Seventy-Two Hours

Chapter 5

"Don't be stupid, lad..." Yngvar yelled, but he grew silent upon seeing the extent of his comrade's injuries. Ropes of blue intestines lay about Desimus' legs. Blood oozed from the gaping wound in his stomach, as well as numerous other rents in his armor, and holes where he had been struck by borer beetles. One leg was barely attached at the knee by the bone and a few strands of muscle. How the Imperial Fist had made it this far, Yngvar had no idea.

He nodded, "Very well," he slid a Krak grenade into Desimus' bloody gauntlet. "You buy us some time, Brother."

Desimus hawked and spat bloody phlegm into the thick undergrowth. He smiled at Yngvar through blood smeared teeth. "I cannot do it all, Brother Yngvar," He paused as they both fired a burst into a group of Termagants who had drawn too close. "You will have to pull your own weight in the fight." They both laughed as Yngvar smacked Desimus' shoulder plate.

"I will see you in the next life, Brother Desimus."

"In the next life, Brother Yngvar"

"Let's go!" Lucian voxed over the steady crump of grenade detonations, "We have to move now!"

The three remaining space marines turned and ran down the hill, crashing through the thick green foliage in their haste to reach team three's position and begin fighting their way toward the landing zone-LZ.

Desimus' vox was still active, allowing them to hear the battle before the echoes of it reached them through the trees. They could hear the roar of his storm bolter, awash with static through the vox transmission. A grenade went off, seconds later they could hear the dull thump as the distance between them and their fallen comrade grew.

"Primarch-Progenitor," The Imperial Fist intoned calmly, his storm bolter providing a steady roar in the background. "To your glory and the glory of Him on Earth." Even as the remnants of Death's Head charged for the rally point, they could hear Desimus' weapon click as it emptied. The small double ping of grenade pins being pulled echoed oddly over the vox even as the screeching of the Tyranids approach grew louder then, "For the Emper..."

The explosion shook the ground. Desimus had used his own Krak grenade plus the one which Yngvar had given him. The result was quite fantastic. A hurried glance back revealed that the top of the hill was just...gone, like someone had scooped it up and cast it skyward. Dirt and smoldering body parts rattled through the trees to rain down on the retreating space marines.

Isaac grunted, stumbling as a large stone crashed into his lower back. Lucian looped his arm through that of the Dark Angel as they ran, helping him regain his balance. The team ran on. As they ran, Lucian made contact with the crew of the Cloak and Dagger. "Death's Head reports kill confirmed. Repeat, KILL CONFIRMED." He lept a fallen tree, firing at a Tyranid which he had spotted through the trees, coming from the direction of the lake. How many were there? By the Emperor, was the planet infested? "We are on our way to the rally point and then will proceed to the LZ for pickup. How copy?"

Yngvar looked over as they ran. He saw Lucian nod his head as he received a confirmation from the Inquisition ship in orbit. The Ultramarine switched vox channels and made contact with team three. "Team three. Dante, Jubal. Do you copy?" A hiss of static,

"Loud and clear, Brother Sergeant," Came Jubal's reply, "Things are getting pretty hot here." There was a pause as the screeching of the Tyranids was interrupted by the rolling thunder of multiple explosions.

There was a bellowed cry of "WAAAGH!" followed quickly by the cough of a suppressed weapon and the hiss and crunch as a power sword cut through flesh and bone.