Interrogator (40k)

[Hiver]

I raised the blue orange sized blueberry between my fingers and looked at it. The shower had been nice, but we needed to move, damn it. What's the holdup?!

Putting the alien fruit down, I headed for the door only for it to open before I could reach it to reveal the T'au diplomat, "Interrogator Tezzeret," she said, "We have a transport ready to convey you back to your people."

"Thank you, Ambassador," I told her, "Sooner is better. Have you got any word at all? Anything on the Vox?"

She shook her head, "No, sadly not. We have taken your advice and stepped up patrols around our enclave."

I nodded, "Lead the way, ambassador," I told her.

She smiled and motioned for me before leading through the compound, a quad of Firewarriors joining us.

"We…" she said slightly hesitantly, "...sent a drone to the mine to verify your story," she admitted.

"And?"

"It didn't return."

"Hmm."

Outside we walked to a landing pad where there was some sort of alien aircar. The T'au liked their brown and curved surfaces, that's for sure. The aircar looked more like a fish than anything else, all smooth aerodynamic lines and thrusters.

Gahak was waiting by the aircar, holding my laspistol and powercell.

"The pilot is instructed to take you a couple of kilometers from the closest human base," Por'El Bork'an Grasor told me, "During the circumstances with malfunctioning communicators, flying across your troops unannounced seems like a ill advised idea."

I nodded in agreement, "We should also give the area of the mine a wide berth. It's between us and the closest base."

"Of course, he has instructions to swing around to the west."

West. That'd put us over rebel territory for a bit. Fuck it, it's better than getting close to the Necron tomb and the east path would more than double flighttime.

Time we didn't have to waste.

"Thank you for your assistance, ambassador," I said, giving her a small bow.

She returned it, "We're always happy to assist our Imperial friends whenever we can."

The Kroot stepped up and offered my laspistol and powercell back. I took them and nodded to him as well, "Thank you," I said and pocketed the powercell for now, slipping my laspistol into its holster. Best not load my weapon just in front of their ambassador, seems like that would make her guards nervous. Best wait until in the flier.

Giving them a final small bow, I climbed into the aircar and took my seat. The insides were luxurious but simple. The seat soft and shifted beneath me to become more formfitting.

The door closed and the aircar started to move.

Taking a deep breath, I slipped my powercell into my laspistol, checking the charge. Fully charged, Six shots.

Well, that should be enough. If I had to use it at all, something would have gone horribly wrong. Slipping it into the holster, I leaned back against the seat and took a deep breath.

Trying not to think about everybody that got killed getting me to this point. I had just started to get to know everybody in my team.

Now they were all dead. All veterans, having survived horrible things to even get recruited in the Inquisition... Only to die horribly at some no-name world to a threat millions of years developing.

Necrons.

The Necrons were coming. Even if we stopped them here, even if they decided the threat was over and they could go back to sleep… sooner or later they would wake up and we would face a threat bigger than anything we have seen so far.

With some luck, I'll be long dead from old age at that time though. They have slept for millions of years, they can hit snooze for another couple of millenia.

"Pilot?" I asked, unsure if the pilot in his separate compartment could hear me, "How long will the flight take?"

"We will arrive in just over one Dec, Interrogator Tezzeret," a voice answered in clear gothic, "But I am not a pilot, I am a drone."

I was alone in an aircar, traveling who knew how fast above hostile lands, piloted by an AI.

Spotting a bottle of crystal filled with an amber liquid, I poured myself a big glas.

"Thank you," I told the AI and then took a big, long drink while doing the motion of the cog. I may have listened a bit too much to the Tech-Prests, but AI made me nervous. Alien AI even more so. Best be polite.

Two glasses in, I found myself able to relax slightly against the soft and comfortable seat, my eyes drifting closed.

Call in the System Defense Force. Nuke the site from orbit until it glowed. Figure out what the heretics was up to that caused the warp storm. Stop them.

Call in the Imperial Guard, the Inquisition and the fucking Space Marines and let somebody a lot more qualified than me purge this world while I take a long vacation on some paradise world somewhere with blue skies, nice wildlife and pretty girls.

I couldn't help but smile wryly as I took another sip. Why did the vacation part of the plan sound a lot less realistic than anything else on it?

Closest I gotten in six years was that month of Loremunda where we stopped for one of Aurelius' contacts to meet us and then ended up being a month late. With nothing to do, we basically had the time off with just some practice and training to do.

It had been a hellish hiveworld, but the upper sections of the spire had been nice, well above the clouds of smog hiding the rest of the world from view. I had enjoyed the alien zoo they ha-

Strapps slammed down across me, pulling me back against the seat as the cushions went rigid, forming themselves against my body as the drone piloting the thing started to talk in T'au as the flier jerked around in a hard maneuver.

"Alert, incoming weapons fire. Aler-"

There was an explosion, a large hole ripped through the side of the aircar and everything went spinning before going black.

 

[Hiver]

I slowly became aware. First thing that came to mind was that everything hurt. My head, my shoulders, my sides and…

Opening my eyes, I found that at least some explanation to that was the fact that I was hanging upside down, the harness keeping me against the seat.

Feeling around for my knife, I couldn't help but feel surprised to be alive. Say what you want about the T'au, but they fairly built solidly.

I tried to go for my knife, trying to reach it. I was sitting on the damn thing, I could just about… my fingers brushed the handle as a voice from outside caused me to freeze.

Somebody was talking, I couldn't make out the words, but there was somebody out there.

Shit.

Damn it, give me that…

Twisting in my seat, I just about managed to slowly pull my knife, working it into my hand with my fingers before putting it to the first of the straps, starting to saw through it.

Slowly.

Damn it! Fucking T'au built crap! Break damn it!

Seriously, what retard made a crash harness cut resistant!?

Sawing through the first strap, I started on the second as the voices started to get closer.

"-ooks like one of the bluey fliers."

"Any bluey inside?"

"Go have a look, I'ma check the other rooms."

Loyalists or Heretics? Which side shot us down? Had we still been over rebel areas? Or had we passed over Imperial held space?

Oh, who am I kidding, I'm not lucky enough for it to be anything but heretics. I worked to cut faster.

