the rest of the company?"

"Not sure, I think that the rest of the company is taking up positions around the temple and trying to find other ways in."

"Hawkins this is Bates."

"Hawkins here, go ahead."

"Keep moving, there should be a main chamber where the rest of the platoon will meet up. Don't worry about the rest of the company, they have their own objectives that involve this temple."

"Roger that Bates, Allright let's keep moving. Clarke, lead the way."

The three keep moving deeper into the temple as the passage way winds further and furhter. After about twenty minutes of walking the team come to a T-junction.

"Where to now?"

"Not sure, Bates, this is Hawkins. Copy?"

"Bates here, go ahead Hawkins."

"We've come to a intersection and we're not sure which way to go. You have any clue?"

"Standby, charts say that the main chamber is in the northern section. So head north from your position."

"Roger Bates, Heading north. Dropping a chem-light to mark the way to go for the others."

"Roger, Bates out."

Blade pulls out a chem-light, lights it and hangs it near the wall pointing north.

"North is that way Hawkins says putting his compas away. Put another chem-light out so the others can see which tunnel to take."

"Right." Blade says breaking out another Chem-light.

The group continues down the north tunnel until it opens up into the main chamber.

"We're here." Clarke announces.

"Right, set up. Cover any other exit other than ours." Hawkins orders.

Blade and Clarke set up behind some rocks ready for an ambush. Clarke puts down his flamer next to him and pulls out his las pistol bracing his arms on the rock he's behind. Blade levels his las rifle looking at the opening across the room. Hawkins sets himself up behind Clarke facing another opening near them. A few minutes later Juno and his team emerge from the tunnel and move to set up with Blade, Hawkins, and Clarke. The main chamber was well lit with natural light coming from skylights and what seemed like underground lighting. When Bates'
team arrived the rest of the company started to find the main chamber and setting up a makeshift command post. Bates and the rest of 2nd platoon keep to their conner ready for any threat. Just then a rather large robot emerges from an elevator platform and hidden door, the Catachans immediately react to the newcomer. The robot starts to move toward the assembled group grabbing the nearest man and crushing him in its hand.

The fight lasts almost an hour with several other Catachans getting killed from the giant robot. When it did finally topple the survivors, numbering about a hundred move to secure the machine and acess the situation.

"Looks like some overstuffed tin can." Juno says.

"Tin can that killed almost half the company." Bates replies.

Standing 12 feet tall, gunmetal grey colored the machine wasn't old or out dated but, very dangerous.

After collecting the wounded and the dead, the Catachans head back to the surface where they meet the training commander.

"Well done men, you have all proven yourselves to be called Catachans. You have all passed 'The Crucible' Congradulations."

The tired, weary Catachans head back to the base to await the next day. Most men that got back to their barracks went to sleep first before anything else. Blade got onto his bunk and drifted to sleep almost at once.

Revelie, the next day.

"RISE AND SHINE MEN, INSPECTION IN TEN MINUTES!!!"

Echo company prepares for inspeciton like every day like before. Falling out onto the parade ground waiting for the yelling and the punishment for a pitiful job the other day. Instead, the D.I. standing in front of them is not yelling and screaming at them, he is looking at them with pride and a sense of commradeship.

"Stand at ease men!" the D.I. orders.

"You all have proven yourselves and passed 'The Crucible' you are all soliders. Congradulations! You all have been selected to be in other Catachan units. Fall out to your platoon instructor for those details. FALL OUT!!!"

Echo company falls out to thier platoons waiting for instuction.

"Allright second platoon. You have all taken the skill placement tests and this is what you get: Hawkins, Infantry; Bordelli, Mortars; Karl, Infantry; Clarke, Recon; Teal, Medic; Juno, Infantry; Conor, Recon; Blade, Recon; Martinez, Fire Support; Capwell, Fire Support; Drathon, Infantry; Armstrong, Sentinels; Duncan, Sniper; Carter, Infantry; Silas, Recon; Bates, Assault."
The D.I. continues on with the rest of second platoon skill placements. When he finishes he starts to tell everyone that they will all probably be put in different units.

The placement test is meant to find the skills that make up the soldier and put him in the right squad or platoon. Infantry is the standard grunt, Recon form up the veteran patrol squads that scout ahead of the main body, Assault is special and only given to one or two members of a platoon after first assignment. Assault squads are considered elite and very hard to get into. Sniper is hard to get as well, only the best marksmen ever get to be Catachan snipers, Fire Support are the squads that support the infantry advance with their heavy weapons, Mortar squads are the heavy support of the Catachan units, bringing the long range fire power to the field.

