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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 14:18:03 GMT -5
Fenera ducked aside to avoid a passing boulder and slid into the interior of the civilian transport, one of the four the rangers had stolen. Inside its roomy interior, they puzzled over a map of the region. Mhaldin stood at the front, leaning on his lasgun, pointing with a gloved hand at the map below.
"...sentries, advance parties, and other targets of oppertunity," Mhaldin looked up into Fenera's face, or into the cloth that hid it. "Yes?" he asked.
"I did not realize the scale of the Imperial force until now," Fenera said, "I hear rumors upon the lips of the guard that the Emperor's holy space marines are here to save us. Praise be to Terra!" Mhaldin smiled under his cloth, remembering their act.
"So have you come to deliver news of this...intervention?" asked Mhaldin, "guard forces act differently to space marines. I do not know what to expect. You, sister, have the experience."
"They will no doubt try to take the fortress," Fenera told her brother, "but the contribution the space marines make is not equal to the guard. I foresee a traditional imperial assault."
"I intend to help out," Mhaldin blurted, "whether the guard would have it or not." Fenera shook her head.
"You are a reckless one, brother. We must talk to these people, learn more." The circle of rangers laughed.
"We're dealing with the most unwashed, savage, backwards imperial force as I have ever seen," young Svva'c spat in his shrill tone. "I heard rumors that there's an ork positioned in their high command. Emperor's tears, can you believe it?" Fenera nodded.
"I would like to speak to someone of a high station, discover the meaning of that," Fenera muttered.
"Let me go," replied Mhaldin, stepping over to her. "I make a better human, sister."
"But I am the wiser," Fenera answered. "You may have experience with guard, but I am a chaplain of the Emperor. They will listen to his voice." She left.
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Post by The Refined Gentleman (M.I.A) on Jul 11, 2009 14:36:22 GMT -5
It was in focus now.
The convoy also had a few civilian transports lagging behind. Varlon ran alongside what seemed to be the command vehicle, knocking desperately on the side.
"Open up! Open up!!!"
Giving up, he noticed a group of people, tall and slender as monians. Something was...wrong about them. They however, seemed to be his only contact so him and the other monian commandos aproached them.
"Excuse me!"
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 15:27:00 GMT -5
Ducking away from the windows, the rangers held their breath. The convoy stopped itself. Fenera thought about their vehicles. They were eight-wheeled carriages, built for hauling cargo, with a single driver's cabin, a few circular windows along the side, and a roomy storage compartment with a single exit. They all were.
"You might have given us away," Svva'cke cursed. Fenera hushed him. "You might have, Fenera. Jumping out of a moving vehicle, visiting the humans in theirs, and jumping back out and coming back in here with Mhaldin isn't something most humans can do."
"I have heard enough words from the humans' mouths to change the whole plan," Mhaldin whispered. "Some small-talk with the crew, and everything was unveiled. We needed to hasten our plans to integrate. You all had to know." The knock repeated itself.
"Excuse me!" called the man outside again.
"We're near the encampment," Mhaldin whispered. "If we've been discovered, we fight to the death." He looked out the window. "Svva'cke? Ready, fire only on my mark."
Svva'cke ducked out of sight of the windows and raised his rag-wrapped eldar rifle. Turning on the "piercing" setting on his scope to see through the vehicle's metal wall, he brought the cross-hair over the human's head. Svva'cke whistled, signaling he was ready.
"Remember, only if the human understands who we are," Mhaldin reminded him. He tossed open the doors and jumped into the Imperial soldier, hugging him like a brother. This was not a sign of gratitude, but a disguised effort to push him from the doorway. Both stumbled back from the vehicle.
"I can ain't tell you what a love it is to see a real army-boy on this wasteland in months!" Mhaldin laughed. "I'm Jonson. My friends an I was looking for a place to kick back. Have you come to tell us that you're boss is letting us under his wing?"
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Post by The Refined Gentleman (M.I.A) on Jul 11, 2009 15:29:57 GMT -5
Varlon was taken aback slightly. He glanced backwards as Coraz and Valina exchanged smug looks. The colonel could only assume it was some sort of falk-strange local tradition.