Snap.

One strap. I got to work on the second one, I heard somebody outside. If I could… if I could get free before he could look inside, maybe I could hide. Next to the opening. Ambush if he went inside, hide if not.

Come on. Come on!

Snap.

One more! I shifted, starting to saw through it as fast as I possibly could. I looked towards the opening. Come on. Come on. Come on!

Movement.

Shit!

He was a large man, wearing a set of PDF armor, but… the sleeves were torn off and the Imperial Aquila… it had been scratched off and in it's place was another symbol, almost looked like an infinity symbol made up of a snake.

I quickly pulled my laspistol and shot him before he could shout or raise his lasgun.

He fell backwards like a puppet with its strings cut.

"What the hell was that!? Kally! Was that you that fired!?"

I kept working the strap.

The strap snapped and I dropped hard, just managing to avoid landing on my head, bouncing off the side of the aircar and rolling out of the hole in the side, just barely able to raise my arm in time to avoid slamming my head against the jagged edge.

I twisted, taking aim at the door as it opened to reveal another big man, clearly another local from his build. His lasgun raised and tracking, but he aimed too high and I shot him through the head before he could aim down at me.

His finger squeezed the trigger, stitching lasbolts at full auto across the wrecked room, tearing across the room, blasting chunks out of the walls and what remained off the furniture.

He dropped, falling backwards, collapsing down a set of stairs.

I took a slow deep breath and let it back out again before I groaned and slowly climbed to my feet, holstering my laspistol before I walked over and picked up… presumably Kally's lasgun. It didn't have the Imperial Aquila on it anymore.

I muttered a quick and very abbreviated sanctifying prayer over it and hoped the machine-spirit of it wasn't corrupted, but they usually liked me, so I might as well risk it.

Digging through his pockets, I found a single more powercell and quickly slipped it into my webbing before I turned and started down the stairs, lasgun tracking.

I really doubt these idiots were the only ones here, most likely they were part of a larger group, maybe some sort of occupying force, keeping the villagers in line.

Getting out of the village would not the easiest thing. But if I could get away from the building without getting spotted before they found the bodies, then I had a chance.

Sweeping the lower floor, I moved to glance out one of the broken windows. Just in time to see a squad of troopers heading down the street outside, looking way too organized for my liking.

Somebody had heard the shots.

I didn't bother watching, I just turned and ran further into the building, looking for a way out.

 

[Hiver]

Lasbolts blasted into the masonry next to me and dove around the corner. Pulling the powercell and putting it in my harness, I slapped the only replacement into the lasgun before I poked it around the corner and returned fire for a second.

Turning, I started to run again. Everytime I fired back, things slacked slightly and I gained some ground. But there were a lot more of them. Every time it was a serious risk of getting flanked or have another group move around ahead of me.

If this kept up, it was just a matter of time before somebody got a lucky shot and then I'm fucked. I needed to lose these maniacs and get out of the town!

Turning the corner, I turned in an open door at a full run, running through the building and shouldering the half open door aside on the other side.

Good thing about the vox interference, at least these guys didn't have coms and could call ahead for somebody to intercept me either.

I ran across the street and into the alley between a pair of broken brick buildings that looked like they had taken direct artillery hits. I scrambled over a pile of debri and slid down the other side.

Where. Where…

There.

I made my way to the door at the end of the valley. Damn it, if I had a grenade I could have made them think twice about following me. Maybe even set a trap, I had seen plenty of strings and metal wire.

I tried the handle.

But I didn't have one, so the matter was moot.

Locked.

Fuck.

Pulling back, I took aim and blasted the lock out of the door before making my way inside, scanning for enemies as I kicked the door closed behind me as I slowly moved into the darkness, trying to see the best I could.

If I could get out of this building and then I switch and move west and leave as little tracks as I could, maybe I could lose them.

The dark corridor ended in another door up a small set of stairs. I silently moved up them and felt the handle.

Open.

I slowly opened the door, flinching at the slight creak as it slowly swung open and I slowly moved through, lasgun raised and scanning.

The room was filled with… chairs and mirrors by low tables. What is this place?

I slowly moved on towards the next room, pushing it open to show another corridor, this one with more doors.

Not bothering to check them on the theory that anything important will be at the end of the corridor, I made my way to it and pushed the door open, finding myself in a room filled with ropes stretching up into the darkness and fabric at one side.

Theater? If that's the case, there should be a main exit as well as a bunch of fire exits. With some luck, they will be clearly marked.

I just needed to find one that wasn't obvious and then silently make my way away.

Pushing through the fabric, I walked out onto a stage, my weapon raised.

There were a bunch of tables facing the stage along with couches. At the middle of this stage there was a metal pole.

Ah.

That kind of theater.

I dropped down from the stage and then frowned, looking towards the bar. That mean… assuming it hasn't been completely looted…

It only took a couple of seconds to check, but it was completely dry of anything useful. Which was a pity, I could have made a cocktail.

Of the molotov variety.

Strong alcohol wasn't as optimal for it as something more burnable like promethium, but it should have worked. But I suppose that sort of thing would have been looted first, before ammo and fuel even.

I moved towards the closest exit and found the door missing.

I peeked outside, not seeing anyone. Okay then, Just move on and then-

I had barely walked out onto the street and headed west before I heard shouting and the sound of rubbing boots behind me.

Breaking into a run, I kicked in the door of the next building only to find myself face to face with a very large and equally unwashed man carrying a lasgun.

We almost ran into each other and he was clearly as surprised to see me as I was to see him. He yelled, "Death to the emp-" before I hit him in the face with the butt of my lasgun, causing him to stumble back, his hand going to clutch his broken and bleeding mouth.

I spun my lasgun around and shot him through the throat before diving forward as heavy stubber fire ripped through the wall, chewing a groove through the room before letting off.

I scrambled forward behind a wall, trying to catch my breath for a second before I ran for the stairs and the door at the top of them. Somebody ran inside behind me and I turned, hitting the door with my back as I opened up at full auto, two men at the bottom of the stairs going down.

And I fell way further than I had expected.

I couldn't help but scream as the door fell away above me and then I hit something hard enough for everything to fade towards dark for a moment before being replaced by pain as I was surrounded in a cloud of dust.

