‹ Prequel: Frozen Tundra
Status: Currently put on pause for varying circumstances. I will return to FT when I have a firm basis to continue.
United Front
Chapter Four: Darkest Before Dawn
Weather: Light Snows, Fast Winds
Predicted Temperature: -31°C
After the ork armor assault, a slow and gentle snow began to fall. The white powder covered all traces of the battle that took place only hours ago.
Hannah stood on top of a wrecked ork trukk and stared through a pair of magnoculars at the eerie silhouette of the tree line.
She took a moment to survey her troops. They were doing what she had ordered them to do: To keep the line armed, but take breaks and form shifts.
Andre walked up behind her, also watching the Imperial line, “In a few minutes, they’ll be changing shifts. It as been quite awhile now since that last ork assault.”
“Yes,” she said, her gaze not moving a single centimeter.
It was very dark. Taiga’s moon was beginning to retreat back beneath the horizon; and the star Ciruse, had yet to rise. It was a time commonly known as ‘the darkest before dawn.’ The darkest before dawn is known by the Imperials as ‘the hours of chaos gate.’
Hannah hopped down from the wreck and looked behind her watching the moon disappear behind the buildings, “Alright, soldiers, we’re in darkest before dawn. Stay sharp.”
She then turned in the direction of the officers’ quarters, “Lilia, you are in charge. If you don’t mind, I need some rest.”
“Yes, ma’am. See you in a few.” Lilia handed her a data-slate, “You might want to look at that while you’re up there, newest news from Visily.”
Hannah nodded, “Good, call me if I am needed.”
“Yes ma’am!”
Andre watched her, “Commander, am I needed?” he asked as she read over the data-sate.
“No, if you do not mind, Andre, I would just like to get some sleep.”
“Of course. The Emperor protects.”
And with that, Hannah departed.
Andre watched her until she entered the door to the building, then he took a mag-light from his belt and walked over to Lilia, “Lilia, if you don’t mind me asking, how long have you known Hannah?”
“About two years, sir.”
Andre nodded.
“Ma’am, this is Sonia from 5th platoon. I have something to report.”
“Go ahead Sonia.”
Hannah was lying in her room, staring up at the ceiling; the data-slate she was given lay unread on her table.
The darkness outside the window was stunning. It seemed as if every light known to man was suddenly shut off.
She took a quick look at the chronometer on her wrist; there was still three more hours before the sun rose.
Anything could happen.
She looked over at the data-slate and picked it up. The information quickly appeared on the screen, it read:
URGENT: TO COMMANDERS IN CHARGE OF THE DEFENSE OF THE CENTRAL SECTION OF TSOROGRAD...IMMINENT ATTACK: POSSIBLE OCCURRENCE BETWEEN 0400 AND 0600. COMMANDERS ARE ADVISED TO KEEP SCOUTS ON HIGH ALERT.
Hannah quickly gazed at her chronometer: 4:48AM
“Thek!” She grabbed her coat and fit her vox-bead into her ear. When she was half-way down the stairs, Lilia spoke, “Commander, Sonia Velsin of 5th platoon has spotted minor movement in the tree line. We are predicting a possible attack on our position.”
“Copy that, Lilia, I am on my way!”
As Hannah walked out of the building, a large ork ‘waaagh’ rang throughout the valley. Though not very visible, she could see a horde of orks running across the plain.
Instantaneously, the super mag-lights, stationed on the roofs, came on and shined on the oncoming orks.
Snipers and sharpshooters began to fire at the tide and were soon joined by the low rumbling of autocannons and lascannons.
Andre ran to Hannah and led her to the front where Lilia was directing the defense, “Watch your flanks! Fire once they enter the kill zone!”
Hannah put a hand on Lilia’s shoulder, “I’ve got it from here.”
Lilia nodded and quickly grabbed her long-las and aimed at the horde.
“Okay boys and girls you know the drill, let’s keep these orks at bay. Shall we?”
The soldiers of 6th Company steadied their weapons against the rockcrete wall in front of them and their lasguns remained silent.
Hannah watched the ork charge, the super mag-lights providing a source of light to see their oncoming enemy.
Suddenly, the lights when off one at a time in a random pattern, she overheard someone stationed on the roof, “Thek! Grot snipers!”
Hannah watched as one mag-light at a time was shot out, “Scouts, could you locate those snipers?”
“Yes ma’am, orders?”
“Eliminate them.”
