Insertion Zone part 1

This is a piece of ongoing fiction about the exploits of Inquisitor Octavian Lars in the year M42 031, 35 years from when his current adventures are set.

Insertion Zone

An excerpt from the log of Inquisitor Octavian Lars, M42 031

“Were’re going in hot Octavian” came my pilot Marcus Flavius over the intervox. Marcus was a skilled fair haired pilot I had met on Sternum II, that was all he could do due to a leg condition that made both his real legs rot and bionics short out; so he stuck with a grav chair and voice recognition. Aside from my bodyguard Karazak Johnson, he was one of my most trusted servants. Anyway, all of this made little or no difference as I cut the main lights and engaged combat lighting. We were inserting into the mistd of the desert on the continent of Atlas at the head of a PDF strike team. Our target was a Tau infantry column that was heading straight for the sprawling hab spires Hive Hyperion.

The Handpicked team in my shuttle had been searching for several weeks for this column with our superior sensor arrays; we were now ready to call in the cavalry. The troops in my shuttle were; myself, Karazak (who was also the major (CO)in my Catachan bodyguard corps, the Devils), 12 devils and enough combat trucks to see us into battle. The PDF contingent consisted of 50 men in Thunderstorm transports, the equivalent of the bulky armoured chimera transports on VTOL jets led by my former assistant the now captain in the PDF; Thomas Grant. Of all the PDFs I have seen (I have never seen the far superior Cadian Interior Guard in my life), the Velteraxians are by far the most disciplined and drilled.

My gunner, Minerva Flavius reported contacts and alerted us to imminent landing. Minerva was Marcus’ wife and another trusted servant in my employ. She was tall, like most Sternum borns; dark haired as well as very, very confident. All of us were combat veterans, even more so than the veteran battalion of PDF that Captain Grant’s contingent had come from. The Devils were hand picked for resourcefulness, courage and loyalty. All  applicants went through a grueling training regime, live fire exercises and often fatal drills, these were men who had been through hell and back. War was all they lived for. Inside the shuttle we were checking kit and I was addressing the last minute briefing. I quickly scanned my trusty revolver for faults, Banisher was flawless. I quickly loaded 6 heavy man stopper rounds for getting through the Tau combat armour. I had a glimpse round, Karazak was checking his bionic power claw and the Devils were checking their elite kit; hellguns, shotguns, shock knives bolters etc.

Captain Grant came though on the medium range vox

“Ready when you are Inquisitor, Storm Squadron standing by. Over”

“Copy that, Captain. Over.” I replied.

“Recieved and understood. Over.”

“Starting run Storm Squadron. Over.”

“The Emperor protects. Over and Out.”

“Start the run Marcus,” I called on the Intervox.

All I could hear was the whine of the shuttle’s jet motors, the blood in my ears and the chatter of autocannon fire. Then the ramp came down. And then all hell broke loose.