I just laid there, struggling to breath, my side hurting, my head hurting as I looked up at the blue sky through what used to be the roof of the house and now it was just open sky. No secondary story at the end of the stairs. No floor either. I was back on the bottom floor.

I coughed and my side had a very long shooting sharp pain running through it. That was a broken rib if I ever felt one. And I had. Bruised at the very least.

The sound of boots outside the door to the room and then somebody slammed into it. It rattled but held.

Coughing, I slowly started to climb to my feet, dust clogging the air and making my eyes tear up. Or maybe it was the pain or just the situation as a whole.

"Emperor…" I started quietly as I struggled to get off my knees as the door rattled again, "Holy God-Emperor on Earth… Big E… Emps… I know you… don't do this sort of thing. Much too-" I broke off coughing again, pain shooting through my side as I picked up my lasgun, "-busy keeping the galaxy spinning. And much more important battles. I'm not a religious man, not really, but I-"

The door rattled again from a heavy impact.

"I'm trying to save this planet, this entire sector. For Humanity. I could really use a hand here. Please. Help me."

I raised my lasgun towards the door and pulled the trigger. The weapon sparked and made a whining sound, but nothing else.

Not only out of power, but broken.

"...Guess not," I said quietly, tossing it to the side and pulling my laspistol and knife as the door rattled again. After everything I've gone through, I'm not dying here.

If these heretics wanted my life, they better be ready to pay for it.

 

[Hiver]

The door broke open and a large man charged in, "Death to th-"

That's when the world exploded and I was thrown off my feet and the next thing I became aware of was somebody standing leaned over me, a hand tapping at my cheek.

"-ear me?"

I blinked up at the dusty shape above me, trying to get enough thoughts together to say anything. Was I dead?

Was this the Emperor? Omnissiah?

A pair of strong hands gripped my arms and pulled me up.

"Up you go! We need to get moving before more of the bastards show up!"

Two pairs of strong hands hauled me out into the sunlight as I still tried to get my eyes to focus. Even my artificial one wouldn't focus.

"Damn it, Harland! I said hit the heretics, not the guy they were chasing!"

"Do you see him being mush, Lieutenant?" a voice answered from by my side, "But I blew the side of the building with a Sab round, that's bound to knock anyone inside around."

I shook my head and reached up to try to get the dust from my eyes before I looked around at who was holding me up.

It was a pair of guys, clearly locals from their builds, tall, muscular and both with short brown hair.

"I'm good, I'm good," I said and got my feet beneath myself with a wobble, a strong hand steadying me, "Where am I? Who are you?" I asked before I looked up at the Leman Russ tank and the man standing on the hull, holding a lasgun.

"Names Kuren Stenman, Lieutenant PDF. Second Armored," the large bald man said, looking down at me, "The big lumps next to you are Privates Miller and Harland. Who are you? And what are you doing in the middle of heretic central, Offworlder?"

They didn't look like rebels. So what the hell.

I felt around and pulled my Interrogator Rosette from my pocket, holding it so he could see it as I tried not to wobble on my feet, "Interrogator Tezzeret, Ordo Xenos," I answered and my brain started to work somewhat again,

"Holy shit!"

That was from the man to my left. Presumably Harland.

"Do you have a vox on that thing?" I asked as I looked around before Harland handed over my laspistol, "Thank you."

Kuren shook his head, "Got damaged in an early engagement. I thought I got it mostly fixed, but I can't hear anything so it might be junk."

"Damn," I said and rubbed my forehead, nodding, "Okay. Are you part of an armored push?"

Kuren laughed and shook his head, "Sorry to say, sir, but we were left behind during the retreat. We threw a track and by the time we had the Queen moving again, everyone else was gone."

I looked at him in surprise, "How long have you been stuck here?"

He shrugged, "Couple of weeks. Mostly been raiding for supplies and then moving on, looking for a chance to break back through, but the line is heavy with heretics."

And they haven't caught you? Amazing.

"How did you find me?"

"Saw the bluey flier go down, came to investigate and saw weapons fire. Figured that anyone shooting back at these bastards deserved some help, sir," He said and looked around, "But we really need to get moving. Have to stay ahead of them, we need to get back to the countryside."

"Sounds like a good idea, Lieutenant," I agreed, "Have somewhere for me in that thing?"

He nodded and reached down, taking my hand and easily hauling me up next to him, "Take the forward gunner position. I assume you can handle a heavy bolter."

"Yep," I agreed and clambered down, pulling the hatch open and slipping in to the seat. Easier than I thought it would be even with my side acting up, but considering the size of the locals, the fact that their gear was modified to fit wasn't exactly surprising.

What I did find surprising however was the woman I ended up sitting next to. She was wearing a helmet over dirty brown hair, a streak of black grease on her forehead and like all the locals, she was taller than me.

She grinned as she spotted me, "Sergeant Jenna Riskel, PDF. Twenty third rifles!" she introduced herself.

"Interrogator Tezzeret, Ordo Xenos," I greeted her in turn, "How did you end up driving this thing?"

"They found me after the withdrawal, I had gotten separated," she explained and handed over a helmet with a headset built in, "After Anders and Len bought it a couple of days later, I ended up driving the Queen. I usually handle a Chimera, but this is much more fun!"

Remind me to never introduce her to Kim. They'll either become best friends or kill each other. Either way, it would be a headache for me.

I nodded and put my helmet on, adjusting the microphone just in time for the engine to roar into life, "Lieutenant," I said into the microphone, "Copy?"

"Copy, Interrogator."

"I have critical information for the safety of this world, we have to get back through our lines or at the very least close enough for vox contact. I need to talk to HQ or this world will be lost. I need you to set a course to the frontlines."

"No can do, sir," Kuren asked, "We have more pressing matters at the moment."

"And what could possibly be more pressing than that?"

"We're down to fifteen percent fuel and wouldn't get through another half a day of driving," he answered dryly, "That's why we risked going into the village in the first place."

Fuck.

"Okay," I said, "Any ideas?"

"Yeah. Jen, take us north to the forest. We need to regroup and plan. Everyone, look alive, there will be hostilies."

