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Da Isle Of Doom Chapta 4 | |
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Chapta 4 |
The handful of helicopter like craft that Hazug had been able to get Warboss Kromag to assign to this expedition were lashed down to the flat upper deck of Frurgen’s ship, occupying a small portion of the area available. With a large open space behind it one of the orks unit commanders, a Goff nob by the name of Druken decided that made a suitable spot for a parade ground and each day he had his troops marching up and down it. Normally orks did not bother with such things, not even Blood Axes who were the most similar to humans in their outlook on military tactics. But Druken was in charge of a unit of stormboys. These orks formed an elite group of shock troopers within ork society, entering battle with powerful and highly unstable rocket packs strapped to their backs. For the purpose of the drills however, they left their rocket packs stored below decks. On the final day of the voyage Hazug ordered that all of the nobs and oddboy specialists were to gather on the upper deck to hear his plan for landing on the island and as Hazug and his servants walked out into the open air they saw that Druken was drilling his troops again. However, this time Thuggrim and the other madboys were also on deck, watched closely by Drazzok. For some reason Thuggrim had decided that Druken had the right idea and now had the madboys lined up rows that were not quite as straight as those of the stormboys. “Hazug!” Drazzok called out and he waved Hazug towards him, “Come watch dis. Ya won’t regret it.” “Left turn!” Druken shouted and all the stormboys promptly turned to face to their left, stomping their feet when facing in the right direction. “Left turn!” Thuggrim repeated with a smile and the madboys all turned through ninety degrees, though not all in the same direction, “Nah, I said left.” He added and the madboys all turned to face the opposite direction. “Eyes front!” Druken yelled, doing his best to ignore the madboys and his troops turned back to face him while the madboys also did the same thing. “Dey been
doin’ dis for ages.” Drazzok said as Thuggrim yelled at the madboys in an
attempt to get them turn back around until one of them suddenly gave out a
shout. Hazug just shook his head and noticed more orks coming on deck. “We don’t ‘ave time for dis.” Hazug said and then he raised his voice to address all of the orks on deck, “All right den, everyone gather around and I’ll tell ya all wot we is doin’ ‘ere.” And he handed the rolled up map of Selus to Sophie, “’Old dis up da pair of ya.” he said to her and Salia. Then as the two young women unrolled the map and held it up between them Hazug looked at the orks now gathered on the deck of the ship. Frurgen himself was present, skulking near the back plus fifteen other nobs if Thuggrim was counted. Then there were the oddboys that consisted of Drazzok, eight mekboys of various ranks, a single painboy with his gretchin medical orderlies and two runtherds present to manage the gretchin labourers that had been sent to support the expedition. “Dis is Da Isle of Selus.” Hazug announced, pointing to the map, “For dem amongst ya with good eyes ya’ll just about be able to see it over dare now.” And he lifted his other arm to point ahead of the ship to where the dim outline of land was just about visible on the horizon, “Now dis place ‘as got some big fungus deposits underneath it and da big boss wants ‘em turnin’ into fuel.” “So we is goin’ drillin’ den?” one of the younger mekboys asked. “Nah.” Hazug replied, shaking his head, “Da boss already sent a load of lads under a boss called Grath to do dat, but dey didn’t send back any fuel like dey was supposed to. Da boss wants us to find out why.” Hazug then pointed at the map again, indicating two places marked on it,” We’ll land ‘ere and ‘ere.” He said. “’Ow ya gonna land at dat first place?” a nob asked, “It aint on da coast. Da ship can’t get dare.” “Dat’s one of da drillin’ rigs.” Hazug replied, “I is gonna take a bunch of lads in da warkoptas dare, with da dethkoptas to back us up. Da rest of ya will land ‘ere where dare’s an old human dock.” “Gits?” another nob exclaimed and he stared at Sophie and Salia, “Is dat why ya brought dem two? So we can practice killin’ gits before we land?” Hazug growled. “Lay an ‘and on ‘em and I’ll makes ya eat it.” He said, “Den when it comes out da other end I’ll feed it to ya as dessert. Goddit?” and the nob nodded, allowing Hazug to continue with his briefing, “Now dare aint no humans dare any more. Dey aint been dare in along time. My plan is for us to take control of dare old docks and one of da drillin’ rigs straight away. If anyone tries to stop us takin’ da rig den I reckon dat we can get our wagons dare quicker from da human dock dan Grath can get ‘is dare from ‘is fort. From dare we’ll move onto ‘is fort and find out why ‘e aint sent any fuel back. If ‘is lads ‘ave been attacked by somethin’ on da island den we’ll join up with ‘is mobs to give it a good kickin’, but if ‘e’s decided to set ‘imself up as da big boss den we’ll ‘ave to deal with ‘im.” Hazug then looked at Two Heads, “Two Heads will be in charge of da landin’ at da docks while I is gone. Everyone do wot ‘e tells ya to. Goddit?” There was
