Arrakian Accord pt 6, Battle for Outpost Idaho

[After MUCH, MUCH, MUCH delay. I present to you: Arrakian Accord VI]



Segmentum Tempestus 999.M41

Harkonnen IV System; Planet Arrakia
 
Days on planet: 25

 Situation: Stable

From the diary of Major Carpenter: I'm going to kill that damned Inquisitor. "Guard duty combined with rest and relaxation" he says. Hah! Guard duty to this place is better suited for Catachans! This place is like a little piece of a death world! It's constantly humid, the trees and foliage here are so thick that you can't even get a vehicle through them. Hell, the only way we came in is by the weekly supply Valkyrie. To make matters worse, there are flying razorworms that have nested in a majority of the trees here. These little buggers are like the sand worms except instead of burrowing in sand, if disturbed they burrow into your skin. On top of that there is a poisonous fog that rolls in every morning and every evening, rending the air unbreathable without respiration equipment. We can't find the source of the fog, but it can only be assumed as something not very good.

 Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. There is a single road that leads out of the jungle, but we're at least an hour or so from any kind of reinforcements. Emperor preserve us if we are attacked.

It was a cool morning when Aelgafar stepped out of his quarters and onto the outpost grounds. He took a deep breathe from his respirator and stretched. "Sir, glad to see you're up and recovering." Rielly had snuck up beside him holding a datapad and adjusting his uniform. Carpenter cleared his throat for a reply. "Good Morning, Sergeant. How goes the men's R and R?"
Rielly gave Aelgafar a look. "Sir, You're kidding, right? This place is some sort of awful."
"Heh. Yeah, I know. Reminds me of back home on Vatar." Aelgafar looked towards the sky. It was a hazy yellow morning, but the sun could not clearly be seen due to the poisonous haze that covered the outpost.
"Sir, if you don't mind my asking, which Hive are you from on Vatar?"
Aelgafar chuckled and began making a B line to the mess hall. "Not from a hive, sergeant. The closest hive was Throla, nearly a hundred miles away. I lived in the Agri-plains with my wife and son."
Rielly was shocked. "You were married sir?"
Aelgafar nodded. "Yeah. I was. They were both killed several, several years ago when the insurrection burned down my family home. That's when I decided to enlist in the Legion."
"Ah, I see." Rielly paused for a moment. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, sir."
"No worries Rielly. It was long ago."

They entered the mess hall and removed their respirators. There was only a few guardsmen up this early, and they quickly stood to attention as Carpenter walked in.
"Officer on the deck!"
Carpenter waved them down. "As you were. Continue eating."
They sat down as Carpenter and Rielly took a trays of food from a nearby serving line and sat in a back corner of the mess hall. Aelgafar began to rub his gut.
"Are you alright, sir?"
"Yeah Rielly, just still getting used to bionics. Truthfully it feels like I've got an itch I just can't reach."
Rielly nodded. "I've heard of that. It has something to do with your nerves firing off and trying to reach the missing parts. Very biologically confusing."
Carpenter began to eat his food bite by bite.
Rielly started to eat as well, but stopped mid bite. "Look sharp sir, here come Captain Uylesses."
Uylesses sat down almost right after and began to dig into his food.
He talked between bites to Rielly and Aelgafar. "Morning Aelgafar, Morning Rielly."
Rielly spoke as Carpenter continued to eat and only waved as acknowledgement. "Good morning sir, How are you doing?"
"Three of my troopers are out for respirators not working properly. Two of them are expected to make it, but the third is not looking good. Another big problem is the damned RAZORBEES."

Aelgafar looked up from his meal. "Why put emphasis on the razorbees?"

Uylesses looked livid. "Because I HATE those damned RAZORBEES. Have you been attacked by one yet?"

Carpenter shook his head

"Well Aelgafar, it hurts. I'm not talking a little pain, I'm talking like i'd prefer to be shot by a lasgun."

"We could maybe arrange that if you'd like?"

Uylesses simply glared at him before resuming his meal.

They were still eating when the alarm sounded. All the guardsmen in the mess hall shot up and darted out. A patrol of guardsmen had come back several men short, and the survivors were badly wounded. Carpenter approached the sergeant who quickly saluted.
"Sergeant, what happened here?'
"Its the Black Legion sir, they're here."
"Alright, take care of your men. The rest of you to defensive stations!"

