|
Waaargh! Hazug! Chapta 7 | |
|
Waaargh! Hazug! Chapta 7 |
The
squad of inquisitorial stormtroopers moved ahead of Cubrim, Jarr, Rell and
a pair of half human half-machine servitors that carried spare equipment.
The heavily armed and armoured troops made the best possible use of the
darkness to conceal themselves as they advanced through the deserted
streets of the ruined city while Jarr kept watch over what was behind
them. “Are
you certain that this place is safe?” Cubrim asked
Jarr. “No.”
Jarr replied as he looked up at the rooftops for any signs that they were
being watched, “This is where Governor Highbalt maintained his
headquarters for years. Almost right under the orks’ noses.” The orks will
have driven any surviving rebels out by no but there could be a few other
renegades, not to mention greenskins about.” “Inquisitor.”
one of the stormtroopers said softly as the squad came to a
halt. “Sergeant
Torris, what is it?” Rell asked. “Excellent.”
Jarr said and he rushed to the front of the group and looked out across
the river, it surface easily standing out against the blackness of the
land in the dark. Then he looked at what lay beyond it. Lit primarily by
the flickering orange lights from burning fires and torches with just a
few electric lights throne in lay the city of the
orks. “Gargants.”
One of the stormtroopers commented as he saw the silhouettes of two
massive walking machines in the city. “They
look operational as well.” Another added. “So
that is where we will find then is it?” Rell asked as he walked up to
Jarr. “Yes.
Or at least that’s where he lived when I was last on the planet.” The
former assassin responded. “Though
you never actually visited his place of residence?” Cubrim
asked. “No.”
Jarr answered, “But I know of someone who ought to be able to take us
there. We met briefly when I was brought back here for medical treatment
before being evacuated by Saval’s people. He lives over there.” And Jarr
pointed across the river to a part of the city that showed fewer lights
than the bulk of it. “So
that’s where the humans live.” Rell said as he lifted a magnocular to his
eyes and studied the opposite bank. “From
what I know there was a tunnel.” Jarr said, “But that’s probably well
guarded by orks.” “Then
its fortunate that we brought our own means of crossing isn’t it?” Rell
replied, lowering the magnocular. Then he looked to Torris, “Sergeant,
have your men prepare the boats.” Eh ordered. “Henner!
Forest! You heard the inquisitor. “Torris snapped, “Get those boats
inflated. Everyone else keep your eyes peeled. We don’t want anyone
sneaking up on us and spoiling this now we’re so close do
we?” The
two stormtroopers rushed back to the servitors and each of them pulled a
bulky holdall from the cyborgs’ backs that they then took to the river’s
edge. Opening the holdalls they removed a pair of inflatable boats with
built in electrical pumps. The two men activated the pumps and stood back
as the boats inflated before their eyes. “Okay
each boat carries six.” Torris said to his squad, “So I want one fire team
in each and we’ll let the inquisitor decide which he
prefers.” The
stormtroopers then split into two teams of four that dragged the boats
into the river and then climbed aboard. Cubrim, Jarr and Rell followed
them, the inquisitor and his savant joining Torris in his boat while Jarr
climbed into the second. That just left the two servitors that upon seeing
the boats deployed and the team safely aboard them strode forwards into
the water and grasped the rear of the lightweight vessel. Then they began
to push the boats further from the bank until the water became deep enough
for them to swim, in effect becoming a near silent propulsion system to
carry them across the river, guided by the occupants of the boats.
Meanwhile the occupants themselves all kept low, hoping that the orks
would not be watching for anyone trying to cross the river this
night. “I
can hit it from here.” The stormtrooper commented, lining up his
high-powered laser weapon on the gretchin. “Hold
your fire Dern.” Torris whispered, “One shot and you’ll announced our
position to every greenskin for half a klick.” “Mister
Jarr. Perhaps you would oblige.” Rell said and Jarr
grinned. Though
Jarr was no longer an Imperial Assassin he retained the weapons he had
been issued when he had been a member of the Vindicare temple. This
included the sidearm he currently carried and also the weapon he kept
slung over his shoulder in a canvas cover. The exitus long rifle had been
custom built to match his physique, so when his injuries forced him to
leave the Officio Assassinorum it had not been worth their taking it back.