"Uh, okay. Look, we're miles from the nearest imperial camp, we got something big for the armchairs. Who are you with?"
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 15:34:24 GMT -5
"I's with a band of hard-workin farmers who got bad-lucked enough to be catched up in this ork mess. We've been dropping the ones from the orkified fortress westward. We're doing it nonstop and stuff," Mhaldin replied. He pulled back from the man he was hugging so not to overdo the ruse. "You guys look like off-worlders. Whatchya gonna do with us?" He thought about his pistol beneath his robes and read the three humans carefully but as unassuming as he could.
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jul 11, 2009 15:36:28 GMT -5
Dunbar leveled his gaze at Lucan "Have you been listening Air Cav? I just said we aren't attacking a Kasr here. We're looking at maybe 150 Orks and a swarm of those little green runts they use to clear mine fields. If we didn't have to worry about Colateral damage, I would take this place with my boys and leave the rest of you fresh for the fight, but that ain't an option. Why commit so much in terms of forces when it isn't necessary? Also, I'll excuse your lack of knowledge about the Russ, since you're a flyboy, but we can't fire Nova shells out of most of what we have."
He turned to the group at large. "We do it quick, we do it simple. First Group hits the gate after the Arty takes out any gun towers. Infantry puts supressing fire on the walls, tanks hit the gate. Astartes storm the breach, followed by tanks and infantry, who mop up the inside of the fort. Second Group hits the rear gate after the show starts. Drop troops and Grendel will surpress the walls while Air Cav fast-ropes in and takes the gatehouse. They open the door, and the foot troops enter and dig in so that the enemy can't get out through the back door."
"It's fast, simple, and efficant. Low on colateral, low on uncessary personnel. Air Cav, can you take the gatehouse with two squads in Valks, or do you want three? Ma'am, we need a platoon of your drop troops. We'll have heavy weapon support fromt he Chimeras, so your boys can pack light. We'll mark a DZ for you tonight so you can be ready by morning. General, have a pair of Long Guns and your infantry prepped to go. We kick this off at 0600. Any questions?"
Reds
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Post by The Refined Gentleman (M.I.A) on Jul 11, 2009 15:38:20 GMT -5
"Do you really think i'd shoot the only living souls we've seen out here? Uh, looks like we're in the same boat. Colonel Omian Varlon, monian 37th stealthers. We were on a solo op in the mountains." Varlon mentioned briefly to the great peaks to the north. "This is Major Coraz and Sergeant Valina. You'll never meet better stealthers, swordsmen or survivors in the guard!" Varlon couldn't help being showoffy...
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Post by Kaikelx on Jul 11, 2009 15:47:04 GMT -5
"Roger that. Should I pack for close or long range? I don't wanna try sniping with a melta, or going up close and personal with a needle rifle. Even if that last one is rather amusing."
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 15:49:15 GMT -5
'Stealthers? How I'd love to test these Mon-Keigh's claims against my own feats,' thought Mhaldin. "Well, wherever yous army-boys are from, we're looking for a place to sit. You've contacts in the encampment? We're all starved." Fenera poked her head out of the truck.
"Who are they Jonson?" Fenera asked in as human an accent as her Alaitoc mouth could manage. She glided down to the sand, her face hidden totally, save the eyes, by wrapped brown rags.
"Scouts all the way from the mountains," replied Mhaldin. "I'm seeing if they can get us some help from the encampment."
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jul 11, 2009 16:20:39 GMT -5
"How about Lasguns? You got any of those?" replied Dunbar with a wry smile. "We need an accurate weapon for picking off Orks from the gatehouse, but things will probably get a little close once we're inside the gate. Pack for mid range." --------------------------------------------- Following the old NCO's instict of avoiding large groups of officers, McVane slipped around the briefing and made his way to the command Rhino. He saluted the two bodyguards standing outside. "Sgt. McVane, reporting in. I brought the Civvies back to base, if the Boss wants to talk to them." (OOC: Melissia: McVane is reporting to your bodyguards, and will lead you back to the Eldar) Reds
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Post by Melissia on Jul 11, 2009 16:29:52 GMT -5
The bodyguards nodded, the smarter-looking of the two fo them opening a vox and relaying the message. Eventually, the door opened, and the woman stepped out, nodding to the man. "Take me to them, then."
