[X] Leave someone at the Knight-berth (Write-in who)
-[X] Vali
As the three of you emerge from your mounts you give Vali an order. "Sir Vali, please remain with your mount here."
Vali looks like he is about to protest but only says, "Very well, your highness." He hangs back to the berth, along with a mix of guardsmen and mechanicum forces. Valmanar joins you as you and Alex move to the command tent. The camp is a hub of activity as men move work on a multitude of tasks. All to keep the fortification defensible.
The command tent is, as ever, guarded by Pythos and Triptocles. They give you a polite nod as you enter. Helios is alone at the head of the table. "No Orks then?" He asks bluntly.
"No, General." You answer, "Just random stragglers."
The man scowls. "Damn. What the hell are they up to..."
Valmanar interjects with cold efficiency. "If I may, General, it is probable that they are building up an offensive." A series of clicks sounds out from his robe. "The data from similar engagements suggest that the Orks would use this time to build up more of their war machines."
"So, we can expect more of those tanks then?" Helios asks.
"Yes. And worse," Valmanar says. "The Orks have rampaged across this planet for sufficient time to gather the necessary resources to create more deadly contraptions."
Alex speaks up. "The tanks went down easily enough."
"There will be more." Helios grunts gruffly. "More of those tanks and worse besides. This isn't my first war against the Orks. I know of what Valmanar speaks. This...holding back is outside my experience with them."
The tent grows silent. Any attempt at bravado feels foolish at this moment. You are about to speak up when the tent flap is suddenly ripped open. Pithos yells out. "Oy, Tech-Priest, don't just barge in..."
Said Tech-Priest is about as frightened looking as any heavily augmented human can look. His voice certainly conveys all the horror his body is incapable of. "Magos Valmanar!!! Seismic activity has spiked!!! It is as your data claimed! The Orks are coming from underground!!!!"
Valmanar's reaction is immediate and sudden. "General, move all your men to their machines as swiftly as they are able. We are about to be hit hard. Our fortifications are useless now. We can only rely on our weaponry to keep us alive."
You expect Helios to argue, to counter Valmanar's insubordinate order. Instead, he shocks you by immediately grabbing the vox machine. He yells out across the general channel. "EVERYONE. Get to your weapons now, we are about to be hit." He then turns to you and Alex. "Get to your Knights, now, Princesses. You will have the Priests and a few squads of guard to get you there." He stands up, grabbing his bolt pistol and blade as he does. "As well as myself and my personal honor guard. If this is as the Tech-Priests claim, we are going to need the Knights as soon as possible."
You bow. "Of...of course General." It seems absurd. Surely it isn't that dangerous. At this thought, the ground starts shaking in earnest. Soon it becomes impossible to stand as you are forced to grab the table for balance. Alex and Helios are in similar straits, but Valmanar doesn't budge. Then you hear two things. An explosion and a roar. A roar filled with nothing but bloodlust and rage.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH"
Your blood runs cold. Everyone is already moving. Even General Helios is white with fear. You barely notice as you and everyone else burst out of the tent, revealing a mixed bag of guard and skitarii, all armed and ready. Pithos and Triptocles are in the lead with the General's personal guard, Power Lances at the ready. You don't see any Orks, but you spot a billowing pillar of smoke. It is exactly where the Knights are berthed.
*************
You are Sir Vali, Knight of Etumar, and current principle retainer to Crown Princess Genevive. Currently, you lounge in the throne of your machine. Despite your vows, you can't help but feel a slight bitterness about being left here. A bitterness that you suppress with blunt force. This is not a matter of trust. Of course, Princess Genevive favors her sister over a man like you, little more than a hired thug she met a scant week ago. You have an order, and honor demands you follow it.
A vox call comes in, from the Admech woman, X9-A. "Sir Vali, seismic activity has spiked considerably. Soon the ground will shake palpably. Then the Orks will emerge in their machines of war. Please prepare for combat immediately."
You blink awkwardly at this. "Milady, are you cert-" The ground starts shaking. You immediately switch to combat readiness. "Understood, Milady." Around you the Admech troops shift into combat positions. The ground continues to shake. Then the earth bursts open like a pimple. A giant drill plows out. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH"
You are already firing as the first Orks burst out. You spot the heavy weapons squad immediately. Did...did they know of the Knights? No. Impossible. Simple chance, nothing more. Regardless, the heavy weapons squad is the first one you blast to shreds with your stubber. The instant you slay them, more Orks swarm out of the machine. An impossible amount of them. The Admechs are already heavily engaged. And yet they do not break. Out of the corner of your perception, you note X9-A decapitating one of the vile xenos with a flick of a glowing sword. What a woman. Your stubber continues to fire as the Orks rush out. Dozens are shredded to bits. Still they rush on, and still, the Mechanicum troops fight on. Then you aim your cannon. You clench your fist and with a boom the drill-transport shakes. It does not break. You scowl. "In the name of the Emperor and the planet of Etumar, by the peerless honor of Crown Princess Genevive, YOU WILL FALL YOU XENOS FILTH!!!!" You fire again and again. You fire until the mental strain causes your hand to ache. After five hits the drill finally collapses, splitting in twain and falling over.
X9-A's voice comes through the vox. "It will explode. Fall back for safety, Sir Vali."
You respond, "No, Milady X9-A, you fall back. I shall cover you." Chivalry demands no less.
Her voice shows no emotion. "Understood, Sir Vali."
As the Admechs begin to fall back, you do as you promised, strafing the Orks and preventing them from getting a proper angle on the retreating forces. They make it back just in time. The drill explodes in a burst of flame. The rest of the Orks die with it. Through the fire you stand firm. If your mount falls through this, if you fall through this, you never had any right to call yourself a Knight. At last, the fire fades. You still stand. You run a quick scan. Your mount is unharmed. Singed, but unharmed. The Admechs return.
Once again X9-A hails you. "Are you alright Sir Vali? You Knight seems to have suffered minimal damage."
"I am fine, what of the Princesses' mounts?" You ask.
"They are fine. When they return, they will be able to fight at 100% effectiveness."
You nod. You don't physically relax, but your mental strain lessens. You succeeded.
"Please prepare for more combat, Sir Vali. Further Ork attacks are inevitable."
You smirk grimly. Then you steel yourself.
Verlithian the Defiant responds with pride. There is more honor to be had this day.
*************
You are Crown Princess Genevive. You watch in horror as more smoke raises from across the camp. Already you can hear the sound of gunfire, the screams of dying men and howls of the xenos that have invaded this planet. You have a force of soldiers surrounding you, as well as General Helios himself. What do you do?
[] Stay in the center
[] Get in the back of the force
[] Move to the front
[] Write-in
