Author Notes:
UmU, the newest GSS chapter should be an interesting read for all of you. I hope you don't mind me going haywire with all the recaf.
Now then, I pay my gratefulness and respect to Corporal Yakare, Corporal DR, and Private Soulsmsher. They are retiring from active duty and will continue serving the Imperium and the Belkan Reich as honorable retirees. Thank you all of you for your contribution thus far.
Other than that, don't forget to enjoy the new chapter, everyone!
There are advanced chapters on P-atreon for both of my fics, with a couple of special bonuses if you read the fine print :D
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For my fics:
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https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1375924/in-the-grimdark-sector-with-a-system/
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After a flash of myriad colors light, I, alongside the rest of 3rd Platoon, find ourselves in the middle of a deserted square. Looking around warily, it's quickly determined that we're in an urban setting, one that has been at the mercy of Mother Nature for quite some time.
"Abandoned cars, moss-covered walls, bombed streets,... It seems to me that we got sent to an old battlefield." Scorpin comments while hefting a plasma gun slightly bigger than her usual grenade launcher.
Sergeant Johnson hums.
"That seems to be the case. Depending on how realistic this emulated arena is, there may be something we can salvage to bolster our firepower."
"Fingers crossed that's the case." Scorpin adds before looking around. "Now what?"
"We scout and make a game plan. We can't run for shit against the Salamanders. However, an urban setting like this one can provide us with an opportunity to dig in or hide." Johnson answers while taking a look at his data slate for the updated mission briefing. "Extraction will come via air, provided that we can last until they arrive. The ETA on that bird is nebulous at best, so don't count on it. Best we do this with a last stand spirit..."
Looking at Weiss and I, Johnson orders.
"Ein, Rookie..." He then points at a half-destroyed tower, presumably used to be an administrator building. "Get up there and get some bird-eye view for us. We don't have a Sensor-skull so we have to do this the old-fashioned way. Help us get the lay of the land and see if you can find any defensible location. The rest of you, follow me. Let's see if we can't find anything good around these parts."
"Roger that, Sarge." I reply, giving him a two-finger salute before turning to Weiss. "I hope you practiced your cardio because we may have to climb a few flights of stairs."
Weiss readjusts her helmet, staring at the towering building off in the distance. "This will be annoying as heck..."
I giggle at the complaint. Sergeant Johnson adds one last set of instructions before we part into one large group and a small team. "Ok, people. Keep your interval wide, your eyes opened, and your asses covered. Let's move!"
Weiss and I start jogging to the dilapidated tower while Johnson leads the rest of 3rd Platoon to scour the scenes of battle around them. If Johnson manages to grab anything useful, he will call it out on vox.
For the most part, the journey to the bombed administrator tower is uneventful, albeit slightly annoying as we have to maneuver around cratered streets. In doing so, however, I am made to notice the heftiness of the Long-las I am carrying. Heavier and longer than my usual lasrifle, the only reason why I pick a Long-las is due to its improve armor penetration capability. I have tested it before, in exchange for costing more energy per shot, a supercharged beam from a Long-las is nearly as powerful, if not on par with a Hellgun. There are cases of Chaos Space Marines being cut in half by well-placed bursts from Hellguns used by Tempestus Scion units. If I use my Long-las correctly, I should be able to achieve similar effects. Still...
I turn to give Weiss a side glance through the tinted visor of my helmet. Much like myself, Weiss has no trouble navigating the treacherous terrains of loose dirt, cracking pavements, and jagged rocks and pointy rebars. In fact, she can easily make headways over me due to her taller physique. However, she remains perfectly content with sticking near me, and not away from me. For the past few days, I have been paying more attention to this Rookie and battle buddy of mine. Because of that, it's not that hard for me to decipher the meanings behind the actions Weiss took when it comes to me. More than a battle buddy, she acts like I am a VIP for her to protect. Whenever my safety is at potential risk, Weiss displays an unnatural attentiveness and willingness to take a shot in my stead. The way she subtly moves to block my body from potential sniper locations, The way she scans for traps and ambushes when we patrol alone. Or the way she shadows me whenever she can without incurring my suspicion or displeasure... Weiss is legitimately acting as an undercover bodyguard for me alone. As for why this is the case, I legitimately have no idea. However, my instinct is pegging me that this could be Mama's doing and that Weiss is sincere in her actions.