The smarter bodyguard stayed there, while the larger one followed her. As she arrived at the Eldar group, she nodded. "Thank you, soldier. I will deal with this situation as need be." Dismissing McVane, she moved up to the "Chaplain", and softly whispered the Eldar word for greetings, in a way that was surprisingly fluid for a human. "Let's go in the transports, where we don't have to deal with the temperatures of this land."
[ooc] This will be a busy weekend for me. It's the biggest reason I've given Reds control, aside from just preferring to let the players lead out of raw laziness.
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Post by Kaikelx on Jul 11, 2009 16:30:50 GMT -5
"Lasguns? Never heard of them before," replied Asis, "I'll see if I can dust some off somewhere."
She opened a comm channel to 4th platoon. Firca would do well to experience a hot drop. It was hard to explain the relations between the two. It was sort of how you would describe the one between Xiang and Nene. Both pairs had to trust each other completely, and Firca was the one who would command 1st coy if she died.
"Firca, ready 4th platoon. Gear up with snipers, no heavys."
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Post by The Refined Gentleman (M.I.A) on Jul 11, 2009 16:39:30 GMT -5
"I think so. I'm parched too. Not used to this desert stuff, ice worlders ya see."
OOC: Goodnight comrades!
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Post by Rolling Thunder on Jul 11, 2009 17:08:12 GMT -5
"Two squads? Gah, this is getting absurd. I'll send Jail's platoon in. That makes 3, plus the command element. I'll be damned if I'm risking valuable flyers by underconcentration. And I would advise you not to give me advice, Boots, on how to do my job" snapped Lucan, eyeing the insubordinate bastard of a Junior Officer. "We will clear away the orks with gunfire, and then drop in. 4 Platoon will act as tactical reserve, 1 and 2 will be sitting back here, ready to pull your hide out of the flames if things get too warmish for your liking. Now if you'll excuse me, I have replacements to press-gang from those civillians. Good day." He concluded, another idle salute, and faded back into the darkness.
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 19:08:16 GMT -5
"Stealthers," Mhaldin said to himself. They had gotten back into their vehicles and were now, at last, coming up on the encampment and a promise of living somewhere other than the burning desert.
"I am glad the meeting could conclude without having to spill their blood," added Fenera. The guns of the encampment had not laid the eldar to waste. Thus, they were so far clean.
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Post by Melissia on Jul 11, 2009 20:42:53 GMT -5
Getting into the vehicle with the Eldar, the Rogue Trader frowned a bit. She began speaking the most fluent Eldar that any present had ever heard coming out of a woman-- though like any human, she spoke it with a bit of a rough and simplistic dialect, it was an admirable attempt to say the least. Her voice was quiet, ensuring that it wouldn't be heard through the hustle of the military base.
"I am Rogue Trader Melissia. I do not know what you are here for, but it is for your best good that you maintain your disguises and work with me. After this is over, I can transfer you somewhere else via my own fleet, where noone will ask any questions regarding having non-humans on board. If you do not, I guarentee you that eventually your disguises will be found out. Humans are, if nothing else, ever-vigilant out of necessity, for enemies surround us from both without and within. You will find that most humans in this system do not share the desire to work with other races that I am expressing now."
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jul 11, 2009 21:18:19 GMT -5
Dunbar smirked as the Air Cav officer walked off in a huff. "Well, it seems Mr. Fancy Jacket doesn't know how to play nice with others.' he said to no one in particular. He glanced sidelong at the Ork Kommissar. "I wouldn't call that insubordination, though, for the record. He's just a little urined that he isn't getting as much glory as he wants. No need to bash his head in."
He looked at the officers "Now, does anyone else want to stomp their feet and whine like Mr. Fancy just did, or can we get on with it?"
Reds
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Post by Kaikelx on Jul 11, 2009 21:23:39 GMT -5
"Mr. Flyboy's never seen us in action, has he? Ah well, Firca'll probably just let him charge to his death while she gets on with depressing the Orks. Oh yeah, who's our commissar? Can't really see him through a vox link....."