Good point, we could go through the details later.

I removed the safety of the heavy bolter and peered through the sight as we surged forward and to the left, instantly making me glad for the helmet.

 

[Hiver]

The tank jerked to a halt and Jenna spun us on the spot before backing up among the trees and thick bushes before she turned the engine off, "That should do it!"

"Okay," Kuren said, "Everybody out, let's get the Queen covered up and set up camp. We have some planning to do."

I let my head rest back against the seat for a moment before I reached up and opened the hatch before hauling myself up and out of the hull with a groan of pain from my side. I no longer thought my rib was broken, if it was it would be hurting even worse. Definitely cracked something though.

From the inside I couldn't see much but what the sight of the heavy bolter showed me, but now I got a better look at where we were. We had been moving out of town into a network of back roads and now we were wedged in among thick foliage and trees a dozen meters from a very narrow road.

Harland and Miller, whoever was which were already at it with shovels smoothing out the tracks leading into the forest.

Kuren vaulted down from the hull, an axe in hand before he looked at me, "We need to camouflage the tank in case anyone is following or patrolling," he told me, "Then we can figure out what to do next."

I nodded, "Sounds good to me, Lieutenant. Just tell me what to do."

We got to work, cutting branches and bushes. By the time we got hauling back the first load, the driver… What was her name again? Jenny? Jenna. She had pulled a camouflage net over the tank and we simply attached the bushes and leaves to the net.

Then we piled a bunch more at where we entered the woods. By the time we were done… Okay, we weren't invisible, far from it, but if somebody just drove past there seems to be a chance we'd be missed.

Everyone gathered around the back of the tank, "How are we looking at supplies?" I asked, holding my side through my carapace armor the best I could. That's really starting to hurt.

"We're low on pretty much anything, sir," Jenna said, sitting on the back of the tank while digging into the packs strapped there before tossing me a MRE.

Kuren nodded, crossing his arms and leaning against the closest tree before catching one as she tossed it over to him, "We're at ten percent fuel, food for about three more days. Miller, how are we doing with ammo?"

Miller shrugged and ripped a food pack open, "Three Krak, four Sab and two Frag rounds. two hundred ish bolter rounds split between turret and hull guns."

"How are you still supplied? You'd been cut off for weeks." I asked and ripped my own pack open, peering inside. Oh, joy. Cold dried things and a chemical heater.

Kuren shrugged, "We'd been ambushing supply transports. Mostly they run convoys, but not always. When we see a lone vehicle, we take it, everything it carries that we need and it's fuel before hiding it the best we can before moving on. We don't think they know who or where we are yet, we keep moving as much as possible. But we're getting dangerously low on fuel, it's why we risked the town this time, the first time. Thank the Emperor for that or we'd never seen you."

I nodded, "The Emperor Protects."

Was… that what had happened? I had asked for help and these guys had shown up? What was the Emperor sending them to help? Or just coincidence?

"You said something about a second plan?" I asked and caught a water bottle as Jenna tossed it down to me as I sat down, getting my food ready and re-hydrated.

Kuren snorted, "If you can call it that," he said and set his heating food to the side and reached for a stick, starting to draw a very rough map onto the ground, "Before the uprising, the PDF had small compounds set up across the continent, mostly close to crossroads or trading spots for the peasants. Plenty of ammo, supplies, fuel."

I shook my head, "No way they would have been left alone, they would be crawling with heretics. For the same reason as why the PDF kept them."

Harland spit on the ground, "Some of them used to be PDF. Traitors!"

"But it's also the only reliable source of fuel in our range," Kuren said and poked at the square that he used to show the compound, "What more, we're low on ammo and we can't get that anywhere else. Ideas?"

Harland checked his food and then dug into it with a spoon before pointing with it at the map, "We're not getting through there with what ammo we have, I can tell you that much, Lt. We might be able to break the gate with a couple of Krak rounds, but they have fixed emplacements that'd blow us to the Warp. Direct assault is a good way to meet Him On Earth early."

Kuren nodded, "Agreed. I have given it some thought, I think that our best chance might be to get between them and the front along this road," he said and drew it on the map, "And wait for a convoy. They are usually escorted by light armor, but if fired from ambush, we should be able to take them out and then raid the convoy for what we need."

I frowned and chewed on some admittedly not bad fake stew, "That's a lot more maybes in that plan than I like, Lieutenant," I admitted.

"Me as well, Interrogator," he admitted and picked up his food pack, "But I'm not sure we have a lot of choice. The alternative is assaulting the compound and that's suicide."

"Not like we could just drive in the front gate and ask for supplies," Jenna said from her seat on top of the back of the engine deck of the tank," I think the attack on the convoy might work if we find the right spot and get lucky. We're going to need to break out the lasguns for it too. That'd be a real tough one and we're going to be outnumbered the entire time."

I poked at my stew before chewing on some more, looking at the map with a frown, "...Why can't we?"

"Can't what, sir?" Miller asked and chewed on some alleged bread.

"Why can't we just drive up to the gate and ask for supplies?" I asked and motioned with my spoon against the square, "It is a supply depo, right? It's what it's for."

They all stared at me like I was nuts.

"Because it's crawling with heretics, Interrogator," Kuren said with a frown, "They would kill us."

I shook my head, "We're behind enemy lines, nobody knows we're here. Everyone here is friendly, they think. People have a tendency to see what they think they will see, want to see. The best way to lie is to simply give them what they want. Some uniform changes, a couple of symbols on your tank and I bet that we could roll straight inside."

"And what then?" Jenna asked.

"Then, we're behind the defenses and can do whatever we want, we're in a tank," I told him with a smile, "or if they really buy it, just re-arm, refuel and get the frack out of there and to the front line. We have more important things than some supply depot. We have to get back in contact."

Kuren put his food down as he regarded me, "What did you find, Interrogator?"

I regarded him for a moment before I nodded, "All of this is classified, but if you're risking your lives for it, you deserve to know. After all, if I fall I need one of you to get the information back to HQ."

Then I told them what they needed to know about the threat growing in that mine.

 

[Hiver]

"Are you sure about this, Interrogator?" Kuren asked through the com as the engine rumbled and the tracks clicked against the road.

