Author Notes:
As promised, one new chapter, and one reposted chapter for GSS! Hopefully, you guys will enjoy the little bit of references I have been laying around. And, as always, do comment, review, and support GSS and my other stories as well! Thank you!
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OBOM Visual Guide:
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Still in the air, yet nearing our destination, a sudden Vox communication from Archmagos Dominus Belasarius Cawl changes what should be a direct, simple reclamation mission into something else.
"It is confirmed that the munition train RTX-6090 is now speeding along the railroads. We deployed too late to prevent its reactivation. Additionally, analysis of the heretical infestation suggests the enemy are Dregs from No Man's Land."
The crackle of Cawl's words prompts Johnson to smack his tongue.
"Were it so easy... Regardless, ain't our first rodeo. We will rein in that train soon enough."
Cawl then informs.
"Then you will do so under a time limit. It is suspected that RTX-6090will utilize Switch Point 67 to turn straight into No Man's Land, carrying with it the looted goods. I reckon it's inefficient of me to explain the term No Man's Land and the risk it may impose on your Platoon, Sergeant. "
"Then we'll need to hit them hard and fast." Johnson grins before speaking into the intercom that's connected to our pilot, Blake. "Lieutenant, do us a favor and fly us low above the train. Weiss and Ein will stay to provide overwatch while the rest of us rappel down and purge the entire place."
"Then you will have to start from the rearmost car, Sergeant. It's the only car with ample enough clearance for us to hover and drop you off. ETA 15 seconds."
Johnson turns to the rest of us after hearing Blake's report.
"You heard the lady, prep yourself for some fast-roping by the rear ramp! Ein and Rookie, you take the Bolter and provide cover fire for us." Johnson then switches his Vox to communicate with Scorpin as we prepare ourselves accordingly. "Scorpin, upon touchdown, I need you to set up a firing line all over our front. We'll push forward with your team taking point with your Flash Shields. Time to put Ein's creations to the test!"
Finally, Johnson looks over to the waiting Setsuna. "And Sister..."
Setsuna returns the Sergeant's gaze calmly. Johnson raises a hand to pat her on the pauldron, finally saying. "Crush them all. We're right behind you."
Setsuna, entombed in her alloy body, smirks dangerously at the approaching train. "It is my duty."
Although Setsuna submits herself to Johnson's authority, the Sergeant is not quite familiar with her fighting style, especially after her reconstruction. As such, giving the experienced Setsuna, armed with her Jump Pack, free rein to hop around and do what she does best is a sound tactical decision.
"5 seconds!" Blake's announcement comes in right when we're done with our setup.
"Open the ramp!" Johnson speaks loudly, prompting Weiss to hit the big button that lowers the rear ramp.
My Rookie then swiftly moves to take position on the right-side door-mounted Heavy Bolter as I open the side door and hook myself up to the sniper's harness. Johnson and the others start throwing down the rappelling lines as the two Valkyries of Roughneck Section start to perfectly match the exact speed and trajectory of the speeding train. To Johnson's group, who are about to rappel down, the flatbed below that's come into view appears stationary. Leaving Weiss and me behind, Johnson's and Scorpin's Squad get down onto the flatbed car of the RTX-6090 via thick, braided ropes using only their gloved hands and feet. To provide cover for the group, Weiss immediately opens up with the Heavy Bolter on the teeming Dregs in the cars ahead of them, cutting down those marauding on the roof of the train and nearest to us. The rhythmic booming of the Heavy Bolter signals the start of our offense to reclaim the munition hauler.
"Go! Go! Go!" Johnson below barks his order as Scorpin's Squad rushes forward to establish a bullet-resistant line formed out of three Flash Shields stacked side by side.
The shields hold against the stub rounds fired by a few blind-firing Dregs, previously suppressed by Weiss' usage of the Heavy Bolter. These Dregs soon find their weapons and heads exploding as I snipe them in quick succession.
"All Froggers accounted for! Clear the flatbed!" Johnson announces to the pilots as the rest of the Platoon form up behind the three Shielders. Scorpin, in particular, has her Heavy Stubber hoisted on the edge of one of the Flash Shields, using it as a platform to carefully scan for threats that manage to escape either Weiss' blazing barrel or my scrutiny.
"This is Roughneck 1-1, regaining altitude and entering overwatch position. Good luck down there, 3rd Platoon." Blake says as the stable view we have started moving downward.
"Affirm, Roughneck Actual." Johnson replies before waving his left hand forward while his right hand is holding his Lasrifle in a high-ready position. "Froggers, advance, and eliminate all the Dregs standing in our way! And check your fire; the last thing we need is for this whole train to go sky high."
The frontline lifts their Flash Shields and march forward at a steady pace, not too slow, but also not so fast that those wielding the long guns behind them are unable to get a steady sight picture. Crouching right next to Weiss, I speak to both Weiss and the pilots of Roughneck Section.
"Ease up on your turrets; only take the shots you know they won't trigger a chain reaction."
"Understood."
"Roger."
"Yeah, I don't want to hit any friendly with this thing anyway." This is Weiss' reply as she scans the cars ahead of our boys and girls.
The Dregs, having been unable to deter our landing, give up on futilely shooting at our Valkyries that are flanking them at a distance. Instead, they pay more attention to Johnson's boarding party, which is making good time. To ensure they are able to advance between the cars unimpeded, I start performing my duty as a VTOL-borne sniper, engaging threats like Dreg Gunners, Bombers, and even Ragers with Chainaxes... Each of these targets is more disfigured than the last, either being transmuted by mutations or by biological contagions. Physically, however, they are still vulnerable to the loss of limbs and heads. Without the need to contend with dangerous enemy specialists, Johnson's boarding unit only needs to break through the charge of lowly Dregs and Plague Author-worshipping cultists, all of which are wielding melee weapons, with a few of them running with looted Autoguns and Lasweapons.
