Baneblade by Guy Haley

Author:Guy Haley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2013-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

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Magos Eurakote Steelmaster celebrates the naming of the

Hellhammer Ostrakan’s Rebirth.

Chapter 13

Kalidar IV, Western Hemisphere Army Group Camp, Macaree’s Tablelands

3329397.M41

The camp was a flurry of activity as Bannick jumped off the skirts of Mars Triumphant and onto the sand. He adjusted his rebreather as he walked towards Cortein, who stood next to an angry Hannick.

Tanks ground round and about. Squads of infantry ran past, heading over to the far side of the Leviathan where the last few orks were holding out.

Ostrakan’s Rebirth billowed smoke, weapons pointed at useless angles, left track blown off, engine block plating twisted. Already Adeptus Mechanicus enginseer teams were about it, assessing the damage as its blackened, shaken crew were helped off, their dead comrades preceding them in body sacks, stern-faced proctors taking them for their final blessing.

Cortein stood with Hannick, the pair of them staring at the wrecked Hellhammer. ‘I don’t believe what I am seeing,’ said Hannick. ‘What did they do to my tank?’ his voice was cold and level, mouth twisted into a near-snarl.

‘I hear the damage is not as bad as it appears, honoured captain,’ said Cortein. He nodded to Bannick as he came up alongside his clansman.

Hannick gave Cortein a hard stare. ‘It is not so much the fact of what they did, but that they could do it at all. Where were our sentries? Colonel Gemael, he was in charge of setting camp. Best put the wolves in charge of the flock! Damned fool!’

‘The orks used the storm to slip into the camp.’ Cortein’s face betrayed nothing of what he thought.

‘That does not mean that we should not have been prepared. Blast it! Thrice blast it! Dogmatic fools leading us, green recruits, damnable weather! Basdack orks! We should have been laagered!’

‘That’s unusually strong for you, sir,’ said Cortein drily. ‘I did suggest we not follow the orders, leave the reactors online, and lay up the crew at hand with the vehicles.’

‘You’re enjoying this far too much, Cortein,’ said Hannick. They’d fought together for years. This was one occasion when Hannick wished he’d listened to his second. ‘Bah!’ he shouted. ‘Look what they did to my tank! How many times have you seen Ostrakhan’s Rebirth in such a state?’ Hannick gestured at the Hellhammer. Fire suppressant was being foamed onto its blast sites, smothering the remaining flames hiding in its cracked armour. ‘How many times? Never, never has my engine been so shamed!’ He walked forwards a few paces, hands behind his head. ‘This was supposed to be clear territory.’

‘Sir,’ said Cortein. Then to Bannick, ‘Do not worry about Hannick. He’s a fine battlefield commander but the finer points of logistics have never come easy to him and he can let his temper run. From time to time the dignity of command escapes him.’ He paused. ‘I am sorry to hear about Marsello. He would have made a fine tanker, given time. You did what you could, and you are still alive.’

Bannick stood a little straighter, but said nothing.

‘It is war,’ said Cortein, quietly, ‘comrades die all the time, so do friends.

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