"As long as we can pull it off," I answered, "It won't be easy for any of us. They are heretics and we have to pretend to be ones as well. I need to know that you four can do this."

Jenna answered next to me, audible across the com as the helmet muffled all other sounds, "Don't you worry, sir. We can do it."

"Good, because I can't be visible, I have to stay in the tank. Because I'm clearly an Offworlder and from what all we have seen…"

"The heretics killed all the offworlders," Kuren agreed, "So this is up to us. All of you, speak only when spoken to and keep things simple."

"Remember," I said, "Heretic movements such as this usually have sayings or movements in place of the regular invocations of the Emperor or salutes. Copy them."

"We got it, sir," Kuren agreed, "Such a pity to desecrate the Black Queen like this though. Our uniforms are one thing, but to paint those symbols on her hull… that hurt."

"I'm sure her machine-spirit understands," I reassured him, "We can restore her to her rightful place as soon as we're done. She's a mechanism of war, anything that hurts the enemy makes her happy."

"Right you are," Kuren agreed, "Okay, we're coming up on the crossroads. Take the left, we're ten minutes out."

"Got it, sir," Jenna agreed.

I leaned back against my seat, taking slow and deep breaths. My side ached, I was getting a headache and at any moment they could Wake Up.

And everything on this world would die.

Maybe we're lucky though. Maybe they hit the snooze button now when the annoying flies in their bedroom were gone and would sleep for another ten thousand years and we were fine.

I know I didn't like to get up extra early in the morning, that's for sure. The Necrons have been asleep for… tens of millions of years. It had to take time to shake that off, even for immortal techno-sorcery robots.

We still had time. I have to believe we still had time. Because if we didn't have time, all of this was pointless.

Just needed to get the word out.

"Gates coming up, two walkers outside, lascanons it looks like," Kuren reported from the turret, "A pair of guards as well. Everybody, stay alert if this doesn't work. Interrogator, if things go ploinshaped, I want every round you have on the right sentinel. Harland, I want the main gun on the left one the moment it makes a move. We have a Krack round loaded, Sesek, I want a second ready for the gate."

"Got it, sir," Miller answered.

"Confirmed," I agreed and pulled the handle of the heavy bolter to charge it and put a shell in the chamber.

I didn't aim now though, that would be visible on the outside. I just peered through the sight. A pair of sentinels flanked the metal gate, their chicken forms as gangly as usual, but in the place of the Imperial aquila was the same strange sideways number 8 infinity symbol they seemed to have taken as theirs. The pair of guards by the gate were wearing what used to be PDF garb as well, still in the same colours but with any loyalist symbols scratched out or painted over.

The same as we had done with our uniforms and the Queen.

"Calmly, Kuren," I said, resting my hands on the controls of the heavy bolter, "Like we practiced."

Jenna turned the engine down to a low rumbling as we came to a halt and one of the guards walked up and called out,

"Hail the Prophet!"

"Hail the Prophet," Kuren answered, "We need to resupply."

"Why are you out without a convoy? All armor is to move with a convoy."

"We threw a track, they couldn't wait," Kuren explained, "We need a new vox too, ours out and won't work."

"None of the voxes are working, the Imperial scum is doing something to blanket it. Hold here, I'll check with the commander."

I saw him walk back into view, heading for a hardline com on the side of the gate.

This is the most dangerous part. If they had any suspicions, this was the part where they had a chance to take us down as sitting ducks. Those lascannons could core us in a single shot. A single twitch of suspicion and I'm putting every single shot of my heavy bolter in the sentinel. They were relatively lightly armored so should bring it down.

I shifted, tightening my hold on the controls as I peered through the optics, "Easy everyone. We're friendly. We're all friends here. Harland, you ready?"

"Give the word and I'll kill it, sir."

The guard picked up the handset and talked into it, holding it to his head. He glanced in our direction before turning away. Damn it, even zoomed in I can't see his lips if he's turned away!

Come on. Come on. We're all happy little heretics here.

I tightened my finger slowly around the trigger.

He put the headset down as the gate started to lower into the ground and he turned, waving for us to roll on in.

Slowly I let go and leaned back in my seat, "Okay," I said as we started to move, "Remember… refuel, rearm and then let's get the frack out of here before anyone notices anything off about us. They may be lunatic heretic traitors but that does'nt mean they are stupid."

"Copy," Kuren answered through the com, "I will see if I can get us a vox too. Maybe if we'll get close enough it'll work."

I doubted it, but it might be worth the risk.

"Acknowledged."

 

[Hiver]

I listened and looked through the sight. People all around the tank. But there was little I could do but keep quiet, stay hidden and hope nobody thought to check inside.

Because no way would I be able to pass for a local.

So there was nothing I could do but keep hidden. If it wasn't for needing me at the heavy bolter if anything went wrong i could have stayed away, it would have been safer.

But if everything had gone to the Warp, they would have needed me and it was still our best chance to get what we needed.

So now I waited. Trapped. In the middle of an enemy stronghold.

Relying on the discipline and acting ability of a bunch of PDF.

To say that I didn't particularly enjoy the situation was a bit of an understatement. But it gave me time to think, something I hadn't had until now.

Was it The Emperor that arranged their arrival just when I needed it? Was it a coincidence? I leaned towards the second one because… I just wasn't important enough for direct interference from Big E. Neither was this planet to be honest.

But… the sector was. Which meant that if he had interfered…

He also thought that the sector was at risk. Which meant that I was right, the Necrons were on the verge of waking up.

But he also thought we could maybe, just maybe pull this off or he wouldn't have bothered.

If he actually did something.

But right now, there was nothing I could do but wait and watch. Which was incredibly infuriating but like I had learned in my service of Inquisitor Aurelius, patience was a weapon like no other.

It left you ready, while your enemy slackened. It allowed you to learn things others could not. It sets you up to win.

So I just sat there looking out through the sights like a weapon servitor.

Jenna exited the building and walked over, climbing onto the tank and pulling the hatch to the drivers position open before she dropped down, closing it behind her, "Interrogator, Lieutenant Stenman sent me to fill you in. "

"What's happening?`We should have been ready to move by now," I asked her.