Scorpin's Special Weapon Squad, with three Shielders up front, coordinates efficiently to tank the inelegant, crude blades... Is that a baseball bat? Anyway, they smash skulls with their requisitioned Shock Mauls, weapons that don't require much training to master, and in a pinch, they activate the Flash System in their durable Carapace shields, zapping the living corruptions off the droves of Dregs, stunning and damaging every fiber of their beings. Whenever the walls and windows of the munition train are shined on with a bright golden light, what follows after is usually the volleys of las shots and stub rounds from Johnson's and Scorpin's elements.
As for Sister Setsuna...
When the boarding party makes their way to a series of semi-enclosed train cars, each having a set of walkable catwalks and a gap running through the middle of what normally is a solid roof, Setsuna activates her Jump Pack, flying onto the set of catwalks that manages to hold her weight. There, Setsuna brings out her Bolt Pistol and Power Sword to start clearing out the upper level of the train, preventing the Dregs from even daring to jump or flank the rest of 3rd Platoon below. Simultaneously, this lessens the pressure on Weiss and me, giving us the leeway to pay more attention to the truly troublesome enemies, like those with anti-air launchers, for instance.
I pull the trigger on my Lasrifle, accurately boring a sizable hole through the heretical faceplate and head of a Dreg trying to lock on Roughneck 1-2's Valkyrie with a missile launcher. Unfortunately, I am unable to utilize my usual tactic of exploding hostile explosives with a well-placed shot this time around. I watch as the Dreg's corpse, still holding the launcher with both of his dead hands, is dragged back into the car. The risk of a runaway explosion is much too great. Instead, I speak to Weiss and our pilots.
"Weiss, I need you to suppress the 3 o'clock direction, the walkway that connects the two train cars. Prevent anything from poking their heads out. Blake, Yang, be advised: I just shot down an AA specialist. There may be more, so keep your heads on a swivel and countermeasures ready."
"Copy that, Corporal Ein. We- the hell, is that train speeding up?" The blonde pilot replies confidently, only to change her tune midway when a rumble comes from RTX-6090 as the whole steel behemoth roars ahead, and even a bit faster than our Valkyries.
"Hang on tight, girls," Blake interjects. "We're speeding up!"
The Valkyrie lurches as Blake kicks the throttle up a notch to keep up with the munition train.
Suddenly, the Vox link crackles in a familiar manner, and Belisarius Cawl's voice appears.
"Froggers, it appears that RTX-6090 is speeding past the safety limit at which it can make the turn at Switch Point 67."
Hearing that, I peek ahead of the Valkyrie, seeing the approaching Switch Point that is soon blazed through by the munition train. I then report.
"Scratch all prior assumptions, RTX-6090 just ignored Switch Point 67."
"More than that," Blake chimes in through Vox. "The train hasn't stopped picking up speed. What's happening down there, Sergeant Johnson?!"
The question is only answered after a couple of moments, and when Johnson is able to speak into the Vox net, one can hear the signature reports of Scorpin's Heavy Stubber.
"This is Sergeant Johnson reporting critical mission intel. You're not gonna believe this, but I think the enemy has turned this whole train into a giant kraking bomb! There is enough bomb in this car alone to blow a hole in the side of a frigate! Emperor know just how much munition they rigged to blow on the remaining cars ahead of us!"
"This is Setsuna speaking. We still have eight cars left ahead of us. Ein, are you able to identify any more bombs in them?"
I reply swiftly. "Negative. The remaining cars are practically all enclosed; I do not have visual of what's inside them."
"So we will have to do this the hard way then." Setsuna comments as she advances forward on the roof of the train, fully intending to clear the path forward on her own. "Sergeant, by chance, can your unit disable the bombs?"
"We got a Data-interrogator with us. We can use it to disable what Scorpin identified as the timer and detonator for the explosive in this car." Johnson replies.
Weiss cuts in with a warning. "Even if we disable the trigger, it's not gonna turn the entire thing inert."
"RTX-6090. Innocence forlorn, a bomb it has become. Depot I5-15000 just reported that the Cadian 53rd are using the station as a transit hub before they relocate to a Starport. Depot I5-15000 also houses a significant amount of the JTF's war material. Should the bomb detonate there, the result will be catastrophic to our current and future war efforts."
"Then we will have to move fast, as fast as we can." Setsuna says. "I will go ahead, carve a path. Sergeant Johnson, disable your current bomb before proceeding behind me. Weiss and Ein, I will need you to keep the Dregs down, prevent them from flanking either me or your Platoon."
"Wilco." I reply promptly. "Happy hunting and be careful, Setsuna."
"But of course." The Sister of Battle responds before jumping down into the walkway between the cars and proceeds ahead with gun blazing and blade swinging.
To keep her safe, I dial up my effort and start sniping whatever target I can see.
"Hey," Weiss speaks up. "I just patched into the Depot's Vox link. They're alerted and are sending two birds to intercept our runaway train.
My enhanced hearing is able to catch the voices of the people in Depot I5-15000 coming through Weiss' Vox-caster.
What do you mean, "that train isn't answering vox hails"?
We have a rogue train inbound. Alert all stations.
"This is Cawl. It appears the fate of the Depot now rests in your hands, 3rd Platoon. QRF is ten minutes out, and the Depot doesn't have ten minutes."
"We're gonna cut it close, then" Johnson responds. "The first bomb is defused. We're moving on to the next car. Sister Setsuna, SITREP!"
"I am two cars ahead of you." Setsuna replies. "And I found the second bomb."
"No time to waste, Sergeant. Get that Data-interrogator up here on the double."