Warhammer: Dark Knights

"Is there still no response from 7th squad?" The Astartes asked, his voice calm but edged with expectation. His Mark IV Maximus, a relic of countless battles, was adorned with the honors he had earned through blood and duty.

"No captain," Another Astarte, clad in Mark VII Aquila, replied. "The last message we receive is that they are engaging the Orks at point P-45."

Captain Aurex of the Crimson Fists' 5th company sighed, his gaze still fixated at the hololith displaying the battlefield. As he trying to find units that available within the hive city to reinforce the collapsing front, he become more and more angry as he failed to find any to help the front.

With a loud bang, he slammed his fist onto the holotable, the reinforced metal groaning under the force. The surface bent slightly but held.

While he had gained overall command of both the military and administration of the hive world, Captain Aurex had arrived too late to override the disastrous order issued by the planetary governor and his military command. By the time he learned of the reckless strategy they had enacted, and the fate of the regiments sent out, retribution was swift and merciless.

A purge followed. Every officer responsible for the ill-fated plan was executed. The governor's closest military advisors, the high command staff, and any who had advocated for the suicidal deployment were put to the sword.

Aurex stood among the bodies. "This world cannot afford incompetence," he said to the remaining officials, his voice like the grinding of ceramite. "From now on, every decision will be made for victory. Not politics, not personal gain, only survival."

The surviving officers and administrators, now pale with fear, nodded in silent agreement. None dared protest.

As the command structure being reconstruct, two of the smaller cities have fall due to their location being closer to the Orks landing point, and more importantly, Aurex deem it's unworthy to waste resources to defend those cities. Thus, while most of the remaining Feeros Guards regiments and the penal regiments have assign to the capital, two Feeros Guards regiments and four penal regiments have assign to the defense of Vaeros Nexus. While the penal regiments still paled when compare with the Imperial Guard regiment, they still perform better than the PDF of the world.

And now, with the only two Feeros Guards regiments have been overrun, only small pockets of survivors remained, desperately holding out in the fallen sectors. But he know, if no one send to relief them, they will be slaughtered. The four penal regiments however can't be reassign as all of them are serving as the Vaeros Nexus' final defense forces.

Aurex clenched his fists, while he hope to save the survivors, he also don't have Astartes to send. His company is separate to two forces, one lead by the sergeant of 2rd squad with 30 men at the capital, another lead by him personally with the rest of the company.

Vaeros Nexus while not as large as the capital, meaning it require lesser Astarte to garrison certain position. But, with the wall breach and the Orks are attacking from every direction, he simply didn't have the men to send out without compromising the defenses. The loss contact with the 7th squad, the only mobile reserve, make the situation worse.

As he still thinking how to save the survivors, a voice suddenly pierce through the silence of the command center.

"My lord!" An officer shouted from his station. "The auspex detecting multiple objects descending from the sky, directly above the hive city!"

"Impact sites?" Aurex demanded as his eyes fixated at the hololith. The display flickered as the auspex arrays tracks the unidentified objects.

The officer hands move around the control, pressing multiple buttons at a short time. "Estimated impact sites..... It's sector 19 through 25, within the lower district."

Aurex burrowed his eyes brow. Those were the sectors that have fallen to the Orks as they are close or directly connect to the breach wall. If those are the Orks reinforcement, it will complicate the situation further.

"We have visual contacts of the objects, my lord." The hive defense batteries reported through the vox. "There all are drop pods."

'Drop pods?' Aurex thought. That shouldn't be possible. The last report from the capital, before communications were severed, had confirmed that the Orks still controlled the void.

"My lord," The vox officer voice suddenly come. "there's a transmission coming from one of the drop pods. It's bearing the Adeptus Astarte signature signal pattern."

"Put it through."

The command center fell into silence as the transmission crackled to life. A cold voice, slightly disorder by the interference, came through the speakers.

"This is Master Valerio of the Dark Knights. We are deploying to reclaim the lost sector and push the Orks out of the breach. If possible, send men to secure the perimeter and reinforce our advance."

Aurex's eyes brow burrowed once more. 'Dark Knigths?' He had hear little of the chapter beyond whispers, too secretive and elusive chapter that often distance themself from others. While the Crimson Fists already saw the records about them, the records are vague at best, just like what Marcus saw.

Some within the chapter that actually encounter elements of the Dark Knights, claimed that they are from the lineage of Dark Angels. As the Dark Knights distance themselves from them, even when they are fighting together and more importantly, the feeling that they exude, a feeling described in the records left by their ancestors who had met and fought alongside the Dark Angels and their successors. This feeling, one of deep unease and an instinctive urge to stay away, mirrors those past encounters. This contradicted with the information within the official records that claimed them from the lineage of Ultramarines.

Aurex exhaled sharply, pushing the thoughts aside. Whatever their origins, they were here now, and their sudden intervention had changed the course of battle.