Meanwhile, Asis knew that Firca was getting her soldiers ready. They always spent their time before a mission refining and checking their equipment. The designated snipers would probably riot if they couldn't have their own personal time to check up their eqiupment......
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Post by Melissia on Jul 11, 2009 21:49:24 GMT -5
"I wouldn't call that insubordination, though, for the record. He's just a little urined that he isn't getting as much glory as he wants. No need to bash his head in." The Ork threw a hearty laugh at that, and responded in this typically harsh common: " Hahah! I feel da same way, but boss is boss. Only thing better den a fight, is a fight where ya win, and da boss' job is to make sure dat 'appens, while our job's ta follow 'is plan." Orks, obviously, had no concept of gender, and referred to everyone via male descriptors.
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jul 11, 2009 21:58:23 GMT -5
"Damn right" said Dunbar, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Well, let's get ready to kill some Greenies." he glanced at the Kommissar. "Present company excluded, of course. If anyone needs clarification, talk to Van Dremmond. All forces are to be in place by 0545. Airborne will drop in at 0400. Dress warmly, gentlemen, it's cold out there at night."
He strode off toward the New Arnhem assembly area. Van Dremmond turned and offered a smile to the assembled officers.
"Any questions?"
Reds
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 22:07:11 GMT -5
Fenera was both surprised and dismayed. Their flawless disguise had been broken asunder already or was this woman only half-sure and seeking a confession? In her wisdom, Fenera resolved to make one last-ditch attempt at hiding.
“I am sorry,” apologized Fenera, “I do not understand you…” her denial had failed before she spoke it. Svva’cke already had his rifle leveled against Melissia's skull. “Svva’cke! I shall not see you do that,” Fenera snapped. The ranger lowered his rifle. A glint of wraithbone smiled out from between a break in the rags. Svva’cke hurriedly covered it up and shrunk glumly back into the shadows of the vehicle.
“Forgive young Svva'cke. I am Fenera,” Fenera spoke softly, "all of us here save I tread the path of the outcast. I am…” did she need to know Fenera was a farseer? Did she already know? But if trust could be built with this human, she could hold no secrets. “I am a farseer,” she admitted, “I was sent from Alaitoc to collect my brother, Mhaldin, and his band of companions.”
“Well met rogue trader,” Mhaldin whispered. “I confess, I was as irked as my companion…” he gestured to Svva’cke “to suffer your intrusion and your commendable attempt at our tongue. But my brethren and I were in faith, assured our disguises had yet to be breached.” Svva’cke interrupted him.
“How, by Khaine, did you know?” he snapped as hotly as his hushed voice allowed.
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Post by Kaikelx on Jul 11, 2009 22:09:02 GMT -5
Firca wiped her forehead. All the technological doo-dads, and they couldn't be bothered to install air-conditioning into the lander....At least they didn't have to wait in the pods. She felt the lander rise, and slowly start moving.
"This is Firca. All units, good to go?"
"1st squad! Ready."
"2nd squad, let's rock!"
"3rd squad, and why does everyone else take all the good one-liners?"
Firca recognized an attempt to curtail nerves when she saw it. Almost no one liked doing a hot drop. Except for those crazy-nutjobs over in 2nd.
"Alright! Let's show the Skull's how it's done!"
"This is Major Xiang. I heard that."
"Uh....I didn't say nothing sir....." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporal Saler kept breathing, careful not to hyperventilate. This was her first hot drop. Well, pretty soon it'd be her first......
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jul 11, 2009 22:20:47 GMT -5
Sgt. Brooke shoved the last marker beacon into the back of Walldoon's Salamander. "Alright, that's it. Don't lose any along the way, or the Stone Boys will be dropping in all over the place." he said as he shut the vehicle's tailgate. Walldoon nodded."Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm more worried about getting them all out of my Sally before they go active. I don't want anybody landing on me."
Brooke waved a hand in a "whatever" gesture and trotted off. Walldoon picked up his vox "Sarge, can we leave yet?" McVane's voice crackled back 'Yeah, in a few. Gotta get the all clear from the boss."