The result was that he had been left with a very effect weapon. He
steadied the rifle as best he could on the front of the boat and rested
his eye against the back of its scope. The scope was the best that the
Adeptus Mechanicus could produce and even given the overcast sky he could
still see the gretchin quite clearly as it made its way along the
riverbank, apparently searching for anything that had been washed ashore
that could be sold to someone. The up and down motion of the boat made
aiming difficult, but after a few seconds Jarr got used to the rhythm and
calculated its effect on a bullet. He squeezed the trigger just as the
boat reached its lowest point, the scope lined up on the gretchin’s waist
so that as the boat rose again the silenced subsonic round hit the
unfortunate gretchin in its chest and the creature fell backwards,
sprawling out in the mud. “An
excellent shot Mister Jarr.” Rell said, having observed the entire process
through his magnocular. “And
if the orks do come across the body they’ll assume he was shot either by
one of their own or one of the local humans.” Jarr
replied. “The
orks let the local humans keep weapons?” one of the stormtroopers
asked. As
the boats neared the far bank the servitors switched back to walking along
the riverbed and as soon as the water was no more than knee deep the
stormtroopers bailed out and rushed up the bank, forming a perimeter while
the others disembarked. Then as a final act in the task of bringing the
boats across the river the two servitors slashed at the boats to release
the air inside and pushed them back into the water where they disappeared
beneath the surface. “Okay,
form here on in we are in an area inhabited by non-combatants.” Jarr said,
“And we need to keep a low profile. That means helmets off and cover those
weapons and armour. The servitors as well.” Without
speaking a word the team unrolled cloaks large enough to disguise the
equipment they carried, while the servitors stood motionless as two of the
stormtroopers draped similar cloaks over them to hide their features. Jarr
had seen no servitors during his brief visit here and the sight of the
half machine beings could potentially cause panic amongst the locals. As
it was, the stormtroopers risked being mistaken for the troops that had
supported the hated former Governor Highbalt. “So
where to now?” Torris asked Jarr when his disguise was
complete. “Actually
I don’t know.” Jarr replied, “I was injured when I was brought here and I
wasn’t taken to the police station.” “Then
perhaps we should just ask the way.” Rell suggested, “I’m sure that the
locals will be aware of where their own police station
is.” The
battlewagon was right where it had been left and following a quick
inspection Two Heads declared that nothing had been removed in their
absence. “Well
let’s take a look at dis den.” Batrug said as he made his way to the
damaged section of the battlewagon and as he looked at it he drew in
breath sharply, “It’s gonna cost ya.” He said. “’Ow
much?” one of Two Heads asked. “Three,
no wait four teeth.” Batrug replied, “Plus parts.” Two
Heads both frowned. “All
da parts is dare.” One said and then the other added, “Ya just need to
weld or nail da broken bits back together.” While
this discussion was going on Hazug looked into the forest around them. In
the dark it was easy to image enemies waiting to strike and Hazug did not
like the feeling it gave him. “Is
something wrong my master?” Mayleth asked as she walked over to
him. “Ya
can see out dare can’t ya?” Hazug asked, still staring through the
trees. “My
people have excellent night vision.” The eldar woman
replied. “Well
my lot don’t.” Hazug said, “Plus I’d like to take a look around to see if
I can figure out where dem genestealer lads ran off
to.” “You
mean to take your new troops out on patrol?” Mayleth
said. “Yeah
I do.” Hazug said and then he turned to where the other Blood Axes had
gathered and walked over to them, “Right lads, we is gonna take a look
about.” He told them. “Wot
we lookin’ for boss?” Drogon asked. “Da
lads wot attacked us ‘ave to ‘ave gone somewhere.” Hazug told them and
then he pointed through the trees, “Dey ‘eaded off in dat direction so
we’ll ‘ead off over dare and see if either we can find some tracks or
Cuddles can pick up a scent.” “Not
‘untin’ just yet.” Hazug said, “More like trackin’.” “Aint
ya bin payin’ attention?” Hazug asked, “Dare’s loads of ‘em. Even with all
Two Heads’ lads and Thuggrim’s lot we aint got as many as dey ‘ave. For
now I just wants to know where dey is.” “So
wotcha want us to do den boss?” Nugkor said. “I’ll
take da centre with Mayleth and Ratish and Cuddles.” Hazug explained, “Den
I wants all of da rest of ya to spread out either side. Keep about five or
six paces between ya so as ya don’t get lost in da dark.” Then he looked
at Thrak, “Thrak, I wants ya and dat big shoota to be next me.