She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes, "The base commander decided that it's better that we stay here until a convoy arrives tomorrow and we can join them. The Lieutenant tried to argue our case that we needed to get going to reinforce the line, but Commander Radel insisted."

Fuck.

"I see," I said before I slowly nodded, "That… might actually not be a bad thing. We could get an escort all the way to the front. From there getting in contact with Imperial forces should be possible. How is everyone handling interacting with them?"

Jenna shook her head, "I had to stop Harland from doing something stupid twice already. It's… difficult. They are heretics, insane. They… they have desecrated the shrine of the Emperor."

"Welcome to the Inquisition," I told her with a small smile, "We often have to handle people like this, even in the Ordo Xenos. Remind Harland that playing along with these lunatics will not only hurt them more than punching one of them in the mouth ever could, but that we're doing the Emperor's work."

She slowly nodded, "Yes, sir."

"So play along, keep to yourselves if possible," I told her, "And remember, The Emperor Protects. We'll get them… and anything you have to do to convince them you are one of them is backed by the Inquisition. You wont end up in trouble for it. Turn your back on the Aquilla, talk shit about the Imperium, curse the Emperor's name and He will smile upon you for the hardships you go through for HIm and His realm."

She looked at me in shock before she took a slow breath and let it out again, nodding slowly, "I… I understand, sir."

"You are in the service of the Inquisition now, Sergeant Jenna Riskel," I told her, "We sometimes have to do things that are despicable to reach and get close enough to plunge a dagger into the heart of evil. Now go to the rest, remind them of their duty to the Emperor. If anyone has difficulties, tell them to come to me and I will help them."

Jenna nodded, "Yes, Interrogator," she said and moved to climb out of the tank, closing the hatch behind her.

I slowly leaned back against my seat again. Speaking about the Emperor like that always made me feel strange. I didn't believe in him as a god. He was incredibly mighty and humanity's best chance to survive into the future.

But their faith was real and intense. My own… faintly shamanistic to be honest when it came to Machine-Spirits.

It's why I preferred rolling with the Omnissiah, most of the time everybody else didn't know much about it so it was easier to blend in.

I had studied the Cult Imperialis. I had read the books and listened to the sermons. But all of it was poisoned by a single piece of knowledge that undermined every single word the preachers said.

That the Emperor didn't consider himself a god.

Incredibly powerful, yes. Flawless? No. The most powerful man in history and most likely the future as well, but still just a man.

What more, he had been strongly anti-theist. He tried to eradicate religion during the formation of the Imperium. He almost made it too.

To see what his creation has turned into… it must be torture. He must hate what things has become.

Compared to all the worshippers, I could only hope he preferred my perspective about things. But even if he had, I had to play along.

Or get burned alive. Or be turned into a servitor.

Or worse.

While working in the Inquisition.

 

[Hiver]

I had been woken up early the next morning to the sound of engines. It took a bit of squirming around into the turret before I could peek out of one of the vision ports for the commander.

It seemed like the rest of the convoy had arrived. Four transports, a pair of chimeras and another Leman Russ.

Hmm. Each of those chimeras could hold a dozen men. The trucks seemed to be mostly supplies, but that's still quite a lot of soldiers.

Not to mention their lasweapons and then that Leman Russ. It seemed to be the same pattern as this one which made sense. Sadly, that also meant that if it came to a tank vs tank battle, it would be a fair fight.

I hate fair fights.

No, it was better to play along. I scooted back down to my seat and settled in to wait. It took quite a long and very nerve wracking wait as heretics walked around the tank.

Not my first time hiding from hostiles. These were even humans without super senses.

So I crossed my arms, leaned back in my seat and listened. And waited.

It didn't take that long before Lieutenant Stenman returned, climbing onto the tank and slipping in through the turret hatch, "Interrogator," he said quietly.

"Kuren," I greeted him in turn, twisting in my seat and hauled myself into the main compartment despite my side screaming at me, "How's things looking?"

"We're moving on before noon, sir," he said quietly and pulled out a folded paper map, spreading it out for me, "We're being ordered to reinforce the line here at Uleke. We're to take point position in the convoy followed by the chimeras, then the support trucks and then the other Leman Russ."

I nodded, "How are we looking for supplies?"

"We're going to get fuel and ammo," he said with a shrug, "I'm going to try for a new vox unit and small arms. I suspect we'd need them. We have a couple of lasguns, but we need more powercells."

"Good idea," I agreed, "A couple for me as well if you don't mind for my laspistol. Speaking of which, how are everyone handling things?"

"Fracking heretics the lot of them," Kuren grumbled, "It's… disturbing. They were PDF, just like us. And now…"

"Hold it together," I told him firmly but quietly, "Just a little longer now."

Kuren nodded, "Confirmed. We'll get the Queen resupplied. We should be moving in a couple of hours."

"Good man."

He moved to climb out of the tank, leaving the map behind. I took a deep breath of clean air filtering in from outside before the hatch closed again.

Sighing, I held my side for a moment, grimaging before I picked up and studied the map. So we were heading to Uleke.

It's a forested area, we might be able to slip through the lines.

I returned to my seat to study the map.

And wait more. I didn't have to wait too long before everything started to move around outside and things turned into a hive of activity as the entire crew returned with an ammo wagon with more boxes loaded on top of it.

"Wha-" I started to ask as I looked back into the main compartment, "Where did you get that?" I asked Harland as he received a backpack vox unit through the turret hatch.

"LT thought we might need it. Couldn't get a new one for the Queen, so a mobile unit is the best we can do."

I nodded, "Good idea."

With that, they started to load the shells and I stayed out of the way. They moved quickly and smoothly and it didn't take long before we were ready to roll out.

And then we waited.

This infernal waiting. We don't have time to wait!

But there was nothing but wait as the rest of the convoy got going again and resupplied, drivers of trucks replaced.

After what seemed like days, Kuren climbed in through the turret hatch and put on his helmet, "Okay, fire her up and we'll get moving," he said and I quickly put my helmet on as Jenna muttered the prayer of engine activation before pressing the button.

The Black Queen engine roared into motion, the tracks clicking as Jenna expertly maneuvered her towards the gate before stopping as it opened.