As the lights continued to go out one at a time, Hannah saw the muzzle-flashes from the grot sniper rifles which were quickly hit by a single bolt from the barrel of a long-las.
Though the snipers were eliminated, only a few lights were left intact.
Hannah walked parallel to the wall yelling out, “Keep your weapons hot! Target the muzzle flashes!”
As Hannah instructed her troops, Andre walked down the line inspiring the Valhallan troops, “Brothers and sisters! The Emperor is with you! Keep him in your hearts until death and you will be guaranteed a place by his side!” Andre stopped and drew his two blades, “Look at these savage beasts! Why not share our plan of retribution with them?”
The mag-lights streamed one more time over the charge and then the Imperials opened fire.
Red las-beams cut through the air as the soldiers discharged their payloads.
“Keep that fire steady, comrades! Keep up a nice, hot masking fire!”
The light of las-shots filled the nighttime sky as the Imperials fought desperately to hold off the ork assault.
Thankfully, with better established comm. lines, artillery support from the 63rd’s basilisks was now available. Lilia looked through a pair of magnoculars to look at the oncoming force, “Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three, three!”
Lilia faintly heard an Armageddon officer, “Roger! Shot over!”
There was a series of low rumbles followed by the scream of oncoming shells, the orks scattered in panic.
“Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three seven!”
“Roger! Shot over!”
Another series of mild rumbles shook the comm. link, and again they were faithfully followed by the scream of artillery shells.
“Lilia, keep that artillery coming!”
“Yes ma’am!” Lilia watched as the orks scattered back into their previous charge, “Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three, nine!”
“Roger! Shot over!”
Lilia watched again as the volley smashed into the ork ranks.
“Ma’am, we are rearming and restocking on shells, estimated time to next volley, 20 minutes.”
“Roger that.”
Andrew had sheathed his blades after the first volley of shells successfully struck their intended targets. His Valhallan made MK. XIII boltgun firing bursts of bullets into the oncoming horde of greenskins.
Soon after he began firing into the orks, he was joined by Hannah, “Ah, Captain, how are our ranks fairing? Fine I hope.”
“Yes,” She said firing a few rounds into the night, “We’re holding well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we can pull this off.”
“With plenty of prayer, and favor from the Emperor himself, anything is possible, Captain.”
Hannah turned and smiled, but soon a huge explosion echoed through the valley and to the north-west of their current position, a column of flame began to rise.
Predicted Temperature: -31°C
After the ork armor assault, a slow and gentle snow began to fall. The white powder covered all traces of the battle that took place only hours ago.
Hannah stood on top of a wrecked ork trukk and stared through a pair of magnoculars at the eerie silhouette of the tree line.
She took a moment to survey her troops. They were doing what she had ordered them to do: To keep the line armed, but take breaks and form shifts.
Andre walked up behind her, also watching the Imperial line, “In a few minutes, they’ll be changing shifts. It as been quite awhile now since that last ork assault.”
“Yes,” she said, her gaze not moving a single centimeter.
It was very dark. Taiga’s moon was beginning to retreat back beneath the horizon; and the star Ciruse, had yet to rise. It was a time commonly known as ‘the darkest before dawn.’ The darkest before dawn is known by the Imperials as ‘the hours of chaos gate.’
Hannah hopped down from the wreck and looked behind her watching the moon disappear behind the buildings, “Alright, soldiers, we’re in darkest before dawn. Stay sharp.”
She then turned in the direction of the officers’ quarters, “Lilia, you are in charge. If you don’t mind, I need some rest.”
“Yes, ma’am. See you in a few.” Lilia handed her a data-slate, “You might want to look at that while you’re up there, newest news from Visily.”
Hannah nodded, “Good, call me if I am needed.”
“Yes ma’am!”
Andre watched her, “Commander, am I needed?” he asked as she read over the data-sate.
“No, if you do not mind, Andre, I would just like to get some sleep.”
“Of course. The Emperor protects.”
And with that, Hannah departed.
Andre watched her until she entered the door to the building, then he took a mag-light from his belt and walked over to Lilia, “Lilia, if you don’t mind me asking, how long have you known Hannah?”
“About two years, sir.”
Andre nodded.
“Ma’am, this is Sonia from 5th platoon. I have something to report.”
“Go ahead Sonia.”
Hannah was lying in her room, staring up at the ceiling; the data-slate she was given lay unread on her table.
The darkness outside the window was stunning. It seemed as if every light known to man was suddenly shut off.
She took a quick look at the chronometer on her wrist; there was still three more hours before the sun rose.
