Mopping up

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A Kriegsmen popped out of the hatch

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A Kriegsmen popped out of the hatch. A socket wrench in hand. His uniform covered in mud, oil, and blood. He scratched his helmet.

"Its broke." He said

"Well yeah no shit. but who the fuck broke it?" Another guardsman asked.

"Where is the crew, they would know something if anything." The last guardsmen said.

"Don't know they couldn't have gone far could they?" The guardsman threw his socket wrench down.

"Ughh, Callahan is not going to be happy about this one."

A crack. But it wasn't the fire, the sound of a twig or a stick breaking. The Guardsmen all turned drawing their weapons. The noise came from behind a shelled out building. Obviously a large skirmish had happened on this side of the city. The guardsmen on the tank charged his Plasma gun. The rest turned the flashlights on the end of their Lasguns and began walking slowly around the large bombed out building. An Imperial Legion soldier hiding, slowly raised his hands. 

"What should we do with him?" 

"Interrogate him. Hey you what the fuck happened here, why is our tank fucking broke. Speak before I blow your head off." The guardsman said threatingly.

"Uh-uh-uh. A mage, he said his name was Akylar. Please don't    kill me I have a wife and children." The Imperial Soldier stuttered, struggling to get the words out.

The air lit up with red. Before they knew it the Imperial Soldier head was off. They began walking back to the tank. A column of Kriegsmen marched by them, reminding them they weren't alone. They both sighed.

"Come on, lets go. We got to tell the Watch master one way or another. Do you think I should let him down easy?"

---

Swarms of guardsmen occupied the Lord's Mansion

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Swarms of guardsmen occupied the Lord's Mansion. Every street was guarded. Every Gate was blockaded. Kriegsmen began to settle into Bellnahgo. The battle had left its toll on the city. Much of Bellnahgo had succumbed to fires or was reduced to rubble. The Kriegsmen had seen worse, for instance Rondel. A once proud city that had taken years to construct, was reduced to a pile of rubble in a few weeks. Many of the Imperial citizens that inhabited the city were being rounded up into large trucks and driven back to Alnus.

A group of four guardsmen had to give a report on a disabled tank in the northeastern part of the city. Callahan was swamped in After-action reports. He was signing his signature fast, skimming over the reports. He sighed. In total a the size of a platoon in casualties, around seventy men. 

"That's what I get for not shelling the city. Fucking mages." Callahan said to himself.

The door creaked open. In came Tullin, and four other un-named guardsmen. They all walked up to his desk, stood at attention and gave a proper salute. Which Callahan barely Acknowledged with a impromptu salute back. This was the cue for the salute to stop. They all looked at each other trying to decide who to talk first.

"Sir, these four guardsmen encountered a disabled tank and are reporting it to you." Tullin finally spoke up.

"Uh-hum. Watch Master 'Gret' 4567-7854-3352, 2nd Platoon, 14th Company. Me and my men were detached from my squad. A tank that was assigned to our platoon had gone missing. So the Lieutenant sent us to find it."

Callahan looked up from his paperwork. Dropped his pen to give the guardsmen his undivided attention. He was concerned about the missing tank. A few dead guardsmen weren't something to make a fuss about. But a tank, he wanted to know if any mages were in the battle.

"Go on." Callahan muffled voice echoed.

"Yes sir, well we found an Imperial Soldier hiding in the rubble. He said a mage from Rondel isolated and disabled the tank in a ambush. The crewmen weren't anywhere to be found. We executed the Imperial Soldier."

"Uh-huh. Well Gret your lieutenant was listed dead in the fighting, and his executive officer was killed as well. A lot of people died in your platoon, with only thirty survivors. Mostly Grunts. You are the highest ranking NCO in the platoon which means you are being promoted to 2nd lieutenant of the 2nd Platoon. Some replacements will be arriving by the end of the week. Congratulations."

"I-Uh sir. Thank you. Where am I supposed to report?" Gret asked.

"Tullin show him." Callahan replied

"Yes sir. If you will follow me Lieutenant." Tullin said.

The three guardsmen began to follow their new Lieutenant. Tullin brought Gret to the quartermaster. Got him a new rank chevron, an officer sabre, a officer cap, and he updated his papers. Lieutenant Gret was told to report to his Captain and inform him of the promotion. 

pyres of dead bodies were still burning. Thousands of Imperial Soldiers died defending the city. But they had faltered. The city was about empty. All the Civillians were either executed or being sent to a work camp. Bellnahgo would eventually be resettled by loyal citizens of the Imperium. Callahan wondered who was behind the plan. Was it Colonel Miller, or was he just a puppet of the Inquisition?

---

The fireteam were truding along a dirt road, but they heard the roar of an engine get close and closer. A few Chimeras and transport trucks zoomed to them and then came to a stop by them. A man with the rank of Lieutenant as indicated by his rank chevrons, popped out of the top of a Chimera.

"Hello Sergeant. What is a small unit of Guardsmen doing out here? Do we have deserters?" The Lieutenant probed.

"No we are the fireteam hunting the Apostle Apollyon. Here is our orders signed by the Ordo Hereticus themselves." Dylan said, pulling out a letter with the seal of the Ordo Hereticus.

"Ahh, my apologies Sergeant. Do you need a ride. We are heading to a village North Bound here." The Lieutenant said.

"Thats exactly where we are heading." Flare spoke.

"Sure, Sir. We will take you up on your offer."

"Alright, hop in the back."

The fireteam hopped in the back of one the transport trucks. They were empty. It took them a few minutes to get to the village instead of a few hours. All the kriegsmen dismounted and started rounding up villagers and putting them into the back of the trucks. Anyone who resisted who either captured and hung on lamp posts or just shot outright. Eventually the Fireteam said their goodbyes to the Lieutenant and his Platoon. Another Long journey began, they were heading for the former capital of Elbe. Apollyon had no where to run except their. Elbe was the last vassal kingdom of the Empire to hold out. Currently it was being Occupied by the 2nd Battalion.

Authors note; A boring chapter but be sure to, comment, vote, and follow. I like to read comments especially ones that try and predict the next chapter. Grammar corrections would also be nice as well.



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