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Da Isle Of Doom Chapta 15 | |
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Chapta 15 |
“Ya don’t expect me to get on one of dese things does ya?” Drazzok said, looking at the warcopter. “Yeah I does.” Hazug replied, “I wants to get to dat airbase and back before it gets dark, so dat means flyin’ dare.” “Really? And wot’s supposed to ‘appen when I can’t channel me power into da ground?” the weirdboy asked, poking at the ground with the base of his copper staff, “Dat thing aint big enough to store much in.” “Oh ‘e’s thought of dat.” Mek Batrug announced as he approached the pair from behind with a length of chain coiled up over his shoulder, “Just chuck dis over da side and it’ll provide a short cut to ground.” And he placed the coiled up chain on the warcopter, winding one end around part of its frame. “Besides,” Hazug added, “da only other orks aboard dis copta’ll be me and da pilot. Ratish’ll be aboard an’ all but grots don’t channel all dat much power does dey?” “So ‘ow come I saw Thuggrim and a couple of ‘is lads packin’ stuff for da trip?” Drazzok asked, “Where dey gonna be? “With me and
da burna lads.” Batrug answered, “Dare’ll be room for five of
‘em.” Drazzok clutched his staff in both hands and leant on it. “Well I aint goin’.” He said and he nodded to reinforce his point. “Hazug we’re ready.” Sophie’s said as she, Mayleth and Salia arrived. “Wot dey doin’ ‘ere?” Drazzok asked “Dey is comin’ with us.” Hazug said, “I wants as many pairs of eyes as I can get and dey aint greenskins, dey won’t make ya ‘ead explode.” Then he looked to his human servants who were busy tying a length of rope to the warcopter so that they would have something to secure themselves with, “Where’s Ratish?” he asked. “He’s leaving
Cuddles with Two Heads.” Salia replied. “’E may be useful, but I don’t reckon dat ‘e’ll take too well to flyin’.” Hazug replied. Drazzok
frowned. “Wot’s da matter?” Batrug whispered to Drazzok, “Is ya sayin’ dat dem two gits and dat pansy is braver dan ya is?” Drazzok’s frown deepened. “Get outta me way.” He said to Batrug, then addressing Salia he added, “Wotcha waitin’ for? ‘Elp me up.” The three warcopters sped towards the location of the airbase with the one carrying Hazug in the lead position and the other two following in a rough ‘V’ formation. Needing no roads they flew in a straight line. “When ya sees da airbase I wants ya to circle around it.” Hazug yelled at the pilot, “Make sure dat ya keep ya distance. I don’t want anyone dare spottin’ us.” “What do you expect to find there my master?” Mayleth asked loudly. “I aint sure.” Hazug replied, “But I reckon dat dare’s an ‘ole load of lads dare.” “But there’s less than thirty of us.” Sophie commented, “How are we supposed to fight a large force of orks?” “Especially if
they have tanks.” Salia said, “We’ve only got that miniature rocket
launcher on your rifle and the one that Gorgoga’s squad has. Oh plus
Gorgoga’s claw I suppose. But that’s not much against lots of
tanks.” Drazzok remained silent and Sophie noticed that the weirdboy was looking decidedly unwell, clearly not suited to flying. “Dare it is!” the pilot yelled, waving his arm at the ground. Hazug looked down and saw the remains of the airbase, its buildings in ruins. The airbase was built on the coast and he could see movement near the water. Taking out the tau viewing device, he zoomed in on the area and saw numerous gretchin scurrying about, some of them in groups dragging tree trunks between them to where something was being constructed. “Take us down.” Hazug ordered the pilot, “Set us down on da beach dare.” The pilot nodded and angled the aircraft’s nose down. Behind it the other two warcopters follow suit and before long the three aircraft were settling down above the beach, the down blast from their engines throwing out clouds of sand. “Out me way!” Drazzok snapped, leaping down onto the ground before anyone else aboard the warcopter could. “Wait ‘ere.” Hazug told the pilot of the warcopter as the rotors slowly wound down, “But if ya ‘ears a lot of shootin’ den come and ‘ave a go at whoever we is fightin’ form da air. Now I means a lot, not just a few shots. Goddit?” “Goddit boss.” The pilot replied with a nod. “Right den listen up!” Hazug yelled as the other orks began to gather around him, “We is gonna march to da airbase and ‘ave a closer look. I just spotted a bunch of grots from da air, so da ork lads is probably ‘idin’ somewhere. I wants ay all to keep an eye out for ‘em. Any questions?” The gathered orks remained silent. “Good. Den follow me. Oh and no playin’ dem squig pipes. We needs to keep quiet.” With Hazug taking the lead, the small force then began to make its way up the beach and into the jungle, heading directly towards the airbase. Hazug kept his rifle tucked into his shoulder, ready to fire should a target present itself and behind him Sophie and Salia copied his stance with their lasguns. Unlike the denser jungle further inland the undergrowth here was sparse and there was no need for the party to clear a path towards the airbase. “Careful around ‘ere lads.” Batrug cautioned his flamethrower equipped troops, “Don’t go usin’ ya burnas unless ya is sure dat ay won’t set us all on fire as well.” And he waved a hand at the dense undergrowth they were picking their way through. “Pah!” Drazzok exclaimed, “Dat’d be just like a mek, settin’ fire to da same bit of jungle dat ‘e’s stood in.” “Pah!”
