Imperium - Dynasty Begins Ch. 04

He threw the creature down on the ground adding it to the other one, "The teeth are new, the claws are new. Enhanced. He has speed. It's carapace I think is tougher than normal. This is Standard Imperium Bolt Round," he loaded a single large round into his bolt-rifle and he fired at the carapace of the creature which remained unharmed.

Then he turned his attention towards a creature on top of a nearby tree, "I pray Empress and you for forgiveness for what I'm about to do," he fired another round at the creature lazily sipping sap.

The creature exploded. Its death quick and painless.

"I'll offer my body when I die," Claude bowed toward the fallen creature.

"You notice the difference. Standard ammunition is effective, though a lot of it has to be directed towards one of these. Thermo-rounds prove effective, however among these creatures one more remains to be caught. I'm uncertain at this time, but I suspect it's spying on us. How many of those are on this planet I'm unsure. I also speculate it's highly intelligent," he swallowed hard thinking what else he could say about the matter.

"That's it for now, I can't think of anything to say, unless my second-in-command remembers something. Or any of my men for that matter," Claude spoke again glancing across the valley.

He was certain something lurked among the trees. Watching them.

"Matt, double the guard tonight. I have been proven wrong, but I think we're being watched from afar," Claude jumped down from his spot.

The rest of the marines exchanged glances among each other, "I pray I'm wrong again. But I feel strange."

"Collect a sample from its corpse, we'll need it for later study," Claude added and set his weapon on his holster.

As he walked toward the camp he heard the radio crackle, "Transport ... here ... away team ... over."

"Damn this stupid thing," Claude spat, "Can you fix it maybe it's the transport convoy?"

"Certainly it'll take a few moments, sir," the man said and started to work on the helmet that one of the raging bugs crippled.

Claude shook his head, "Who in their right mind gives only one communication device? No one in the world would think it'd get destroyed," Claude spat angrily.

"I know. But what can we do," Matt tried to reason.

They spent a few moments in silence, then the man who repaired the helmet spoke, "I've fixed the best I could. The helmet is unusable, but you can receive and send messages. I've not fixed voice yet, but using this keypad will help you talk with the command if it's here."

Claude nodded briefly and took the helmet from the man, he donned it and started viewing and listening to the message. There was a video embedded in it. After giving his pass code the message played.

The video was playing and it showed a woman in an officer uniform, a chapter of marines he wasn't yet familiar with. A skull on her epaulets, she managed to project an aura of dominance across from the view screen, "To the captain on the ground, I am Captain Varosa. Leader of the Blood Skulls. I'm currently in command of a contingent of marines on our way to help you. We're still a few hours away and I think you should know we've surrounded ourselves with capable men. Help is on its way."

He took the helmet off, addressing Matt directly, "Have you ever heard of Blood Skull marines?"

Matt shook his head, at a glance from Claude the rest of the men did the same. None heard of these Blood Skull chapter of marines.

"Great, we're going to get help, yet we're not one step closer to understanding what is happening here," Claude commented.

Matt addressed his captain with a hint of fear, "What did they say?"

"Nothing much, here," Claude threw him his busted up helmet which the man doned.

After a few moments he angrily took it off and spoke, "Why tell us anything? She's taunting us."

Claude watched his second-in-command become more irritable, "Easy, she's probably just sending us a video update. She doesn't know what's happening here. We can't transmit any messages."

Heavy boots stomping toward them attracted their attention.

"Captain, you need to see this," the person addressing him was out of breath and scared witless.

"What're you on man?"

"Come quickly," he urged and ran off to the front of the camp.

All men stood up and marched out to the front. The sight that they saw chilled them to the bone.

A structure suddenly appeared above the valley. Rustic in shape, ancient and looking menacing. The structure appeared to be hovering above the place where Claude thought he spotted the creature lurking among the trees. But he couldn't be sure.

He swallowed hard, Jones still operating his helmet gazed at the structure. Claude whistled, "What in the all fuck is that?"

"Cap, I...I think it's alive," Jones spoke behind his mask.

"What? How?" Claude wondered.

"It's pulsating. It's ejecting something in the air. I think spores. Not sure." The man spoke.

"Make sure you record this. We would inspect this, but our weapons are weak, and our suits are inadequate. We shall remain here for the time being," Claude ordered, "I lost too many good men, I'm not losing more."

Matt inspected the structure, "I think it's safe to say that thing is responsible for the infection of these creatures."

"Without any ability to disprove the claim I would have to agree with you," Claude nodded, "We must secure this place. I wouldn't venture too far to inspect anything when we have so little men, so little weapons and not adequate armor. I think we can fend off one more swarm attack. Then we're going to get overrun by them. Sooner or later, if the fleet does not arrive, we'll perish. Dying in combat is honorable, I guess," he finished.