Goddit?” “Goddit
boss.” Thrak answered, nodding once. “Right
den, let’s get a move on. Now where’s Ratish?” Hazug said and then he
looked around and yelled, “Ratish!” “Ratish
is ‘ere master.” The gretchin answered, appeared from inside the
battlewagon with Cuddles. “Well
get over ‘ere. We is gonna see if we can find where da genestealer lads
went.” Dariel
Thayne had been chief constable in Git Town for some time and the Traders’
Association trusted him and his men to maintain order amongst the local
population. Only once had this trust been seriously threatened when a bomb
destroyed the police headquarters and the officers not killed were hunted
down by troops loyal to Governor Highbalt. However, by entering into an
agreement to provide ammunition to the orks, the humans had obtained
weapons that allowed Thayne to rapidly rebuild his force into one even
more effective than before. The deal had also put a stop to bored orks
entering Git Town looking for a fight. Technically every unclaimed human
on the planet was now the property of Kazkal Kromag himself and harming
them would be considered stealing from the warboss. With weapons superior
to any that most of the humans on the planet had access to and the
official backing of Warboss Kromag Thayne’s job had become somewhat easier
over the past two and a half years. The only drawback from his position
was that sometimes he had to work late, sorting out the records of arrests
and punishments dealt out that day to be passed to the Traders’
Association and on occasion the warboss as well. Today was one of those
days, Thayne’s men had disrupted an attempt to steal some of the local
hospital’s limited medical supplies and sell them on the black market and
two of the arrested men had ties to the anti-ork resistance run by the
late Governor Highbalt. That meant that the orks needed to be told as well
in case they wanted to deal with the men themselves. From what Thayne had
heard this generally involved having them tossed into an arena so that a
large audience of orks could watch them either torn apart by squigs or, if
they were particularly unlucky painfully maimed by Mayleth before she
finally killed them. A
sudden knock on Thayne’s office door made him look up and before he could
give whoever was outside permission to enter the door opened anyway and a
woman in a police uniform leant around the door. “Chief,
trouble.” She said. “What
sort of trouble Kessan?” he asked. “A
group of strangers asking questions about us sort of trouble.” She
replied, “Our informant says they’ve got the look of Highbalt’s men to
them.” Thayne
jumped up from his chair and grabbed the shotgun he kept leant in the
corner of his office. “How
many have we got in the building?” he asked. “Nine
or ten.” Kessan answered, “Including us.” “And
how many strangers are we talking about?” Thayne then asked as he left his
office. “A
dozen or more.” She told him. “Feth
it.” Thayne exclaimed, “Get two up on our roof and two more on the roof
opposite. No body fires until I give the word.
Understood?” “Sure
chief.” The younger woman replied and she dashed off. Meanwhile Thayne
himself headed for the front desk where another constable was on
duty. “You’ve
heard?” Thayne asked and the man nodded, “Where’s your lasgun?” Thayne
added. “Then
go get it.” Thayne ordered, “Oh and grab everyone you can who Kessan isn’t
sending upstairs. If we’ve got trouble coming in then we need to be ready
for it.” Keeping
hold of his shotgun, Thayne went to the main doors of the police station.
Right now they had been propped wide open, but seeing no reason to offer
an attacker a clear view of inside the police station Thayne removed the
blocks wedging them in place and closed them. However, he left them
unlocked just in case anyone actually needed to come in. Then he returned
to behind the front desk and crouched down, aiming his shotgun towards the
door.
|
|
Copyright Notice The Warhammer 40,000 universe is the intellectual property of Games Workshop Ltd. The fiction presented here is a derived work. It is completely unofficial and Games Workshop Ltd has not endorsed any of it. |
Background image miniature design copyright Games Workshop Ltd
This Web Page Created with PageBreeze Free HTML Editor