I crossed my arms and leaned back against my seat, "Well done, everyone," I said into the microphone of the internal com, "You kept your cool, didn't attract attention. You did the Emperor's Duty."

"Fracking frackheads are fracking nuts!" Harland complained, "Heretics!"

"Indeed," I agreed, "Did you learn anything?"

Jenna shrugged, "They kept talking about Prophet this, Prophet of Truth that. Other heretical groxshit. We just smiled and nodded," she said and shuddered, "I… they... it's disturbing. They used to be PDF… like us. What can cause a man to become so twisted, so evil as to turn away from The Emperor?"

"That's why they are heretics," Kuren said quietly into his com, "Now look alive and button it down, I have incoming."

Everyone kept quiet as he yelled with somebody outside. Finally he activated his com again, "Okay, forward at 40 kilometers. Follow the route we planned."

"Got it, LT," Jenna agreed and gripped her controlls as we started to roll.

"Now…" he continued, "Interrogator, what's the plan when we get there? Because right now, we look like a heretic tank. Loyal forces will shoot first."

"Working on it," I said and reached for the map again.

 

[Hiver]

"Lieutenant, how accurate is this map with the drawn troop positions?" I asked as we rumbled along the road.

"As good as I could make it," Kuren said through the com, his head outside the turret hatch, "I couldn't just copy in the command room, but I tried to memorize them as well as I could."

"Damn," I sighed, "The frontline has been pushed another two kilometers from when I left. But in this case it might actually help us."

Our 'orders' were to escort the convoy to Uleke which was right at the new frontlines and to be there by daybreak, moving during the night to avoid Imperial bombers. Which would take us through a thick and forested area filled with narrow logging roads.

"Okay," I said after several more moments, "I have at least part of a plan. Do you think we can ditch these guys during the night?"

There was silence for a long moment before Kuren answered while he tried to figure out how to tell an agent of the Inquisition they were being an idiot without getting shot, "...We're at the front of the convoy, sir. They may notice if we disappear."

I sighed, "Yes, I understand that much, Lieutenant. Do you think there is a chance we can take out the convoy so we can leave?"

"If we manage to take the other tank with our first shot, we have a chance," He answered, "But even that it will be a hard fight. None of the chimeras are equipped with anti tank weaponry, but that's still a lot of lasguns. If one of them gets lucky and pop a track off…"

He trailed off.

Yes, I didn't need more details than that.

"If we can get away from these heretics," I said, "Then we can slip away into these woods. We can fix up the tank, get rid of those uniforms and look like servants of the Emperor again. The roads will be watched, but we should be able to get close enough to talk to someone without getting shot at. Or maybe even at vox range."

The portable unit wedged into the turret was a hell of a lot bigger than my combead after all, maybe it could cut through at short range.

"We'd need to take out the other tank with one shot," Kuren repeated slowly, "What's the plan?"

"That's up to you guys," I answered, "You're the tankers, I know nothing about tank warfare. Can it be done?"

He seemed to mull it over for several minutes, "It's possible," he admitted, "Pass me that map, sir?"

I twisted around, reaching back and handing it over.

Kuren dropped back into the turret and took it, studying it in one of the lights before he nodded, "Miller, I know you done a sub six second reload before, think you can pull off a five second one in case we need it?"

Miller looked down at the ammo storage for a long second, "If I have a round ready to go, I might be able to pull it off."

Kuren nodded and pointed at a spot in the map, leaning over to show it to Harland, "What do you think?"

Harland studied it and slowly nodded, "Might work, sir," he agreed, "If we manage to aim without them spotting it."

"It'll be in the middle of the night," Kuren told him, "And it will be a very precise shot if we want them in a single round. And they have the same night gear as we do."

Harland nodded again, "I can do it."

"Okay then," Kuren agreed and looked at me, "We can do it, sir. But it will be a tricky fight. A very risky one, even if we manage to take down the tank, we still have the rest of the convoy on us. We have to take them hard and fast because a lone tank against infantry is a dead tank."

"It needs to be done. If we just take the tank and the first chimera, they can still report back faster than we would be able to get to friendly forces," I said, "Only way to get out of this is if we at least disable every other vehicle. If they are stuck on foot, we'd have a much better chance. We don't need to kill them all, just take out their transports and then run for it."

"Yes, sir. Okay, here's the plan. Tonight we will arrive at this turn in the road," he said and moved down, leaning in so Jenna and I could see the map where he pointed, "It's in the middle of the night and fairly sharp, sharp enough to give us a shot at the other tank without getting out of formation. We take it out and then turn our gun to the first chimera. Knocking that out traps the rest. We can then pick them out one by one while they scramble to move to cover and disembark troops. As soon as we knock out the Chimera, I want you to spin us around and off the road, Jen. Bring our heavy bolter to bear on the trucks as we focus on the troop transports."

She nodded, "Can do, sir."

"Good," He said and then glanced at his watch, "We have eight hours to come up with a better plan."

=][=​

I checked over the lascarbine with a small prayer before slapping a powerpack in and handing it back over my shoulder, "Best I can do, I'm aligned with the Mechanicus, not an actual tech-priest. But hopefully the machine-spirit is just happy to be back in loyalist hands."

"Thank you, sir," Harland said as he received it, checking through the sights in the narrow space of the turret, "Hopefully we won't need them, but better to have and not need."

"Right you are," I agreed and settled back in my seat, reaching to pat the metal next to me. You have been such a good tank Black Queen. You can do this.

Then I moved to do a final check on my heavy bolter and my laspistol. Something I have done twice since we left the compound already, but it was something to do that kept me from getting too nervous.

Almost time.

We were coming up on the ambush point and soon we might all die. If even a single thing went wrong, we might all be dead in a couple of minutes.

Finally I just leaned back in my seat and picked up my water bottle, taking a sip before offering it to Jenna. She took it.

Nothing left to do but wait.

 

[Hiver]

"Thirty seconds to curve," Jenna reported, peering out through her driving slit.

"Go or no go, Interrogator," Kuren asked through the com, "Have to know now."

I pulled the charging handle, loading a boltershell into the heavy bolter, "Go."