"Order 267th and 269th penal regiments to move out and engage the Orks at those sectors." Aurex ordered. "Reposition the 567th, 983rd and 1035th defense groups to fill the positions left by those two regiments."

The command center buzzed with activity as the mortal officers are executing the order. The hololith change as the marks of the regiments and the defense groups changed when they receive the order.

===================

With a loud crash sound, the door of the drop pod open. The first thing Valerio see is the blow-out corpses of the Orks and a couple Deathstorm drop pods. The Deathstorm drop pods have done it jobs, using the ammunition of metal storm frag shells, it have not only destroy the Orks at Valerio landing point, but also the other landing points and even save some of the survivor pockets.

Around him, his command squad and 3 squads of his company surround him, bolters raised, scanning the ruins for any lingering threats.

"All squads, status report." Valerio talk into the vox.

Multiple replies comes from the vox almost immediately.

"We miss the landing point. But still able to reach the breach in acceptable time."

"Landing point secure, moving towards the objective."

Valerio nodded. Orbital insertions using drop pods had their flaws, with many variables capable of altering their trajectory and landing precision. Its require the occupant of the drop pod to ready themselves for the changes that happen.

"All squads, proceed as plan, drive out the xenos and secure the breach."

With the order issue, Valerio with the squads advance through the ruins. The air is thick with the smell of promethium, blood and corpses. They can see the corpses of the civilians as they were kill running from the Orks, destroy vehicles from both the military and civilian ones, their metal frames twisted and burned from explosions.

"Auspex readings?" he asked.

The sergeant of 2rd squad check his auspex scanner. "There are multiple lifeforms in front of us." He said, then he tweak something on the scanner. "All Orks, my lord. It's seems they are moving towards our direction."

"They must be coming to investigate about the drop pods." Valerio said. "Numbers?"

"At least sixty, possibly more outside our range. Moving in a loose formation." The sergeant snorted. "Typical Orks behavior."

Valerio gave a curt nod. "Then we will ambush them here. 2rd squad shall hide on the left side. 7th squad shall take the right side. The rest shall hide at the wreckage on the road."

The men move swiftly, the dark armor blend perfectly into the shadow. They took cover behind the shattered walls, collapsed buildings and the twisted remains of vehicles, their bolters aim and ready to shoot.

As the distant growl of the Orks get closer, Valerio raise his bolt pistol, aiming down the broken road. The heavy footfalls and the guttural roars of the Orks echo through the broken building. Through the dust and smoke, the silhouette of the Orks starting to show itself, hulking, brutish forms moving through the wreckage.

With the Orks getting closer and the help from his helmet's auto-senses, Valerio could see clearly them clearly now. At the front of the group is a Nobz, wielding a massive sword. Behind the Nob, dozens of Orks lumbered forward in a loose formation, holding their crude shootas and choppas. Some bickering and shoving each other, while others sniffed the air as if they could smelled something was wrong.

Valerio remained perfectly still, his finger resting on the trigger of his bolt pistol. The squads also aimed their weapons towards the Orks, ready to shoot the moment order or signal arrive. The Orks, not knowing the ambush, continue to walk into the kill zone.

Then, the Nob suddenly stopped.

The hulking Ork sniffed the air, its beady red eyes narrowing. A low growl rumbled from its throat as it turned its head left and right, suspicion creeping into its crude mind.

"Somethin' ain't right," it muttered, gripping its blade tighter.

The Boyz also stop behind him. Some grab their own weapons and look around the area to see what's wrong. Others still occupied with their infighting.

Valerio sigh silently. While the Orks are beast that know nothing, their instinct can something prove useful for them and problem for their enemies. But, it's too late now for them.

"Fire."

The streets then light up with the light from the bolters. The bolt rounds tore through the Orks easily, shredding flesh and pulverizing bone. Before the Orks can react, more than half the Orks already killed with the Nobz already got hit multiple times.

Some of the surviving Orks dive the nearest cover to hide, while others, driven by their natural instincts, charge blindly towards the direction where the bolt come from with their weapons. Some firing their shootas wildly into that directions, the rest raises their choppas high while roaring in fury, eager to tear apart their unseen attackers.

====================

"You lot's nuffin' but sniveling gits! Too scared ta show yer ugly mugs!" The Nobz said as he lay sprawled on the street, his massive body riddled with bolter holes. "Hidin' in da shadows like a buncha runty grots!"

Valerio stepped out of the shadow, boots crunching against the debris-strewn ground. He gazed down upon the Nobz, and with a cool voice. "You fail. That's that." Then raise his bolt pistol towards his head, with a flash, the Nobz's head exploded to pieces.

"Let's go." Valerio said, as all the squads exited the covers and grouping near him. "We shouldn't waste more time."

As the broken wall started to appear at the horizon, fighting can be hear from that direction. Bolter shots, lasgun firing, explosion, and the Orks roar, filled the air.

