398.M41. The Macharian Crusade is nearing what will eventually become it's farthest limit of exploitation, the edge of the Halo Zone. Lord Solar Macharius and his Imperial War Machine are still sweeping across the galaxy with the full might of The Imperium Of Man behind them. After years of fighting countless victories have been won, and hundreds of planets are brought under the rule of The Emperor.
At the edge of the Halo Zone a medium sized planet is discovered and is given the designation P.M803. Numerous scans of the planets atmosphere and environment reveal it to be habitable by humans, although no signs of intelligent life are detected on its surface.Intelligence reports show the topography of the planet to consist largely of rugged rocky plains dotted with large rocky mountains and divided by deep valleys.Low light levels reaching the surface cause flora to be very scarce and surface temperature to be slightly lower than average however large amounts of water are clearly visible and traces of many different valuable metals are detected in numerous locations.Given these findings it is decided that P.M803 will be colonized if,after a period of observation conducted by a research element placed on the planets surface, it is deemed valuable to The Emperor.
With forces already stretched to their limits, and P.M803 being classified as a low threat to I.G forces due to the absence of any hostile presence, it is decided that only a small Cadian Contingency from The Fourth Army Group will be deployed to the planets surface to conduct a recon operation and secure a safe perimeter for a research team to insert into at a later date. Three Platoons of Veteran Soldiers of the 465th Cadian combine to form Combat Team Shadow, and prepare for descent to the planets surface to begin their mission.This is their story.
SHADOW TOUCHES DOWN
"10 minutes to touchdown" came the announcement over the vox-speakers inside of Combat Team Shadows tightly packed dropship.
" 'Bout damn time" grumbled 1st Platoons Sgt Black as he took the cigar from his mouth and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.Not unlike the other men on board, Sgt Black made no attempt to disguise his frustration with the current situation.The 465th had just been relieved after 6 months of fighting a Feral Ork warband on a nearby planet, and had been granted 21 days to rest and refit by their commanding officer.Less than 24hrs into the stand down, Black found himself in front of the Company Commanders desk, along with 2nd Platoon's Sgt Yurik and 3rd Platoon's Sgt Kane, receiving a brief about P.M803.
"I hate to do it to you men" Captain Merrit had said "But i need to send a team to secure a site for our researchers, and your the best i've got."
"With all due respect Sir, this is bullshit!" Black piped up "Our guys went through some serious shit with those green sons a' bitches, we lost a lot a' good men down there and..."
"That'll do Black!" Merrit interrupted harshly.
Sgt Black was well known for his temper and for always speaking his mind, and on more than a few occasions it had landed him in hot water.But Black had more than earned his keep on the battlefield, his reputation as a soldier and a leader was legendary among the ranks of the 465th.A bear of a man, he stood almost two metres tall and was almost as broad as two regular guardsmen. Always leading from the front, Black had charged headlong into the jaws of death countless times since his first battle as a sixteen year old Conscript almost 20 years ago.He had outlived all of his peers by years and quickly rose through the ranks to become the 465th Cadians' most Veteran Sergeant, and time still showed no signs of slowing him down.
"You'll take your platoons to the surface and secure that site." Merrit continued " Yurik, Kane, congratulations again on your recent promotions, i understand this will be your first assignment as platoon sergeants.Its just a routine recon and asset protection mission, we don't expect any resistance so don't worry, just keep an eye on Black and do what he does, I'm sure you'll be fine."
Yurik and Kane were not bad soldiers by any standards, they had proven themselves on the battlefield many times and their promotion to Sergeant was a testament to their knowledge and skill in combat.Still they were no where near the soldier Black was though,both had served as privates under him years ago,he had become a mentor and inspiration to them both and they aspired to do him proud.
