The Corporal had his back pressed to the wall beside her, the passing torches shifting Connor's face from shadow to light every moment, making his features seem both chiseled and grim. He felt the Commissar was very unlike the other he had known on Lorn V, and he found that was fortunate. Maybe he could feel good about being 'advised' by her rather than being made to out of the chain of command. That is, if they lived to see any days past this one. The column of rebels not ten meters away walked in a rough fashion, clearly untrained, but there was a rhythm to their march that made him uncomfortable. They wouldn't be the mindless peasant uprising some had said. Their experiences earlier today had proved that much. 

"Sewer systems?" He whispered aloud, but he knew before she even disavowed it. They didn't know the layout. They just knew the general direction based on where they had fled from. 

Connors peeked around the corner once more, watching the men and women yelling and raising their fists in their air through the street. The line must have been half a kilometer long and that wouldn't be the last of them. The corporal blinked in surprise when he saw an Ogryn, or what he assumed was an Ogryn walking beside the citizenry, wielding a flamer and sniffing the air. It's tree-trunk thick arms and ugly face would be enough to intimidate any imperial soldier save for an Adeptus Astartes. A low flame flickered at the edge of its barrel, the unwieldy gun connected to a backpack behind the beast. Flamers weren't as volatile as melta weapons, but they were prone to accidents every now and then. 

Connor suddenly had an idea, and he had to keep a smile from his lips when he thought of it. 

"I have a thought, ma'am. But we need to hurry." He whispered, clearing his throat. "Take off your hat and jacket. Give me your jacket and keep your hat hidden..." 

She looked at him hard, and he realized it was an odd request. "Do it." He said. "Punish me later, but I can't explain in time. Do it!"

As she did so, he took off his helmet and hid it in his pack. She handed him her jacket, and he turned it inside out and slid it on himself, the coloring and threading making it very much like a wool jacket a poor man might wear. He grabbed his gun and eased up out of the wall just a hair, his barrel steadying and his finger on the trigger. He was about to take matters into his own hands when he realized how stupid it was. Any survivor would see the laser and what direction it had come from. Not only that, but he had no idea if such a tactic would work with lasweaponry. He set the weapon down and looked to the Commissar. "Bolt pistol." He whispered. He did not doubt she had reservations of handing him the pistol, but reluctantly she acquiesced and handed to him. Connors took it and aimed carefully, right hand on the trigger and left hand steadying the weapon as he held his breath for the shot. 

[i]POP[/i]. [b]FFFWOOOOMP[/b]

The bolt slug hit the gas tank behind the Ogryn, and the reaction was instantaneous. The sheer force of the explosion sent Connor flying back, knocking him on top of the Commissar in a very unbecoming position as the street ignited in the hellfire of the emperor's wrath, incinerating dozens of men and women and knocking back twice that many. Screams and cries erupted in the street and the odd gunshot rang out in the confusion. No doubt any rebel would come swarming to their position soon, but Connor didn't expect them to stay here for any length of time. 

He pushed himself off of her, embarrassingly clearing his throat and handing her the pistol back. "Let's go." he said, straightening her inside-out jacket and walked out of cover, his flak vest covered by the jacket and Katiya's messy blonde hair and hard set visage akin to someone who worked long hours. 

"Free Pavonis! Down with the government!" Connors screamed wildly as the crowd surged and cried out similar sentiments, some desperately looking for an enemy whilst others simply wanted to get away from the flames as quickly as they could. Connors shouldered past a one-eyed man with a strange, eldritch sign caved into his forehead and nearly bowled over a young couple, the woman holding a baby. It surprised him how full of rage and the lack of self preservation they exuded. The mass of bodies was so thick, even scattered, that Connors nearly had to hold his breath until he and Katiya stumbled out of the throng. In all likelihood the explosion was deemed an accident, and as they made it across the street and into the next, darkened alleyway, they heard more guns barking ammunition, either at one another or into the sky.

[i]5 minutes later...[/i]

Their foots softly banged along an aluminum, industrial walkway as they entered an abandoned factory. Now they had little to worry on regular marching and contingents as the whole of the rebel forces this side of the city would be converging at their last location. Now they just had the odd criminal or wayward patrol to worry on, at least if they made good time. Now in the darkened chamber of the factory, Connor stripped off Katiya's jacket, holding it out to her.

"Apologies ma'am." 
[@Penny]