silence from the assembled orks. As Frurgen’s ship got closer to Selus more details of the island became visible to the orks on board. Most of the island was covered in thick jungle that had provided fertile growing ground for the fuel bearing fungus beds. Further north the terrain became hilly and three mountain peaks protruded from out of the jungle, running from a point roughly central as far as the eastern coastline. The first of these, the one closest to the centre of the island was not as tall as the others and had a more flattened top. What lay beyond these mountains was a mystery to Hazug. The notes he had been given made no mention of the area and the map was simply labelled ‘’ERE BE SQUIGGOTHS.’ Hazug heard footsteps from behind him and he turned to see Sophie standing there. “They’re ready for you.” She said and then after a short pause she added, ”Are you sure Salia and I can’t come with you?” “Certain.” Hazug replied, “Ya is better off stickin’ with Two Heads part of da warband. As soon as ya get ashore ‘e’ll ‘ave Gorrid drive ya up to me in me trukk.” “You’re taking Ratish and Mayleth.” Sophie pointed out. “Yeah, well dat’s because I wants fightas. Dare aint much room in da koptas so I is just takin’ wot’s most use to me. Besides, I doubt Cuddles would like bein’ on a kopta much. Now out me way.” Hazug walked past Sophie towards the nearest of the war copters. Unlike the smaller death copters that were a hybrid of motorcycle and attack helicopter war copters used twin rotors and possessed a large open area that could carry about ten fully equipped orks into battle. Gorgoga and his mob of armoured troops were loaded onto one of them, another mob of orks under a nob called Kraglor from the Evil Suns clan. Given the speed at which the war copters would be travelling the Evil Suns mob had quickly volunteered to swap their truck for one of them. The final war copter was the closest to Hazug and riding aboard this was Mek Batrug and his mob of six junior mekboys equipped with a type of hybrid flamethrower and cutting torch known as burnas. Hazug hoped that if there was resistance at the drill sight then the burna boys would be able to advise him on how to take it intact. Finally Mayleth and Ratish were both sat on the war copter, Mayleth with her legs dangling over the side while Ratish was positioned as far from her as he could get while still being on board. “Got me
choppa?” Hazug asked the gretchin as he jumped aboard. Hazug took the weapon in one hand and held onto the war copter with the other. “Let’s go!” he yelled and the pilot started the engines. As the three
war copters set off accompanied by the five smaller death copters Two
Heads looked at the orks watching them fly off. The pilots of
the ork aircraft kept them just above treetop height to give anyone on the
ground as little chance to spot them as possible. They had been given the
location of one of the three drilling rigs as accurately as was possible.
Hazug knew that humans and some other aliens had ways of recording
locations and navigating to them that were accurate to within a few paces,
but to orks it was somewhat less reliable. Fortunately the rig was taller
than even the highest of the jungle trees and as soon as it came into view
the pilots had something to steer towards. “Da top bit should be goin’ up and down.” Batrug explained, pointing to the drilling rig, “Dat’s wot pumps da liquid fungus up from under da ground.” “So wot doe it
men when it aint movin’?” Hazug asked. “’Ow long to get it fixed?” “Dunno. Depends on wot’s bust.” Hazug frowned. If the drilling rigs were all out of action then the situation was likely to be serious. “I don’t get it.” He said, “If Boss Grath wanted everythin’ for ‘imself den da rig would still be runnin’. But if da lads was attacked when why wasn’t da rig smashed up an’ all? Batrug, make sure ya lads gets to it quick and find out why it stopped.” “Goddit.” Batrug replied. The death copters flew straight over the drill sight, their riders casting their eyes downwards for signs of anything to shoot at. Meanwhile the three war copters descended and as they touched down the orks aboard them jumped to the ground. “Get to da rig!” Hazug bellowed before he added the traditional ork war cry, “Waaargh!” With Mayleth ahead of them, the small ork force rushed towards the drilling rig and the tiny cluster of huts that surrounded it. Immediately Hazug was struck by the lack of damage to either the rig or the huts, it was as if the orks that were supposed to be here had simply left without taking the rig with them. There was a sudden crash as Gorgoga’s mob reached the nearest hut and kicked open the door while Kraglor’s troops ran past to the next one. “Mayleth!” Hazug shouted, “Check da perimeter!” and then as the eldar woman turned to circle around the outside of the camp Hazug joined Batrug and the burna boys in heading for the rig itself, with Ratish following close behind. The burna boys came skidding to a halt and surrounded the drilling rig as Mek Batrug began to inspect the machinery. “Wot’s up with it?” Hazug asked. “Outta gas.” Batrug said, a confused look on his face. “But doesn’t dis thing pump da stuff up from under da ground?” Hazug asked, “Is dare none left down dare?” “Wot dis pumps up is da liquid fungus.” Batrug said, “And dat aint fuel. Us meks ‘as to separate it out into all of da different stuff wot we use. But da rig itself needs some processed fuel sod at it can keep runnin’. It’s just like any other machine ya see and dis aint got none.” “Ratish find fuel ‘ere master.” Ratish called out and Batrug and Hazug saw the gretchin clinging onto the side of one of a collection of fuel drums nearby and peering inside. “So dare was fuel for da pump, but it didn’t get put in.” Hazug said, “So dat means dat dare mustn’t ‘ave been anyone left to do it.” “Left after
wot?” Batrug asked. “Nothin’.” Kraglor replied, “Dare aint no-one ‘ome if ya asks me.” “Dat’s wot I thought.” Hazug then said to Batrug, “Well let’s just ‘ope dat two Heads gets da rest of da lads ashore and we can go see if Grath’s at ‘ome. Someone’s got some explainin’ to do and I reckon dat ‘e’s da best one to ask.” |
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