It could be that due to my increasing attachment to the Imperial Guard, Mama fears for my safety so she subtly arranged a protector, Weiss, for me. As farfetched as that may sound, one shouldn't underestimate the means and feelings of a caring mother. If it's true that this is Mama's doing, then I will gladly accept it with open arms. What? Do you think I would turn down such a willing bodyguard? While it may sound bad, having Weiss means that whenever shit hits the fan, I stand a higher chance at survival. Of course, it doesn't mean I will readily sacrifice Weiss, I'm not that heartless. It only means I have more firepower at my disposal, and all fears come from insufficient firepower.
As for Weiss's true identity, her distinct footwork gave it away long ago. When I first saw the Lucifer Blacks and the way they carried themselves, I came to realize just how similar they are to my Weiss. Hailing from the Blacks, Weiss tries to mask her elite skills to blend in with 3rd Platoon. However, those very skills have been so deeply ingrained that it's much harder and noticeably unnatural to hide them. Still, other than me, it's only Johnson who thinks Weiss is more than who she presented herself to be. The reason why Johnson hasn't said anything yet is probably because Weiss hasn't done anything truly worrisome. Nonetheless, Weiss' heritage as a Lucifer Black does a great deal to assuage some of the fear I have for the future. Other than the Custodes and Astartes, Lucifer Blacks are the best bodyguards you can ever ask for. I wonder what sorts of strings Mama or someone has to pull to get one assigned to me.
Of course, I can be wrong about everything. It may have been me overthinking things and that Weiss is just Weiss, not a Black. It does change nothing about our circumstances. So long as Weiss plays her role as my battle buddy well, I have nothing to complain about nor will I pry open her hidden nature. Weiss does not deserve a Spanish Inquisition, after all.
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"1-1, this is 3-1." I speak through the Platoon vox channel. "We've secured the tower. Quite frankly, we don't see many places that can be used as long-term holdouts from here... Nothing that can withstand Astartes, at least."
I then turn to look at Weiss who is looking through her magnoculars. "Weiss spotted an abandoned Astra Militarum motor pool due East of your locations. Should be a few blocks out. There are some vehicles there if you want to check, see if any of them still work, Sarge."
"1-1, copy all." Comes the voice of Johnson through the vox channel. "I will lead First Squad to scout out the motor pool. 2-1 will reconvene with you at the base of the tower. By the look of it, we will have to fortify the tower area, using its high ground to help level the playing field."
"The Salamanders will no doubt understand the tactical advantage of this tower, Sarge." I recommend. "Weiss and I can help Second Squad set up chokepoints and traps while you secure the motor pool."
I can feel Johnson nods from the other end. "We will proceed as you said, Corporal. Pick the prime real estate to welcome our guests."
"Affirm, Sarge. Over and out." I tune out of the vox channel, turning my body to pat Weiss on the shoulder. "Weiss, help me deploy some ropes so the others can use their ascenders to get up here quickly."
"Alright." Weiss nods, putting away her magnoculars. "Where should we place them?"
I point to the railings that face the inner courtyard of this tower instead of externally. "There, just so that we can go up and down swiftly and out of sight if the Salamanders surrounded this building."
"Good idea." Weiss replies while moving to remove some rappelling ropes from my backpack.
Together, Weiss and I set up four rappelling lines that run from our current floor down to the ground floor. Since the building is unstable on the highermost floors, we can only garrison up to the 27th floor of the tower. The 27th floor is tall enough to offer us a good view of most of the simulated city. However, if a Salamander wills it, he or she can bulldoze through the floors at lightning speed. When that happens, it very much is game over for us. Hence, keeping the Salamanders out of CQC distance will be very much preferable for 3rd Platoon. It's why after we set up the rappelling lines, Weiss and I use them to descend and reconvene with Scorpin's Special Weapon Squad.