Anything could happen.
She looked over at the data-slate and picked it up. The information quickly appeared on the screen, it read:
URGENT: TO COMMANDERS IN CHARGE OF THE DEFENSE OF THE CENTRAL SECTION OF TSOROGRAD...IMMINENT ATTACK: POSSIBLE OCCURRENCE BETWEEN 0400 AND 0600. COMMANDERS ARE ADVISED TO KEEP SCOUTS ON HIGH ALERT.
Hannah quickly gazed at her chronometer: 4:48AM
“Thek!” She grabbed her coat and fit her vox-bead into her ear. When she was half-way down the stairs, Lilia spoke, “Commander, Sonia Velsin of 5th platoon has spotted minor movement in the tree line. We are predicting a possible attack on our position.”
“Copy that, Lilia, I am on my way!”
As Hannah walked out of the building, a large ork ‘waaagh’ rang throughout the valley. Though not very visible, she could see a horde of orks running across the plain.
Instantaneously, the super mag-lights, stationed on the roofs, came on and shined on the oncoming orks.
Snipers and sharpshooters began to fire at the tide and were soon joined by the low rumbling of autocannons and lascannons.
Andre ran to Hannah and led her to the front where Lilia was directing the defense, “Watch your flanks! Fire once they enter the kill zone!”
Hannah put a hand on Lilia’s shoulder, “I’ve got it from here.”
Lilia nodded and quickly grabbed her long-las and aimed at the horde.
“Okay boys and girls you know the drill, let’s keep these orks at bay. Shall we?”
The soldiers of 6th Company steadied their weapons against the rockcrete wall in front of them and their lasguns remained silent.
Hannah watched the ork charge, the super mag-lights providing a source of light to see their oncoming enemy.
Suddenly, the lights when off one at a time in a random pattern, she overheard someone stationed on the roof, “Thek! Grot snipers!”
Hannah watched as one mag-light at a time was shot out, “Scouts, could you locate those snipers?”
“Yes ma’am, orders?”
“Eliminate them.”
As the lights continued to go out one at a time, Hannah saw the muzzle-flashes from the grot sniper rifles which were quickly hit by a single bolt from the barrel of a long-las.
Though the snipers were eliminated, only a few lights were left intact.
Hannah walked parallel to the wall yelling out, “Keep your weapons hot! Target the muzzle flashes!”
As Hannah instructed her troops, Andre walked down the line inspiring the Valhallan troops, “Brothers and sisters! The Emperor is with you! Keep him in your hearts until death and you will be guaranteed a place by his side!” Andre stopped and drew his two blades, “Look at these savage beasts! Why not share our plan of retribution with them?”
The mag-lights streamed one more time over the charge and then the Imperials opened fire.
Red las-beams cut through the air as the soldiers discharged their payloads.
“Keep that fire steady, comrades! Keep up a nice, hot masking fire!”
The light of las-shots filled the nighttime sky as the Imperials fought desperately to hold off the ork assault.
Thankfully, with better established comm. lines, artillery support from the 63rd’s basilisks was now available. Lilia looked through a pair of magnoculars to look at the oncoming force, “Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three, three!”
Lilia faintly heard an Armageddon officer, “Roger! Shot over!”
There was a series of low rumbles followed by the scream of oncoming shells, the orks scattered in panic.
“Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three seven!”
“Roger! Shot over!”
Another series of mild rumbles shook the comm. link, and again they were faithfully followed by the scream of artillery shells.
“Lilia, keep that artillery coming!”
“Yes ma’am!” Lilia watched as the orks scattered back into their previous charge, “Target! Coordinates: seven, nine, three, nine!”
“Roger! Shot over!”
Lilia watched again as the volley smashed into the ork ranks.
“Ma’am, we are rearming and restocking on shells, estimated time to next volley, 20 minutes.”
“Roger that.”
Andrew had sheathed his blades after the first volley of shells successfully struck their intended targets. His Valhallan made MK. XIII boltgun firing bursts of bullets into the oncoming horde of greenskins.
Soon after he began firing into the orks, he was joined by Hannah, “Ah, Captain, how are our ranks fairing? Fine I hope.”
“Yes,” She said firing a few rounds into the night, “We’re holding well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we can pull this off.”
“With plenty of prayer, and favor from the Emperor himself, anything is possible, Captain.”
Hannah turned and smiled, but soon a huge explosion echoed through the valley and to the north-west of their current position, a column of flame began to rise.