The Imperials scrambled to the ramparts that surrounded the small outpost. There was a sharp crack as suddenly three full squads of Steel Nightmare space marines teleported to the middle of the outpost. Their leader, Chapter Master McCormick quickly approached Major Carpenter.
"Major, I am here to assist in the defense of this Outpost. If it falls, we lose a major staging ground for future operations in this region."
"Thank you for the help, McCormick. If you could station your men along the southern wall that would greatly balance out from the lack of turrets."
"Very well, I have sent two squads to the south, as well as a third to the northern pass."
"Thank you sir."
"Also Major, we will have more allies in this battle yet. Keep clear the eastern approach and they will be here within a few moments."

As if on cue there was a flash, followed by the appearance of Eldar Warriors. Their Farseer was silent as she climbed the ramparts on the southern wall."

"Well damn, I guess we got reinforced." Rielly said over the micro vox. "We'll need all the help we can get, sir."
"Why's that Rielly?"
"Come up to the tower."

They were surrounded. From the south a group of Khornate Beserkers were charging. From the North, A group of Chaotic Cultists. From the east and west, Several units of Traitor Marines. "Here they come! Open fire!"
The guardsmen on all sides began to unleash volley after volley of lasgun fire. The Astartes and Eldar held their fire patiently, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Like ghosts the Traitor marines came from the morning fog. They silently raised their bolters and began to cut into the guardsmen. Men fell left and right as the bolt rounds exploded all

around the imperial positions. Without hesitation the Eldar returned fire against the traitors. Out of nowhere, a squad of corrupted terminators unleashed lethal volleys of storm bolter fire against the weak Eldar armour. The Farseer, seeing that the line was threatening to collapse drove the Terminator's minds into a fray. They turned on each other and destroyed themselves. Seeing this precious advantage, Major Carpenter ordered his men to stand and fire with their First and Second rank drill. As the western flank began strengthen, Both the Astartes and the guardsmen to the south were butchered by Khornate Beserkers. "Damn them! Fight for all you're worth soldiers!" Carpenter lept from his position high on the battlements and took position along the southern road. "To me men! Prepare to beat back the enemy!" A handful of guardsmen rallied behind him as he began to fire at the rapidly approaching Beserkers.

 

      On the other side of the battlefield, Chapter Master McCormick was single-handedly cutting a bloody swath through the ranks of cultists. As he stood among the gore that was the enemy formation, a long figure in power armour approached him. The two warriors stood silent as they looked each other over. The figure raised a power sword of unknown make as a challenge to McCormick.

 The chapter master raised his two chainswords in return and revved their adamentium teeth. A thunderous clap filled the air as the two swordsmen collided, striking each other with a strength that would break lesser men. Then McCormick struck a lucky blow, severing the other warrior's arm at the elbow. As he stood over his defeated rival, he raised his chain swords and brought them down upon the man's head.  The battle for the north wall was over, but the rest of the outpost was still raging on.




At the southern approach, Major carpenter was leading his men in a charge against the Khornate Beserkers. "Steel yourselves for battle! We must stop them from taking the outpost!" He and a few handful charged like men possessed against the Beserkers, striking a few of the devils down in the process.

 As his guardsmen fell around him, Carpenter managed to fight his way to the centre of the Khornate formation. There stood a chaos champion, red plume hanging proudly from his helmet. He rushed at Carpenter with a bloodthirsty roar. Carpenter was barely able to parry him using his power sword. The Champion raised his power fist and brought it down upon Carpenter's power sword. There was a crack of lightning as the sword snapped from the superior strength of the power fist. Carpenter panicked as he realized just how bad of a situation he was in. He made one last desperate jab at the Champion with the broken hilt of the sword. The last thing he felt was the blade pierce the Champion's power armour. Then, with a thunderous bang, the world went black.

The mob of Khornate Beserkers had been annihilated. From the southern road that led to the outpost, a column of Leman Russ tanks had appeared. "Sorry we're late, boys." A voice emitted from the lead tank, "Got held up about a mile back by some pesky cultists."
Chapter master McCormick vox'd the tank back. "Identify yourself"
"Knight Commander Thomas Venture of the 180th Mantaeus Regiment. Got your distress Signal and sallied up to reinforce you."
McCormick chuckled. "Glad to have the help, Commander Venture."