"Another wave incoming, they have flying bugs now, sir. Your orders?" A private yelled from the top of the pile of dead monsters.

"Take position's. Marines this is our final stand. Make it count. Let these monsters feel our wrath. For our every slain brother, a million we'll destroy. KILL THEM ALL," Captain Claude spoke as he climbed towards his position.

He turned and gazed at the ever growing mass of bugs. Behind them he spotted a familiar shape. He could recognize it anywhere. Claude saw it everywhere.

"Captain, what do we do," Another soldier asked, fear evident in his eyes.

Claude looked at him like he was crazy, "Fire, shoot and kill as many as you can. I want you to kill at least a thousand, nay, a million before you're allowed to die. Is that clear, private?"

"You hear me, men? A million each. Before any of you can die. Or I'll skin you alive. Am I clear soldiers?" Claude's voice echoed across the valley.

"YES CAPTAIN!" Their combined voices tore through the bugs and a ripple of noise could be seen on them, as if every bug was absorbing the sound and the meaning of their words.

Matt climbed into his tucked in spot, his rifle cocked and ready to rip through the carapace, "I shall fell, maim and kill any who approach. For, I am, a Marine."

"Aye, get ready men, here they come," Claude warned as one row after another charged towards them.

There had to be tens of thousands bugs of all shapes and sizes. The biggest swarm army so far. They ran, they screeched, they sought for the flesh of the marines. The soldiers were reminded of their vicious habit of devouring the flesh of their brethren. They became enraged.

Bullets streamed across the wall of dead insects as they started to damage one by one. Chipping away at their armor with their Standard bullets. Every now and again they would inject a precious magazine of Thermo-rounds. Empty it and then replace it with the Standard one.

A marine would now and again stop and replace their spent magazine with another. The supply box of ammunition was draining fast. They kept their relentless fire going even after some of them ran out of bullets, in the heat of the moment forgetting to replace their spent magazines. Claude smiled wickedly seeing the blood of his enemies. The insects are dying by hundreds. Innards, blood and bits of their bodies spraying all over the place.

The swarm divided its path to the sides of the large wall. Those who couldn't jump or walk on it, were left to go the long route around it. The men were ready. Finding every bug and disposing of it in the most gruesome of ways.

Matt's own gun managed to rip and tear through some of the fliers that tried to attack the unit from the air. Every other bullet would just puncture their strong armor and destroy their insides. The limp beasts would just drop from the air and limply land on the swarm.

The structure remained in place. At some point it started pumping larger amounts of spores into the surrounding atmosphere. The walls of the structure visibly vibrated as they spewed billions of spores into the air.

Claude wanted to do something about the looming doom above their heads, yet his men were busy. He was busy. Looking for the many bugs that tried to find a way through their line of defenses.

The marines were set up in two. The last line of defense was set as close to the front gates as possible. The rest were spread beneath them. All of them were carrying the Standard lazguns and bolt-rifles. All except Matt.

A sniper among the group. Trained killer who operated Mk 1 Executioner, a state of the art Imperial rifle capable of penetrating any kind of obstruction that was between the gun and its target. The drawback was its rate of fire.

Matt was certain most of the bugs in the field would explode in one hit, however, the bugs carapace was tough. Several types of fliers deflected first gun fire. But other times the rifle round would demolish the target's armor and puncture through its body like it was nothing.

The sniper in him thought it was an odd angle of shots he was taking. Yet, other times the same angle shots were acting differently. Without his second it was hard to keep track of every shot he took. In the action he didn't dare do it alone.

In the distance they saw the monster snarl their way. Matt, having higher ground, could aim his gun and fire. He took several seconds to line a perfect shot.

He fired.

The superheated bullet traveled toward its target. At impact the bullet exploded making the creature screech in victory. It's scythe-like weapons swiping in the air. The fragmented bullets formed a dusty cloud in front of its face. Matt took another shot, then several seconds later another, all of them impacted the same spot and disintegrated.

The monster's scream suddenly ended.

The creature lunged. Dashing through the swarm with speed and dexterity the marines haven't seen yet. The monster avoided its felled brethren. The squishing sounds of its heavy feet as it stomped through their blood and guts could be heard all over the battlefield. All other bugs in the swarm remained standing still.

Claude watched and it seemed every bug in the swarm was shivering in fear. The creature continued its advance. Stomping through the dead like they sullied their own goal. The creature would silence some dying bugs that couldn't remain quiet rending their flesh with its clawed hand. The scythes on its back remained unused. The creature neared the wall, eyeing it for several moments. Eventually hopping over their makeshift wall of insects and landing in front of them with a feral scream of victory.