"Ill make sure they don't mess up." Black assured his superior "Who's coming along with us Sir"
"I've only been issued orders to deploy your three Platoons, along with a small Hq unit, a Lieutenant Sharp and Sergeant-Major Holt with a few bodyguards i believe.A total of 100 men will be deploying....tomorrow. Transport will leave no later then 0330, we'll have you back in a week for whats left of the stand down.Understood?"
"Yes Sir" the reply shot from the mouths of all three sergeants simultaneously.
"Outstanding" the Captain responded before coming to attention "Dismissed."
"Sir" the men came to attention and responded, before turning and marching from Captain Merrit's office to go ready their Platoons.
"5 minutes to touchdown." came another announcement.
"Another glorious day in the Imperial Guard" joked Sergeant Yurik, a sly smile creeping across his face.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world" shot back Sergeant Kane as he went over his kit,making sure he was good to go when the ship touched down.
"Dont give me that shit" Black grumbled as he tried in vain to hide a chuckle "Another glorious day my ass."
The guardsman sitting nearby the three Sergeants all had a quiet laugh to themselves.They had done more than enough time in the Guard to know what it was really like.All the men in the combat team were veteran soldiers, they were the survivors,the natural fighters, the few who succeeded where most others failed, and did so time and time again.Every man understood that the next fight might be his last, that the next round his enemy sent down range might find its mark on his body, that the next planet he set foot on might the one where his lifeless body remained for the rest of time.None of that bothered these men, they were fearless, numb to the horrors of war through constant exposure to its harsh realities.They did what was asked of them and they did it well, with faith in the weapon in their hands and in the men beside them, and above all, with unquestioning faith in The Emperor himself.War was what these men lived for, and The Imperium Of Man is what they died for, and that's the way it had always been.
"2 minutes to touchdown." another announcement sounded.
"Listen in men" Lieutenant Sharp stood to address the combat team "We're two minutes out, i want a one-hundred percent stores check, Sergeants check your men, i want everything ready to go the second that door opens, do i make myself clear?"
"SIR!" came a chorus of replies,among others things said in a more hushed tone.
Sharp had wasted his breath, he was speaking to the most experienced men of the 465th, they had been through this process a hundred times before.They had cleaned their weapons and checked their gear for the final time before he had finished polishing his sword and writing in his journal.Sharp hard just been assigned to the team,until now he was unheard of.Rumor had it he was fresh out of officer training, the son of some diplomat who got his posting here based on his family name and not his merits.As far as the men were concerned he was fresh meat for the grinder and he wouldn't have their respect until he earned it on the battlefield.His second in command, Sergeant Major Holt , a new face in the team as well, was a transfer from the 522nd who had apparently brought his bodyguards across with him.
"Seems odd to send a team like us in under the command of a bunch of strangers don't it?" one guardsman said to another as he went about checking his kit like Sharp had ordered.
"Yeah your right...I don't like it at all." the other man replied as he shot a glare towards Sharp and Holt "Word is his old man pulled a bunch of strings to get him posted here, figured he'd be safer with us than anyone else i guess."
"Maybe that's why they pulled us from the unit and gave us this mission" a third man joined in "It supposed to be quiet down there, no one to kill,bit of a change of pace to the usual jobs we get." All three men let out a laugh and continued checking their gear.
It seemed the Sergeants shared the same opinion as their men about their new officer.
"Where the hell does he get off" Black snarled "Young pup probably wasn't even born when i was bayonetting my first dirty greenskin bastard"
"Im sure we'll have him figured out before we get off this rock" Kane said "I Know his type, all show and no go.He'll never last with us"
"He's lucky we don't have an enemy welcoming party waiting for us down there, looks like he'd crack at the first sign on a fight" Yurik added.
"10 seconds to touchdown" The final countdown began over the Vox-speakers
"Here we go again"Black muttered as he locked a magazine into his bolt pistol.
"9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..TOUCHDOWN"
The rear skids of the landing craft came to rest softly on the rocky surface of P.M803, its downward thrusters causing a storm of dark dust to fill the dark, chill air.The rear landing ramp descended and the first members of Combat Team Shadow immediately began to disembark...