Thuggrim repeated. “Pah!” went yet another and then the final two joined in. “Pah!” “Pah!” Thuggrim then said again. “Pah!” “Shuddup!” Drazzok shouted, “Hazug said ‘e wanted quiet.” And then he looked at Hazug and grinned as the Blood Axe glare at him for making so much noise. As soon as Hazug spotted the airbase through the trees he held up his hand for the group to halt. “Da air base is right ahead.” He said, “Spread out and stay ‘idden.” Hazug then got down on his hands and knees and crawled forwards, halting at the very edge of the jungle, setting down his rifle and reaching for the tau viewing device again. The damage to the airfield appeared more severe than either the human built docks or the fortress at the base of the volcano, with almost every building having been reduced to piles of scattered rubble. Only the concrete used to provide stable landing spots and runways for the human aircraft had prevented this placed from being overrun by the jungle since it was destroyed, but even this had suffered from whatever had destroyed the buildings and clumps of plant life could be seen poking through breaks in the concrete. Hazug also spied the mangled and rusted remains of several human aircraft, some the twin tailed military troop carriers he had encountered both during battle against and when trading with the humans of the Imperium and others with the look of larger transport craft. But his attention was quickly drawn to the groups of gretchin dragging tree trunks to where others were cutting it to shape and assembling something. Something big. “Wot does dat look like to ya?” he said to Batrug, pointing at the construction. “Dunno.” The mekboy replied, “I can’t make it out from ‘ere.” “’Ere, take dis.” Hazug said, tossing him the viewing device. Batrug placed it against his eye and looked at the construction. “Hmmm.” He said, “Dat’s odd.” “Wot is?”
Hazug asked. “It’s a boat?”
Hazug commented. “Why build a boat here?” Sophie asked, “Wouldn’t the docks have been better?” “Nah.” Batrug said, “Ya needs loads of room to build da ‘ull for a boat dat’ll take a few ‘undred lads like dis one. Dare wasn’t any room on shore at da docks.” “But why build a boat at all?” Salia asked. “Aint it obvious?” Drazzok said, “To get off dis island.” “Good answer oh great one.” Thuggrim said and he looked round at the other madboys and smiled. Then his face fell and he suddenly exclaimed, “Squig!” Instantly all of the madboys looked back into the jungle and aimed their weapons, remaining motionless. “’Ere we go again.” Drazzok said as he looked around, “Look dare aint no – Squig!” and he pointed as his eyes widened. Immediately the rest of the group looked around to see the bulk of a massive squiggoth slowly making its way through the jungle. “Master what should we do?” Ratish asked, clutching his pistol tightly. “Everyone stay still.” Hazug said quietly, “Maybe it won’t notice us.” The squiggoth
continued to make its way through the jungle towards the group, though it
gave no indication that it had seen them. But then it stopped and its
nostrils twitched as it sniffed the air. Orks rarely bothered with bathing
and it became immediately apparent that it had caught the group’s
scent. “Sounds good to me.” Drazzok agreed. “Okay den.” Hazug said and then he paused for a moment, “Wait no. Da burnas.” “Wot about
‘em?” Batrug asked. “And where exactly does we want it to go?” Drazzok asked. “Dat way.” Hazug answered and he pointed to the boat that the gretchin were slowly putting together. “Okay lads, ya ‘eard ‘im.” Batrug said, “Set ya burnas for short blasts and for Gork’n’Mork’s sake don’t go setting da trees on fire.” The flamethrower equipped junior mekboys adjusted their weapons accordingly and short yellow flames appeared at their muzzles. “Good.” Hazug said now we needs to get a couple of ya around behind dat thing.” “Skrath and Knurruk go.” Mek Batrug ordered and two his troops rushed around behind the squiggoth, apparently without attracting the creature’s attention. “Okay now!” Hazug yelled, “Send it dis way.” And the two orks let loose with their flamethrowers. The squiggoth roared and reared up briefly onto its hind legs as the flames washed over it. The