It's long dark plate on the head swished left and right as it eyed the sides that were slowly starting to get filled with bugs. By comparison the rest of the swarm was tiny. The large creature snarled left and right. The bugs twitch in fear.

Finally, it directed its attention towards the marines hidden behind their makeshift hideouts. As if sneering at their feeble attempts of protection. The creature assumed a quadrupedal stance, swiping its razor sharp scythe in the air, daring anyone to come close. Claude noted that its hands had long skeletal fingers that had huge claws on its tips. They raked the ground they were on and huge gashes appeared in their wake. Claude and closer soldiers knew how hard the ground was every one of them hardly breathed as they saw the ease the creature left the deep claw marks.

"FIRE," Claude screamed as the creature poised to advance.

The rain of bullets kept it in place. For a few moments it seemed the creature was impervious to the damage, however, the next few moments proved them wrong.

The creature's carapace started to bleed and eventually it broke, blood spraying on the ground. The creature screaming its last breath. Other bugs charged but were kept away.

"I'm out," one marine sounded, he grabbed his knife and waited for the bugs to come.

Another marine echoed his statement and proceeded to wait for the bugs to come. Claude too left without bullets in his bolt-rifle. He took his knife and gritted his teeth ignoring the fear slowly creeping up his spine.

All marines now waited for doom to come. To bugs to charge and eviscerate them. Limb for limb.

But none would.

A deafening noise surrounded them. The explosions of blood and guts in front of them. The soldiers in their tiredness finally recognize the telltale signs of the Imperial hunter's machineguns. It tore through the surrounding as if it was made of paper. The bullets killed everything in sight. The ground shook as they tore through it as well.

The Imperium's finest were finally here.

Imperial navy aircraft. Marines silently watched as the heavy aircraft spewed bullets across the valley killing everything in sight. Their heavy gun bolters wreaking havoc upon the insects.

The structure before them eerily quiet. The cloud of jet black smoke around it. Two more supporting aircraft popped in the landscape before them. Still, they gave the structure a wide berth. Not engaging it, but keeping a close eye on it.

A small transport landed on the other side of the wall of dead bugs, Claude seeing this leapt in action and jumped on top of the wall. The rifle in his hands, ready to fire. His knees buckled from the sight. Every insect, previously alive, was now dead. The valley was full of small craters and dead bodies.

The transport door opened revealing a small group of marines wearing red armor. No one carried a distinctive mark on what ranks they were. Every suit was ambiguous. As they neared he wondered if he should even salute.

He jumped from his vantage point, their red helmets obscured who was who, "Greetings friends, thanks for the save."

The two marines in front stopped, one of them spoke, their voice augmented by a device in their helmet, "Where is your helmet, marine?"

Claude's eyebrows rose, "Broken. Bugs all but destroyed it."

Claude thought he heard something akin to a click in the helmet but decided to keep quiet the next one spoke, "Marine Codex 1-3, says, all marines are responsible to carry, maintain and repair their equipment. That's everything that Imperium had provided to the said marine during his enlistment."

Claude knew the regulations, "Marine is more than a set of rules. You know that. Besides, we're kind of fighting for our lives here. Rules be damned."

"Relax gentlemen, we're here to find out what took you so long," A woman spoke calming the two marines who were ready to rebut Claude's remarks.

"Claude Imperial Order of Marines. You are?"

The person took their helmet off and he watched a raven haired woman watch him carefully, "Captain Valerie Varosa Imperial Order of Blood Skulls. New chapter of marines."

Claude's eyebrows rose, "New? What is your mission here?"

She smiled, "Not exactly the place for that kind of talk. What I see here is a bunch of marines unable to repel a bunch of bugs."

Claude noticed some of his men approaching them, he waved his hand in an attempt to calm them down, "Yeah, well, we're happy that someone was able to handle them."

The smile unnerved Valerie, "What do you mean?" She watched the few marines that were visible, "How many of you remain?"

He glanced at Matt who was kneeling on top of the gruesome wall, he shook his head, "Eight marines alive, twelve dead."

Her eyebrows rose in wonder, "Twelve. How? Why are they dead?"

Claude kicked one of the insect bodies on the ground, "These bugs swarmed us. Every time their army would grow larger and tougher. My marines fought tooth and nail to survive. But these things were everywhere."

He took the arriving marines around the wall and in front of the larger being full of large holes, "I won't lie to my men or you. You saved us from death. For-fucking-sure. If you hadn't appeared when you did, this here would kill every one of us."

"What about that thing," she pointed with her thumb over her shoulder.

The structure ominously hovering in the air.

Claude glanced up and smiled, "Well I was hoping you had the answer for that."