Hearing the chaos, Valerio and the group quicken their pace. At the same time, using his auto-senses, Valerio can see the information of 3rd, 6th and 8th squads on his helmet's vod. They all are currently fighting the Orks that near the breach. Their tactical icons move slowly towards the breach, showing them going closer to the objective.

"Status report." Valerio voxed the squads.

Only brief burst of static can be hear from the vox before response can be hear. "Sergeant, 3rd squad. We are engaging the Orks with the survivors of 12th and the 298th regiments." The response stop for a short while before he continue. "We need more men to secure the objective"

"Understand," Valerio voxed back. "Hold the line, we're coming."

Valerio then change the channel to local channel. "Double time. The rest of the first wave are engaging the Orks currently. They're need more men to secure the objective."

Without any response, all of them further increase their speeds, sprinting towards the battle. The ruined buildings blurred past as they moved, moving past the destroyed vehicles and rubble from the destroy buildings on the street.

"Waaagh!" An Orks shouted at Valerio and his group when he saw them. But, before he and the Orks around him can response to them, bolter fire erupted, cutting down the Orks in an instant.

With the power sword swinging, cutting through the Orks with eases, Valerio and his group successful to regroup with the rest of the squads and the survivors. As Valerio preparing the Imperial elements for the final push, one of the honor guard suddenly interrupt Valerio.

"My liege," The honor guard begin. "267th and 269th penal regiments are both reporting that they all are approaching us. They will arrive in 1 hours at the same time."

"Understand." Valerio nodded. "Have they been given orders prior?"

A couple second later, the honor guard respond. "No, my liege. The colonels are requesting order."

"Tell the 267th to approach the breach from the west, and 269th from the east." Valerio quickly said. "Their objective is to kill all the Orks that try to broke their line, and advance slowly towards the breach."

The honor guard nodded before returning back to his post as he relaying the order. Meanwhile, Valerio turned his attention back to the battlefield. The Orks are still pouring out the breach, but all of them are being stop by the bolter and lasgun fires.

"Commence the final assualt." Valerio order through his vox, the command echoed in the ears of all the Astarte and the guardsmen.

The battle was progressing smoothly. The Orks were being cut down before they could inflict any meaningful damage. The only obstacles slowing the Imperial advance were the rubble-strewn streets and the endless waves of greenskins pouring from the breach.

But, with the 267th and 269th penal regiments, fulfilling their order, were also advancing successfully, encircling the breach from the west and east. The disciplined volleys of lasfire and heavy weapon support ensure the Orks all died before they can escape the kill zone.

Suddenly, a loud roar can be hear from the breach. The battlefield momentarily froze as all, Dark Knights, Guardsmen, and even the Orks, instinctively turned their heads toward the source of the sound.

From the smoke-choked breach, a Meganob exited the smoke. Encased in the thick, crude but not complete mega armor. The armor painted in black with red glyphs all over it, scraps of Imperial armor are welded into his armor. In his left hand is the power claw, so large that it can kill a space marine with a simple squeeze. In his right hand is the twin-linked shoota, it's barrels still spewing smoke from recent use.

Accompanying him are a group of twenty Nobz. While they are not wearing a mega armor, all of them all encased in bulky carapace armor that almost as thick as the mega armor. Each of them are wielding massive choppas and slugga pistols.

The Meganob stomped forward, his beady red eyes scan the advancing Imperial forces before locking onto Valerio and his Astarte. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from his throat as he raised his massive power claw, flexing its jagged pincers with a loud snap.

"You lot da boss 'ere, eh?" the Meganob sneered. "Gud! I'z gonna rip ya apart meself!"

But before the Meganob could move, five blinding beam of energy lanced down from the sky.

FWOOOOM!

The air shimmered as the Turbo-Laser Destructors struck with devastating force. The Meganob was vaporized instantly, his crude mega armor offering little to no resistance to the overwhelming energy. Four additional beams tore through the Nobz around him, reducing some to smoldering craters while others were left as crippled, charred husks.

Following this, a series of rapid, thunderous explosions echoed from beyond the wall. The ground trembled as fireballs erupted across the battlefield, consuming Ork war machines and tearing through the tightly packed hordes.

Suddenly, five Thunderhawks and twenty Starhawk bombers roared overhead, thier engines howling as they streaked southward, towards the landing pads of the hive city.

Valerio's helm display flickered as new information being updated. The second waves have arrived, with the Thunderhawks transporting the rest of the company and the bombers destroying the Orks that standing on the open field.

Other than this, multiple Devourer dropship have also descending as part of the second wave. Carrying the Feeros Guards regiments that have been send to relief the world.

As the Thunderhawks and the Starhawk bombers streaked southward, the dropship become visible for the naked eyes, the soldiers defending the hive city erupted in cheers, their voice full of hope and relief.