ground shook as it dropped back down onto all fours and charged headlong through the jungle, directly at the rest of the group. “Move!” Hazug snapped and they scattered out of the squiggoth’s path. “Gurrick look out!” Gorgoga called out to one of his troops. The armoured ork had run the other way from the rest of the group and as the squiggoth continued on its rampage he found himself still in its path. Instinctively the ork raised his shield above his head, but the thick sheet of metal did nothing to protect him as the enraged squiggoth brought it’s foot down on the unfortunate ork and crushed him in an instant. “It’s ‘eadin’ right for us!” another of the burna boys yelled and he raised his flamethrower, aiming for the squiggoth’s head and letting loose a blast of fire. “Harknock no!” Mek Batrug yelled, but its too late and the squiggoth charged the flamethrower-equipped ork, opened it mouth wide and took hold of him between its jaws. Harknock screamed, his legs flailing about briefly as the suiggoth bit down and cut him in half. As Harknock’s legs dropped to the ground the squiggoth threw back its head to swallow the rest of the ork along with his bulky flamethrower and there was a dull ‘crump’ as the volatile chemicals contained in its fuel tank ignited inside the squiggoth, causing flames to erupt from its mouth and nostrils. The squiggoth roared again and ran, bursting from the jungle and charging directly towards the gretchin workers and their half built boat. “Now dat’s wot I calls ‘artburn.” Drazzok commented as they watched the squiggoth run, scattering the panic-ridden gretchin as soon as they heard it’s roar. “So will that destroy the boat?” Sophie asked. “Maybe.” Hazug replied. “Or maybe not.” Mek Batrug added, “Look. Tankbustas.” And he pointed towards one of the ruined buildings. From within this a small group of orks armed with rocket launchers had emerged and they formed a single row to aim their weapons at the squiggoth now bearing down on them. Calmly, the orks waited for the creature to come within range and simultaneously they fired a volley of rockets. Two of the five explosive projectiles went wide, dropping back to the ground before detonating. But the other three found their target. One hit the side of the squiggoth’s head, taking out an eye and tearing open its cheek to expose its teeth and jawbone while the other two both struck its left foreleg where one of them exploded against its kneecap. The squiggoth let out a shriek of pain as it collapsed, sliding forwards under its own momentum until it came to halt, thrashing about in pain as it tried unsuccessfully to get back to its feet. The rocket-equipped orks reloaded their weapons and as one they fired a second volley at the squiggoth, this time all five streaking into its exposed belly and blasting it open. Immediately the gretchin cheered and leapt up and down in celebration before some of them rushed up to the corpse of the squiggoth and began to cut chunks of flesh from its bones. “Now dat’s just not right.” Gorgoga said, “Did ya see ‘ow dem lads acted?” “It looked pretty well practiced to me.” Salia said. “Well practiced?” Gorgoga exclaimed, “Dey just sat and waited when dey could ‘ave been shootin’ dare rokkits.” “’E’s right.” Hazug added, “Dey was actin’ just like da lads at da fort did. Like dey wasn’t takin’ any enjoyment out of fightin’.” “Dat aint natural.” Gorgoga said, “Ain dat right Drazzok?” and he looked towards the weirdboy who was still staring towards the airbase and its defenders who were now calmly returning to their hiding place, “’Ere Drazzok, I asked ya a question.” Gorgoga added, “Did dat look right to ya?” “No.” Drazzok answered without looking away from the airbase, “Nothin’ down dare looks right at all.” “Wot’s wrong”? Hazug asked. “I can see it.” Drazzok said, “I can see everythin’.” The weirdboy then lifted his staff off the ground, limiting how much of his power would drain away through his own body and watched the orks heading back into the ruins. Drazzok’s sensitivity to the gestalt psychic field of the greenskins allowed him to sense the connection that each and every member of the various sub species had with it and right now