"Now these are basically set in stone, so don't try to go and change them. You took the test, you got what you got. Your unit assignments are as follows: Duncan, 3rd Regiment; Armstrong, 24th Regiment; Drathan, 18th Regiment; Capwell, 10th Regiment; Martinez, 2nd Regiment; Karl, 17th Regiment; Bordelli, 4th Regiment; Silas, 18th Regiment; Carter, 18th Regiment; Conor, 24th Regiment; Juno, 3rd Regiment; Teal, 23 Regiment; Clarke, 18th Regiment; Bates, 24th Regiment; Blade, 18th Regiment; Hawkins, 18th Regiment;"

He again, continues on with unit assignments for the rest of the platoon.

"All right, that's it. You guys have to get in contact with your units and get ready for ship out. That's all."

The platoon head back to the barracks talking about their unit assignments.

"Sounds like a large group of us are going to the 18th Regiment. Wonder why?" Drathan asks.

"The 18th saw some combat recently, so they probably needed the most replacements." Armstrong replied.

"What I want to know is how are we going to get a hold of our units?" Capwell asks.

"Probably call em' up and tell them 'Hey, I'm one of your new recruits' and then we ship out to them in a couple of days." Martinez says.

"Not really," Bates answers. "We do call up our assigned units and we give them our names and serial numbers. They should be getting our personell packets before we get there, so they'll know some about us. On our ship date we report to the First-Sergeant. Easy as that, right. Wrong, units that are away are hard to get a hold of and even harder to get to. Units stationed on permenent lines like Armageddon take a couple weeks to get there because you have to go to finalized training and then meet up with the other new guys for that unit and then, then, you get to your unit. But, we shouldn't have much trouble."

"Damn Bates, what don't you know?" Hawkins says.

Blade was looking at Bates the whole time that he was talking and something didn't add up for him.

.........

Blade shakes his head. The chimera rolls up to the drop-off point and the driver had turned to the waiting squad as the ramp started lowering.

"Good luck out there."

"Right. Thanks, you too." Blade responds as he gets up and follows his squad out of the transport.

"Emperor watch over them, we have enough martyred troops for this war." the driver says as the ramp closes.

The squad fans out in the best way possible for the patrol and starts to move through the underbrush. Silas walks over to Blade as he pulls out a map and compas.

"Are we lost already?"

"No, Sector 18 is right through this thicket. Problem is, Sector 18 is supposeibly just another thicket. Command thinks that there is some kind of tunnel network that the greens are using to bring troops and supplies up to the front and possibly the rear. I'm not sure where Carter is going to end up. Why? You afraid of missing something back at base?"

"Not at all. Just don't want to get lost again that's all."

"That wasn't my fault. Lieutenant what's-his-face told us to lead the way, Carter and I tried telling him that's what the recon teams are for sir, you should know that as much as I do. Hell, you and I were in the same recon squad."

"What ever happened to that Lieutenant?"

"Comissar Larkin shot him. Neglegence of duty and cowardice in the face of the enemy. I think that a bug finished him off."

"Oh yeah, I remember that. Hey, you remember Sergeant Bates?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"Just before we deployed with the 24th to Hesperus he talked about how deployment works and a couple of other things that you had said that he probably shouldn't have known being a recruit like you and me."

"Yeah, Come to think of it, I do remember that..."

..............

Ship day had arrived. The men of Echo company had bid their farewells to those that were shipping off to different units and looking foward to new assignments. Blade waked over to Bates before he had to go catch his transport.

"Hey Blade, good luck with the 18th, Swamp rats I think is what their called."

"Yeah, thanks, I hear that you're headed off to the 24th Waiting Death. Any truth to the rumor?"

"No rumor, Waiting Death is where I'm going. You look like something's bothering you. What's on your mind?"

"Well, back when we were just getting our unit assignments you had talked about the finer details of getting out to our units. Well, how do you know so much?"

"My whole family has served in the Guard Blade, hell, I'm told that one of my cousins is one of the sky warriors. Tell me how that works?"

"Your cousin is a sky warrior?!"
Some folklore that some Catachan's grew up with is the fact that they were a Death World, only the toughest survived. The Sky Warriors were a myth that if one proved themselves in such a way during the right time in the year, the would be selected to enter into the Emperor's elite, The Space Marines.

"So I was told, I'm not entirely sure about that though. It was probably just a story to encourage me, and......"

"Soldiers who are shipping on shuttle 1407 report to Assembly Area 9."

"That's me, I'll be seeing you around Blade."

"Hey Bates! Good Luck to you."
Blade reaches out and shakes Bates' hand.

