Calgar's Siege by Paul Kearney

Author:Paul Kearney
Language: eng, eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2016-06-13T14:27:00+00:00

Thirteen

They came in the night, and they struck at the Vanaheim Gate. But they did not come rushing across the body-strewn swamp before the walls. They came hurtling out of the dark, rain-filled sky, a cloud of tiny lights bearing down on the defences like a shower of errant meteors.

They were all over the battlements before anyone even raised the alarm. Ork assault troops, lighter-framed creatures of their kind wearing jump packs, came swooping out of the darkness and landed like a hammer on the upper works of the Vanaheim. By the time the alarm klaxons were ringing out they had already overrun half a dozen heavy weapons emplacements and were turning the guns on their erstwhile owners. A reinforcing company of militia was cut down as it pounded along the battlements to take on the invaders, some eighty of them blown to shreds by the fire of their own autocannons.

A hard, bitter, utterly confusing fight began at close quarters on the upper storeys of the barbican, as the orks fought their way into the massive structure of the gate itself. Once inside, the assault wave jettisoned their jump packs and closed with the defenders in the corridors and passageways of the fortress, tearing the defenders limb from limb in the confined spaces below.

But those who fought and died there bought time for their comrades, who shut the heavy blast doors that guarded the covered ways to the gate mechanisms and the very heart of the Vanaheim. The orks, stymied, massacred every one of the defenders in the upper levels, while to the south of the city a massive warband, five thousand strong, began advancing on the walls. From the entire southern circuit of Zalathras, the fire began to flash out from every defensive tower and from the newly recruited militia companies who were holding the battlements. A huge explosion rose up from the Vanaheim, smoke billowing out of the interior as the orks set charges against the blast doors within.

The entire city came awake, shocked by the sudden fury of the assault. Lieutenant Janus’ firefighting regiment clambered into their vehicles and thundered down the broad expanse of Dromion Avenue towards the south, Sentinels out in front, the bipedal war walkers striding along like woken monsters. Behind them thundered a long convoy of squat Chimeras, their tracks squealing and rattling on the paved road.

In a single modified vehicle with an open top, Sergeant Avila and five Ultramarines of his squad rode easily, their helmed heads sweeping the streets of the city to their front. Avila blinked on the command vox sigil in his heads-up display.

‘Attack on the Vanaheim. Looks like an aerial insertion. Word from the walls is that a host on the ground is following up. Heavy fighting within the barbican. We will debus there and work our way up to the roof.’

‘Secure the gate mechanisms,’ Calgar’s voice came back. ‘That is the priority. Once they are safe, then proceed with clearance.’

‘Acknowledged,’ Avila said. He looked at his brethren, who all nodded at him one by one.

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