he could see that something was interfering with the link between the psychic field and the ork tankbusters. Instead of what normally looked to him like a faint green haze around the orks’ heads he saw was seemed to be a pale blue ribbon of energy that stretched from the orks to another of the ruins and in there something was producing a tremendous amount of psychic power. “It’s in dare.” He said, scowling, “Kill it. Kill it now!” and he reached out to try and snatch Hazug’s rifle form him. “Wait!” Hazug snapped, pushed the weirdboy’s hand away, “Now tell us exactly wot ya can see down dare.” “Its dem lads.” Drazzok explained, “Dare’s something’ controllin’ dare brains.” “’Ere, “ Mek Batrug said, interrupting, “didn’t dat lad Nurgank say dat ‘e didn’t know anythin’ about wot ‘e’d done?” “Dat’s right ‘e did.” Gorgoga said, “Den again I only ‘eard ‘im say it after Mayleth ‘ad kicked ‘im in ad ‘ead a few times. I figured she’d just knocked da memory out of ‘im.” “So ya thinkin’ dat maybe ‘e really didn’t know anythin’ because ‘e was bein’ forced to do it somehow?” Hazug said and he looked at Drazzok, “Well? Does dat sound like it could ‘appen to ya?” “’Ow da bleedin’ ‘ell should I know?” Drazzok snapped, “Look, dares’ somethin’ odd down dare. Now is ya gonna go and kill it or is ya plannin’ on addin’ another pet to ya collection?” and he waved a hand at Hazug’s servants. Hazug ignored the jibe and looked back at the airbase, observing it through the tau viewing device again. He adjusted the magnification to its maximum, hoping to pick out some signs of movement that would give him a clue as to what they were facing. But it seemed that every last one of the orks defending the airbase were keeping well hidden. Had they been Blood axes then Hazug could have believed that this behaviour was normal, but he knew that he was the only one of his clan remaining on the planet and he knew just how difficult it was to get other orks to act stealthily. The conclusion was that there was something else at work and according to Drazzok it lay within one of the ruins. “Right den,” he aid as he returned the device to his belt, “dis is wot we is gonna do. I wants Gorgoga and ‘is lads to sneak up on dat buildin’ dare where we saw da tankbustas go in. Make sure ya keep out of sight though. Its probably bets if ay all ‘ide behind wot’s left of dat wall next to it. Goddit?” Gorgoga threw a glance at his troops and then nodded. “We goddit.” He saw. “Good. Now Batrug I wants ya to take ya burna lads around da far side of dat boat dem grots is makin’. Make sure dat ya is in range of it for ya burnas.” “Nice one.” Batrug said, he and his troops all grinning as they realised they were going to get to set something very large on fire. “Now
Thuggrim-” Hazug then began. “Good. Ya is to stay ‘ere with ya lads.” Hazug said and Thuggrim’s face fell. “Aww. Dat’s not fair.” He said. “Everyone else will be comin’ with me.” Hazug said, ignoring this, “we’ll ‘ead down to dat ruin where Drazzok reckons dare’s somethin’ ‘idin’.” “No reckonin’ about it.” Drazzok said, “I knows dare’s somethin’ ‘idin’ in dare.” “Well we is gonna get right up close to it.” Hazug explained, “Den we’ll give a signal to Thuggrim and ‘is lads and I wants dem to make as much noise as dey can.” “We can do dat.” Thuggrim said his face now beaming. “And dat’ll be da signal for Batrug and ‘is burnas to light up dat boat.” Hazug said, “Now I reckon dat ball dat is bound to draw out all da lads protectin’ dis place. Gorgoga, I wants ya lads to deal with ‘em. But try not to kill ‘em.” “Huh?” Gorgoga said as everyone looked at Hazug, somewhat confused, “Why not?” “Because everyone dat’s ‘ad a go at dese lads says dat when ya kills one mob, one dat’s fightin’ with ya will suddenly turn on ya and I don’t want dat ‘appenin’.” “Right.” Gorgoga said, “So wot’ll ya be doin’ while my lads is not doin’ any killin’?” “We’ll be ‘avin’ a go at wotever it is dat’s ‘idin’ in dat ruin down dare.” Hazug said, pointing to the structure that Drazzok had identified, “Wotever it is don’t like comin’ out where it can be seen, so we is gonna go inside an pay it a visit instead.” |
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