Off to the West, the sun began to sink lower, streaking the sky with tinges of pink.
Reds
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Post by Melissia on Jul 11, 2009 22:27:34 GMT -5
In as quiet a voice as any Ork might while praying, the ORk stated his own personalized pre-battle prayer: "May da Emp'rer watch our fight, an' may we fight 'ard 'nuff to impress 'em so dat 'e lets us win."
The Ork then took his storm bolter out and followed Dunbar, ready for battle as ever.
Speaking in Gothic now as it was far more comfortable to her, the woman simply nodded and responded, still staying quiet: "Your speech is too elegant and eloquent for simple desert dwellers and a chaplain to lead them, even with your attempts to dumb it down, so to speak. Female chaplains are uncommon as well, although not unheard of... most female religious personnel work closer with the Holy Sisterhood than the Imperial Guard last I checked. You are uncomfortable in human garb, and in human vehicles-- although I wouldn't blame you for being uncomfortable in a civilian vehicle such as this, neither properly armoured such as proper military vehicles or mobile enough to make up for it like your race's own vehicles.
Where was I? Oh right. Your features are too slender for proper soldiers, and your skin is too pale for civilian denizens of this planet, whom tend to be dark-skinned due to the constant sun. I know of the eldar webway gate hidden on the northern pole of the planet, although I thought it was deactivated. And finally, my psyker companion has been paying attention to you, as she's always nervous around others with such powers-- skilled as she is, you can probably think back and realize with hindsight that she was indeed watching you. Furthermore, Groknar-- the Ork that my psyker has bound to my service-- reconnoitered your position approximately twenty planetary cycles ago, although his scouting mission was interrupted by an Ork attack so you may not have noticed him. Seeing you in combat was enough for him to know you were Eldar and not Human, however.
Regardless, as long as you stay away from Groknar your secret will be safe. He is not bright enough to not point out what you are every time he refers to you, and he already knows what you are."
That the ork was obedient enough to obey an order twenty days ago shows just how long they've been working on that Ork, trying to force him to submit to her and worship the Emperor. The Ork will for combat is indeed quite strong to resist a skilled psyker for that long.
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Post by nicholasakira on Jul 11, 2009 22:47:27 GMT -5
"You thought the gate was deactivated," replied Mhaldin, smiling. "For one who claims to know about eldar, you take our promises too faithfully." Fenera threw him a dirty look and Mhaldin's smile vanished. It was the same gate she'd chased him through.
"If you're worried about the gate, don't be," added Fenera. "It is a narrow, unused webway path. Nothing but this wasteland stands on the other side of it, so not even the Dark Kin would use it. I came here by waveserpent. It hunts the orks now, in the desert wilderness. My brother stays now because of the thrill of war."
"The ork is a fearsome beast to hunt," Mhaldin added, interrupting his sister. "You don't know Alaitoc like I do. One moment of battle defeats a century of day-to-day craftworld life. I would rather die here than live there." Again, Fenera soured her eyes.
"But this war has us chained here. The bridges I took are gone and the land is overrun by the greenskins," Fenera concluded.
"If you can shelter my kin and I, I would be in your debt," Mhaldin quickly said. "If you have a place for me, I will take it, for I would crave a chance to slay these beasts." Fenera stormed out of the vehicle, intending to visit the other three and spread the news, but also to remove herself from her brother's prattle.
‘It’s like he doesn’t even want to go back home,’ she thought.
…
Jara'naxifus squinted through the twilight. The silhouette of the ork trukk cruised towards the distant fortress. Were he in his waveserpent, this would mean something. Looking back at his cave, he sighed and thought about the waveserpent, deep inside. To hide from orks, the cave sufficed. To hide from Imperials? Humans were smarter Mon-Keigh than the greenskinned pests. But as long as they weren't here, Jara'naxifus knew he was safe.
Slinging up his rifle, he looked through the scope and sighted the head of a greenskin inside the alien jalopy. He pulled the trigger and watched the head drop. One kill before rest. Before the orks knew what had happened, Jara'naxifus was gone.
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