"Thanks Blade. You too."
And with that Private-First Class Bates grabs his gear and walks toward his assembly area. It would turn out that Bates would be reasigned to the 12th Catachan Rangers, which would see several combat actions against the Tyranids.

Blade walks back over to the staging area where he and the others being sent to the 18th Catachan, Silas walks up to him.

"Hey Blade, anything from 'wonder boy'?"

"No, his shuttle is leaving. Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"NO!,.......er,.....why would I be jealous of Bates?"

"Because his personel record looks better than, say,.....yours."

"So,........he's nothing like the 18th 'Swamp Rats'."

"Do you even know what the 'Swamp Rats' are like? Because I sure don't."

"Um,.......They, uh,.......yeah, I got nothing."

"Soldiers leaving on shuttle 3045 procede to Assembly Area 17." the PA system said.

"Allright boys, let's go get 'em!" an eager Lance-Corporal says.

The troops board a standard space to ground shuttle, but instead of seats there were benches lining both hull walls and a back-to-back bench in the middle. Everything is gun metal grey, very boring Blade thought. The whole shuttle was filled from back to front. A ground tech walked back and forth checking the restraints and making sure everything was in order for lift off.

"Soldiers of the Imperium, by the grace of our most beloved Emperor, you will be taken to the stars, and become somthing greater than what you all once were. Praise the Emperor! It is a good day to be an Imperial Citizen!" the Tech Priest said as the door was closed and sealed. The tech priest then turned to the door and said a prayer to the Machine god and the Emperor, and then he said something in a comunicator to the pilot and the shuttle lurched up into the sky. The shuttle docked with a waiting cruiser in orbit and the troops filed off the shutle onto the landing deck.

"That was incredible." was all the Silas could say.

"Yeah, easy for you to say. Look at poor Drathan over there." Clarke says pointing at the very sick soldier. Blade walks over to him to see if he's ok.

"Hey Drathan, besides the obvious, you ok?" Blade says.

The soldier vomits a second time and wipes his face on a rag that he pulled out of his bag.

"Ugh,.....That sucked. How many more times do we have to do that?"

"Um,....Probably alot. I'm sure a medic can give ya something for it though."

"Ugh, great. Thanks Blade."

"No problem Drathan."

"ATTENTION ON DECK!!!!" Carter yells.
The assembled troops immeaditely snap to attention as the Comissar paces into the shuttle bay.

"My name is Comissar Gabriel Larkin, I'd like to be the first to welcome you all to the 18th Catachan Regiment. We are part of the 6th Brigade, 2nd Battalion. Currently we are leaving the planet Catachan. Get your last look of it now. You might not be seeing it for a while. For it is the 41st Millenium and their is only War."

The comissar goes on to tell the assmebled troops about the ship and their current assignment,

"Soliders, we are currently headed for the planet Hisperous II. It's going to be a long trip so you might want to get settled in. Let me see your transfer papers, so I can get you into the right platoons."

The assembled troops hand Comissar Larkin thier data slates containing their orders for assignment, just as an officer walks on to the flight deck.

"Comissar, treating our new soldiers nicely?"

"Nicely, me. You must be joking Captain Renolds."

"Heh heh. What all do we have?"

"I'm in the process of getting all that sorted out. If you and the other company commanders could get your replacement lists together and send them to me we could get this all sorted out, now couldn't we?"

"Allright Comissar, I was bringing my list to you anyway. Here."

"Thank you sir. Allright, so far 3rd Company needs some guys and looks like the 5th does too. You six," Larkin points to Blade, Hawkins, Drathon, Clarke, Carter, and Silas. "You'll be assigned to the 3rd and you twelve, you'll be with the 5th. As for the rest of you, we should be able to find places for you in the other companies. In your order information that I am returning to you indicates which part of the ship that the company you are assigned to." Larkin said as he handed each mans data slate back to them. "Go and report to your prospective companies, they'll fill you in on everything that you need to know. FALL OUT!"

And with that, Comissar Larkin walked out the door leading farther into the ship.

"Well, now what?" Clarke asked.

"We go and try and find our units, that's what." Blade replied.

And with that the six assigned to the 3rd company head toward the lift to take them to troop sections while the other troops try and get their directions for the other companies.

"Says that the 3rd is on C deck section 5, C5?" states Drathon.

"Heh, I wonder what our barracks will be like?" asks Silas.

"Probably the same as the ones that we had on Catachan, small and cramped. Just without all the vegitation." Hawkins says.

The lift stops and in walks an officer.

"Gentlemen." he says.

"SIR!" the lift echos.

"Where are you all headed?"

"Sir, we're headed for the 3rd company."

"Ah, you must be the new guys, Comissar Larkin said that we got about six replacements. I'm Lieutenant Davis, I'm the executive officer.

