"There is a horde of possessed in these tunnels. Weak but numerous, the industrial working caste; industrial augmentations in addition to heavy demonic corruption. If we stay here the horde will come upon us at any minute now!"
"Too late, brace for impact." The matter of fact tone from the Krieger betrayed nothing of his actions, the sound of the Chimera slamming into reverse, and throwing the non Skitarii about violently as he avoided a crude, improvised rocket hurtling by. It seemed someone, or something, had instructed the heretical forces how to construct crude anti tank weapons, though by evading the incoming crude ordinance he had no room to avoid the charging heretical forces. The sound at the front end of the Chimera prompted Ansgar to slam the thing back forward, dragging the warp tainted assailant under the front treads, a heavy bump, screeching, and crunch announcing the fate of the would be boarder.
"We don't have room to maneuver clear of further explosive attacks where we are, we ram through the fortifications and take them in close assault."The idea of engaging corrupted industrial workers would be mad to most, but between the Skitarii who literally had no programming for fear nor any left in the organic components, and a Death Korp of Krieg Grenadier who saw a suicidal frontal assault as another day in service to the Emperor, and said Krieger was driving, there was little recourse for the more reasonable members inside the Chimera except be along for the ride. Not bothering to slow down, the Chimera's engine roared in defiance to the incoming clatter of stub weapons, stolen or inducted from local gangs or smuggled from offworld, as well as another volley of crude explosives attempting to disable the Chimera. The Skitarii, despite the chaos of the ramming attack, were firing at maximum efficiency, picking targets as the Chimera smashed open the crude semi circle of fortifications the heretics had attempted to make proof against assaults.
"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement."
Grim were the words that the Krieger intoned as a heretic took a massive pair of industrial sheers, designed for cutting armor plates to size, to the front of the hull, opening a man sized gap in front of Ansgar as he intoned the last line of the Litany of Sacrifice. Without a sound, the Krieger leapt forward, slamming into the heretic and, despite its augmentations, sent it hurtling to the ground. In its forehead was a bayonet, which Ansgar ripped from the bloody mess he had left of the heretic as he produced, in his dominant hand, an entrenching tool. The Skitarii kept up their withering rate of fire, and the tech heretic had a perfect line of fire into the tunnel where more heretics could pour in from. Despite the gaping hole over the driver's seat, the hull gun was undamaged and the Arbites would also find he had a fine view of the incoming heretics. Ansgar was standing over the corpse of the heretic, covering the only blind spot left outside of the rear of the Chimera, which was facing the Rhino.
"That is why Techpriests assigned to the Death Korp loath their vehicle operators..." Clearly Malig was disgusted with how the venerable Machine Spirit in the chimera had been treated, though she had little recourse to act in preventing such actions. She had not argued, or even begrudged, the Apothecary after she saw what Chapter the Astartes hailed from, and knew full well not to stand between the White Scar and a vehicle. She had instead provided navigational assistance while maintaining a connection to the remote operated Storm Bolter on the top of the vehicle. The weapon came to life, keeping the heretics from being able to get into the blind spot behind the Chimera, ramp still raised to prevent friendly fire, though anyone inside the transport could drop the ramp at any moment, even if the driver had already left through the new hole in its front.
"So long as the Rhino keeps clear of disabling fire, the remote Storm Bolter I am interfacing with will keep any infantry assaults to the Chimera's blind spot clear." The Techpriestess reported calmly to the Celestian, having accepted her position within the current hierarchy of command and not intending to create unnecessary disruptions. She would follow the Celestian's, or the Apothecary's if the Sister of Battle was unavailable, orders without delay, even if she would have choice words to say about the matter. In the pitch of a firefight was not the time to argue, after all, and if there was heresy spreading outside of the Dark Mechanicus presence, things were not boding well indeed.
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