"Yes Sir" the reply shot from the mouths of all three sergeants simultaneously.
"Outstanding" the Captain responded before coming to attention "Dismissed."
"Sir" the men came to attention and responded, before turning and marching from Captain Merrit's office to go ready their Platoons.
"5 minutes to touchdown." came another announcement.
"Another glorious day in the Imperial Guard" joked Sergeant Yurik, a sly smile creeping across his face.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world" shot back Sergeant Kane as he went over his kit,making sure he was good to go when the ship touched down.
"Dont give me that shit" Black grumbled as he tried in vain to hide a chuckle "Another glorious day my ass."
The guardsman sitting nearby the three Sergeants all had a quiet laugh to themselves.They had done more than enough time in the Guard to know what it was really like.All the men in the combat team were veteran soldiers, they were the survivors,the natural fighters, the few who succeeded where most others failed, and did so time and time again.Every man understood that the next fight might be his last, that the next round his enemy sent down range might find its mark on his body, that the next planet he set foot on might the one where his lifeless body remained for the rest of time.None of that bothered these men, they were fearless, numb to the horrors of war through constant exposure to its harsh realities.They did what was asked of them and they did it well, with faith in the weapon in their hands and in the men beside them, and above all, with unquestioning faith in The Emperor himself.War was what these men lived for, and The Imperium Of Man is what they died for, and that's the way it had always been.
"2 minutes to touchdown." another announcement sounded.
"Listen in men" Lieutenant Sharp stood to address the combat team "We're two minutes out, i want a one-hundred percent stores check, Sergeants check your men, i want everything ready to go the second that door opens, do i make myself clear?"
"SIR!" came a chorus of replies,among others things said in a more hushed tone.
Sharp had wasted his breath, he was speaking to the most experienced men of the 465th, they had been through this process a hundred times before.They had cleaned their weapons and checked their gear for the final time before he had finished polishing his sword and writing in his journal.Sharp hard just been assigned to the team,until now he was unheard of.Rumor had it he was fresh out of officer training, the son of some diplomat who got his posting here based on his family name and not his merits.As far as the men were concerned he was fresh meat for the grinder and he wouldn't have their respect until he earned it on the battlefield.His second in command, Sergeant Major Holt , a new face in the team as well, was a transfer from the 522nd who had apparently brought his bodyguards across with him.
"Seems odd to send a team like us in under the command of a bunch of strangers don't it?" one guardsman said to another as he went about checking his kit like Sharp had ordered.
"Yeah your right...I don't like it at all." the other man replied as he shot a glare towards Sharp and Holt "Word is his old man pulled a bunch of strings to get him posted here, figured he'd be safer with us than anyone else i guess."
"Maybe that's why they pulled us from the unit and gave us this mission" a third man joined in "It supposed to be quiet down there, no one to kill,bit of a change of pace to the usual jobs we get." All three men let out a laugh and continued checking their gear.
It seemed the Sergeants shared the same opinion as their men about their new officer.
"Where the hell does he get off" Black snarled "Young pup probably wasn't even born when i was bayonetting my first dirty greenskin bastard"
"Im sure we'll have him figured out before we get off this rock" Kane said "I Know his type, all show and no go.He'll never last with us"
"He's lucky we don't have an enemy welcoming party waiting for us down there, looks like he'd crack at the first sign on a fight" Yurik added.
"10 seconds to touchdown" The final countdown began over the Vox-speakers
"Here we go again"Black muttered as he locked a magazine into his bolt pistol.
"9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..TOUCHDOWN"
The rear skids of the landing craft came to rest softly on the rocky surface of P.M803, its downward thrusters causing a storm of dark dust to fill the dark, chill air.The rear landing ramp descended and the first members of Combat Team Shadow immediately began to disembark...