On the ground level, we come to see Scorpin and her Squad hauling behind them sleds carrying what can only be described as non-lethal promethium and other assortments of stuff that can be made into explosives. Like, I am not joking about the non-lethal fuel part. The names plastered onto the side of the stuff have the word 'non-lethal' in bold. Some Tech-priests must have had too much time on their hands and made these as a joke. Otherwise, how else do you explain materials for Improvised Explosive Devices being non-lethal?
"These are all that you could find?" I ask, crouching down to pick up a bag of, you guessed it, fertilizer.
"We got away with what we could, anything more than we would need a vehicle. There's still a whole warehouse of this stuff nearby." Scorpin explains, looking back at the direction where she and her Squad came from.
"A whole warehouse of volatile materials, you say..." I hum, my eyes glinting as I gaze at the warehouse out of sight.
Weiss chimes in. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
I smirk. "If you're thinking about the fact that we have a massive bomb just waiting to be made, then yes, dear Weiss."
I then gesture at the sleds carrying the bomb-making materials.
"These alone can be made either into one big-boom or many smaller ones. That warehouse Scorpin raided though, can be a real surprise if we play our cards correctly. For now, I suggest the Second Squad set up shop first. If possible, use controlled demolitions to set up kill zones and blockades."
Scorpin gives a thumbs up. "Piece of cake, darling. Come on, boys and girls. Let's get down to brass tacks and get a defense perimeter up and running."
Having said that, Scorpin leads her Special Weapon Squad to start fortifying our location. In the meantime, I have Weiss put away the bomb materials for immediate utilization while I communicate with Sergeant Johnson.
"Sarge, you have anything good on that side?"
"The motor pool does have some stuff, Ein." Johnson replies. "A few vehicles, unarmed but armored. We're thinking of nabbing them all to act as another layer of protection."
"Any cargo hauler, sir?" I ask.
"A stripped-down Centaur. What do you need?"
"I need a bunch of material transport from the nearby city warehouse that Second Squad just hit. Promethium, fertilizer, wheat flour... Oh, and see if you can find plates or dishes of ductile metal. Copper or iron will work."
Knowing my resourcefulness, Johnson immediately replies. "Consider it done. How big of a boom you'll be making?"
"Just enough to be an annoyance, Sarge. And although I highly doubt the Salamanders will make it easy for us, I do want to prepare a certain safety net, just in case."
"You have my attention, Ein." Johnson replies, interested. Over on the other end, I can hear the rumbling of vehicles being started.
I smirk before disseminating my stupid plan to Johnson. Whether it works or not remains to be seen, but at least we will be doing everything we can to clinch a victory.
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Outside of the simulated arena, the leaders of the Joint Task Force are spectating 3rd Platoon's preparation with a vested interest. As agreed upon by them all, 3rd Platoon will have at least a day to set up their position. Afterward, six Salamanders that are on stand-by will be deployed and the spar will truly commence. However, what they have been hearing and seeing so far has been nothing short of intriguing. Despite knowing that they're at a severe advantage, 3rd Platoon remains composed in the field, fully committed to their tasks as if they're fighting a real war.
"Professional and resourceful..." Tu'shan comments. "Clearly, they seek to achieve the home-field advantage."
Elyzabeth nods with a small smile.
"It's smart of them to do so. Heavy firepower alone won't be enough to deter a Salamander, much less six of them. A certain degree of... Unconventionalism is needed. As dishonorable as they may be, traps and ambushes are the only ways 3rd Platoon can stand a chance to win. That said..." Elyzabeth turns to look at Belisarius Cawl. "Are you sure that the arena can handle IEDs, Dominus?"
Dominus Cawl harrumps mechanically. "Even Titans can fight to their hearts' content in there. A few IEDs won't be enough to overwhelm the safety mechanics..." But then the Dominus lowers his voice when they all hear what Ein's stupid plan is. "However, I will personally intervene before things go out of hand if it even gets to that point."
Indeed, more precautions have to be taken. After all, Ein's plan is borderline suicidal, much to Elyzabeth's and Tsavorae's chagrin.