"Come on then, I'll show you where you guys can bunk." Lieutenant Davis says stepping off the lift.



The Catachans ran to the trench the "Glory Boys" had erected and began to help in repelling an orc charge.

"Maier, glad you could make it" Gerlucavich said.

"Yeah, K-Light Junction is secure, we won't have to deal with that entrance anymore."

"Good, listen there's a power room that we need to get to, transfer power control to our station and then destroy the power room. I've got some men ready to go, can you guys spare some?"

"Sir, I'll go." Hussler says.

"I'll go with him."

"Alright, get going." Maier orders. Carter points to some of his men and motions them to follow.

"Good luck Silas." Blade says as he watches the team of "Glory Boys" and Catachans run off.

"Here they come again!" A 'Glory Boy' yells. The heavy bolters open up, drowning out the orc war cries as the defenders repel another attack.
Meanwhile....

"Power room's over here, according to the station map." Silas says.

"Allright, lets get moving! The faster we do this the faster we'll get back on the line." the lieutenant says.

"It's under lockdown sir."

"Bypass it. Corporal, deploy the rest of the men."

"Yes sir" Silas replies. In a couple of minutes the systems are online and working.

"Conway, I got the conrols transfered."

"Good, hurry up with those charges!" Then the techs head explodes. "What the hell!"

"There!" Hussler yells firing out of one of the windows.

"We're surrounded!" one of the 'Glory Boys' yells.

"Stay focused! We blow this place and then get back to the line. Make it happen people! Move it!" Lieutneant Conor orders.

"StormBoyz!" one of the Catachans yells over the gunfire.

The Catachan is then cut down by an orc. The orc StormBoyz were the answer to the Space Marine Assault Squads. Simple, place a rocket on the back of an orc and just like that you have flight capable troops. Hussler was reloading his weapon when another orc flew in, he looks up just in time to see a bright blue flash pass him and the orc dissapear.

"Watch each others backs!" Conor yells holstering his plasma pistol and bringing up his las-carbine.

"It's no use Conway, we can't hold out much longer! We have to pull back!" one of the 'Glory Boys' says.

"Are the charges set?" Conway asks.

"Yes sir, primed and ready!" came the answer.

To be Continued...


Chapter 9: Blaze of Glory

"Good, then let's go!" Conway orders. Another one of Carter's men is pulled out of a window by a stormboy. A 'Glory Boy' runs over and rams his bayonet into the orc and pushes it back out the window. A grenade was then thrown up to the window, detonating in the solider's face.

"We're loosing alot of men!" Silas calls out.

"We're cut off!" a 'Glory Boy' yells.

"Pull yourselves together!" Conway orders. Another 'Glory Boy' is hit several times and crumples to the floor.

"Corporal, we might be staying." Conway says sarcastically.

"Yeah, maybe" Silas replies.

Then an orc with a mechanical claw flies in and cleaves Silas' back open. With a scream Silas falls to the ground twitching. A swift backhand sent a 'Glory Boy' screaming across the room.

"Hussler! get out of the way!" Conway yells as he throws a grenade at the orcs. Another orc shoots Hussler in the legs. Hussler tries to crawl away as Conway tries to hold off the orcs.

"Come on you bastards!" Conway yells firing on full auto with his las-carbine. The power cell then shortly runs out.

"click, click, click"

"Oh shit!"

Grabbing his plasma pistol Conway starts firing like a mad man until the orc is right next to him. Conway tries to reach for his knife when the orc cuts him down. Conway didn't even get a chance to scream as the sound of his grenade detonating kills another orc. Hussler curses the time delay grenade as he tries to crawl toward the door.

"Wait, I'm doomed anyway, why not go out with a bang?."

Hussler reaches one of the dead 'Glory Boy' demolitionist's and grabs the detonator. He then cranes his neck to see where the orc was, who happened to be striding toward him.

"Umie gonna DIE!" the orc bellowed stepping closer to Hussler.

"Not today greenskin." Hussler says as he rolls on to his back and hits the activation stud on the charges.

The plasma charges set on the reactors detonate causing a catastrophic explosion that could be seen for three miles out in every direction.

Back where the defence line was...

"Golden Throne! What was that!?" Gerlucavich said.

"The power room, do you think any of them got out in time?" Maier replied.

"I don't think so." Gerlucavich said.

"Sir! the orcs are charging again!" a 'Glory Boy' yelled.

"HOLD AND REPEL! FOR THE EMPEROR!" Maier orders.

With renewed vigor for their fallen comrades the 'Glory Boys' and the Catachans hold the line against the orc charge.

End of chapter 9.

Stay tuned for more addons!