"Okay, everyone get ready," Kuren ordered, "Harland, Miller. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Ready."AN

I heard the clanking of metal somewhere behind and above which I could only assume the gun being loaded, a second clanking filling the air as the top hatch was locked down.

"Krak round loaded, second one ready," Miller reported.

"Ten seconds."

I took a slow deep breath, listening to the chatter. Everyone is doing their jobs, nobody is panicking. We can do this.

"Fire when ready."

There was a whine behind me as the turret spun around.

"Round out," came through the com before there was a massive THUNK more felt than heard as the main weapon fired.

"Frack, armor held! Reload, reload!" Harland cursed, "Warp it, reload damn it!"

"Loaded!" Miller yelled.

"Round out!"

THUNK!

"Got them!!" Harland cheered, "Reload Krak!"

"Reloading krak!"

"Shift to lead chimera!. Jenna, turn us around!" Kuren commanded and she reacted quickly, pulling at her controls and we shifted around. I peered through the sights of the heavy bolter as the scene came into view.

The tank at the rear of the column was burning hard, the turret didn't seem to be attached anymore and fire was reaching towards the sky from the hole.

"Shot out!"

THUNK!

The chimera transport just behind us exploded, or at least so it seemed from my point of view as it's entire front turned into fire and it stopped moving.

"Target down! Reload Krak!"

Remembering my job, I shifted my aim away from the armored transports and took aim at the first truck before squeezing the trigger.

The heavy bolter roared and the front of the truck seemed to disappear in a cloud of shrapnel as I swept the bolter across it in a heavy burst before shifting my aim towards the next one.

The air smelled of burned propellant and I pulled the trigger and the front of the next truck disappeared in shrapnel.

"Interrogator, infantry, two o'clock!"

I shifted my aim, bringing the troops escaping from the last chimera into my sights and pulled the trigger. The heavy weapon roared and the explosive rocket propelled rounds did exactly the same thing to flesh as it did to metal, plastic and glass.

"Round out!"

"THUNK!"

The chimera I had just hosed down exploded. It must have been carrying extra ammo or something as it didn't just stop, it went airborne, vaulting towards the left as I shifted my aim towards the last tru-

"Traverse left! AT! AT!"

We started to move and there was a massive world ending crash, my forehead slamming against the sight hard enough that I saw stars despite my helmet.

"-gine fire! Engine fire! Everybody out!"

Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!

"Jenna, let's g-" I started as I turned towards her as smoke started to fill my view. But I could see enough to make out that her head was missing from the jaw up.

I stared for a second. But… but we're inside a tank…

Damn it! Move!

I reached up to push my hatch open. Or tried at least, a sharp pain shot through my right arm as I tried to lift it.

Couldn't see. Couldn't breathe. Nothing but smoke. Everything stank of burning plastic and choking black smoke filled the compartment.

I coughed and gritted my teeth, forcing myself upwards, pushing the hatch open as I struggled onto my seat.

It didn't want to move.

Damn it. Fuck. Open!

I rammed my shoulder against it and it popped free. Hauling myself up, I rolled down the hull and landed hard on the ground, biting back a scream as pain shot through my right arm.

There was a sound of grinding tracks and a roaring engine somewhere. Did we get all the chimeras? Didn't we? Was it a truck?

Movement! I twisted, pulling my laspistol with my left hand and shot the rebel trooper as he rounded the burning tank.

He went down screaming as a chimera pushed it's burning companion out of the way, engine roaring.

This is a bad plan!

I shifted, rolling in beneath the tank as my arm went numb. I tried crawling but the damn thing wouldn't work right.

Gritting my teeth, I scooted forward, well aware that I was just beneath a burning pile of explosives. We were in the forest, I might… if I'm lucky…

Wait…

I froze. The chimera engine roared and I spared a glance to the side as it clicked past along the road, coming to a stop on the other side.

Not going that way!

Biting back a curse, I started to scoot backwards again. Somebody grabbed my foot and pulled hard, hauling me out from beneath the tank and I twisted, raising my laspistol, squeezing the trigger only to have Kuren grab it in a massive hand and pushed it away.

I stared up at him for a long moment before I nodded to him.

He nodded back and hauled me onto my feet, "Miller is waiting by the forest," he said loudly and pointed, a lascarbine held in his free hand, "Jenna?"

I shook my head, "Harland?"

"Caught a lasbolt," He answered, "Come on, we have to hurry!"

I nodded and ran after him. This time, the smoke, fire and night were our friends.

We almost made it.

A second later the chimeras engine roared as it rounded the burning Black Queen behind us and Kuren glanced behind us before his large hand found my shoulder, pushing me to the side, "Get down!" he yelled and threw himself behind one of the wrecked trucks, pushing me along.

The chimeras turret mounted multi-las roared, sounding more like ripping fabric than anything else and Kurens left side exploded into chunks and blood.

He was dead before we hit the ground.

I scrambled forward, the multi-las tearing into the supply truck around me as I rolled beneath it. The energy bolts tearing through it, sending clouds of what I could only assume was pulverized ration packs raining through the air.

My left hand hit something solid and I grasped it by reflex more than anything else, finding myself holding a frag grenade. One of an entire crate that seemed to have split open on the ground. Next to a burning puddle of promethium.

Oh, so the truck had ammo in it as well.

That could explode.

What worse, they were useless against that chimera, I'd need a krak round or a melta charge or something!

Unless they were dumb enough to…

There was a whine as the chimeras ramp started to lower. I didn't think, I didn't have time to, I just rolled out from beneath the truck, managing to slip the pin of the grenade around a hook on my carrying harness before I threw the grenade left handed and threw myself to the ground as the multi-las tracked towards me.

I'm not sure if it was luck, divine intervention or what, but the grenade went exactly where I wanted it to. It bounded off the top of the armored transport and fell down into the opening hatch.

There was a muffled crack and the ramp stopped moving.

I laid there, tasting dirt and trying to breath through the smoke and choking fumes. Move.

The truck is going to explode.

Have to move.

The tank is going to explode.

Move.

I tried to move, I really did. My body just wouldn't respond. Move, damn it!

Darkness started to creep in around the edges of my vision and there was strobing ruby light of lasfire and then silent nothing.