Behind Enemy Lines (RP thread)

[Wargamer]

"I don't know anything about-" he paused for amoment, as if having just remembered something. "Wait, are you referring to the patrol that got ambushed? Some way east of here? They were investigating a transport we'd shot down."

"And they ran into me!" McTavish grinned. "I didn't kill them all. Could have, but didn't. See? I'm a nice guy really. I stole their Devilfish and sent the other survivors off back to safety, then I came here to carry on being an arse."
He looked up at the ceiling in contemplation. "You know, I can't actually remember what my plan was. I wanted a techpriest for something. Oh yeah! I wanted to steal a Battlesuit and I needed some expertise in how to fix it!" he chuckled at the memory. "Oh that would have been amazing! Seriously, I'll defect right now if you let me have a battlesuit, the big ones we call "Crisis" suits. I would love to fly one!"

[Mabbz]

"I'm sure having a soldier of your experience would be an asset, but I'm afraid we don't give humans access to our battlesuits," he smiled regretfully. "So you sent the survivors back? I'd assumed the other man we brought in with you was another soldier. I'm curious, why did you get into the fight with our peacekeepers then?"

[Wargamer]

McTavish shrugged. "The other guy went postal and my name's Mad Bastard."

[Mabbz]

The Tau appeared to accept that. "Well, it doesn't seem like there's much more to talk about. We'll send out a few patrols to find the stolen Devilfish. I'd ask you where you hid it, but I suspect you'd just send us on a wild goose chase." He stood up. "Thank you for your time, you've been most helpful. You'll be kept in a holding cell for a few days until the next POW transport, but please let the guards know if you have anything else you wish to tell us."

[Mabbz]

It was getting close to midnight. Hertius and Steve were sleeping, while Maria kept watch. Hertius had rigged up the scanner to display on a small screen in the cupola, so that they could keep an eye out with that as well as more conventional means. It had been a long day and now Maria was trying not to fall asleep on watch.

As she yawned, movement caught her eye. Whipping her head round to the screen, she could see two small blips, moving towards them at speed. Scrambling down into the main part of the Devilfish, she hurriedly shook Hertius awake.

"Contacts approaching from the south west. Two of them, smaller than the Pirhana we fought earlier. I'm guessing Tetras? Probably just scouting the area, but the moment they spot the Devilfish they'll let the Tau back at base know, and then we'll have the a real problem."

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Narric]

Hertius awoke with a start, formulating as many plans and strategies as possible given the terrain to hand. Rising to his feet, he rushed to the rear hatch.
"Ogryn, your stay in here and fire on anything Tau that gets too close. Maria, you should come outside and find cover. I'll move to the west, whilst you move to the south, so we should be able to catch the approaching forces in a cross-fire." Hrtius chose not to be gracious while exiting the vehicle, landing on the dirt with a thud. He quickly gathered himself and made a be-line for one of the nearby trees that was thick and wide. a perfect spot to observe but not be seen.

[Mabbz]

Hiding in the trees, Hertius waited patiently as the Tetras approached. Careful to stay out of sight, he watched as they emerged through the trees and flew straight towards the Devilfish. As they zipped straight past his hiding place, he heard one of the aliens start to speak.

"Now," he muttered into his comms, leaping from cover and hurling his grenade. His aim was off, but he could see Maria's land true, the blast tearing a chunk off of the speeder. Suddenly, a laser blast lit the clearing. Once the flash had cleared, he could see the pilot of the damaged Tetra topple limply off his vehicle. Maria glanced over her shoulder to try and spot where the shot had come from, only to whip her head back round at the sound of the uncontrolled Tetra slamming into a tree.

The other Tau were caught off guard by their allies demise, but an Ogryn charging at you and bellowing is a hard thing to miss. With a deft jink to the left the remaining Tetra avoided Steve and tried to make a run for it, zooming past the Devilfish. Again though, a flash of light left the pilot collapsing. The Tetra spun to a stop facing the Devilfish. The surviving Tau didn't even try to make a run for it, instead frantically pushing buttons on his controls. He looked up just in time to see Steve bearing down on him before the full weight of the Ogryn slammed into the vehicle and rolled it on top of him.

Tau dealt with, Maria turned around to look for the stranger that had sniped the pilots. At first she saw nothing, but then a man wearing a camo cloak stepped out of the foliage, long las ready but lowered.

"Get down!" he yelled.

Maria instinctively did as instructed, just as a pair of missiles screamed overhead and smashed into the side of the Devilfish. As the explosions cleared it became apparent that the tank's chassis was damaged, but not badly so. The man walked over to her and gave her a hand up.

"Seekers. The Tetra must have markerlighted the fish," he grunted. "They'll have your location now, but it'll be a while before they can get here. We should get clear."

[Narric]

"Indeed we should. Judging by your choice of weaponry, you must be Lieutenant David Munroe?"

To Hertius, it looked like Munroe nearly lifted his rifle up to a crack shot at his face. Perhaps using information gleamed from other sources was perhaps not the best way to present yourself as an ally. Hertius cautiously raised his hands, axe and Servo-arm as non-threateningly as he could.

"Please stand down Lt. I prefer not to die among Xenos corpses and Machine God damned technology. Steve, kindly pick yourself up and follow us. You get to see the city at last. That is, if we're welcome?"

[Mabbz]

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage, sir." Lieutenant Munroe lowered his rifle again, though he still looked wary. "I'm afraid I won't be leading you to our base. I helped you because I saw you fighting the Tau, but that doesn't mean you're trustworthy yet. In any case, entering the city would be difficult with your large friend, and would require us to leave behind the transport. If it is any condition to move, I would prefer that we take it with us; the resistance could find a use for it."

Maria had been examining the damage. "It looks like we can still drive it. But if we're not going into the city..."

"We have multiple safe houses. There's an abandoned mine we use as an outpost. But first I must know who I am dealing with."

[Narric]

Hertius bowed, cautiously.

"I am Hertius Von Drakoon. Techpriest Engineseer. Servant of the Blessed Omnissiah. My colleagues are Maria Note, and this Ogryn we've been calling Steve. My apologies for my foreknowledge. We had been in the city today to look for help, and I had managed to talk to the local guard base who informed me of yourself."

[Mabbz]

"A local guard base? I heard the latest Tau offensive wiped them all out," David said as they got in the Devilfish and Maria started flying. "The nearest base now is a few hundred miles away. Head east," he added to Maria, before turning back to Hertius. "So tell me, what is your tale? A Techpriest, a guardswoman and an Ogryn with a stolen Devilfish aren't exactly common sights, after all."

[Narric]

"We were on route in a Transport, which was subsequently shot down. We were then engaged by a Tau scouting force, which we stole this Devilfish from. Don't worry, I removed all tracking devices I found, alongside informing a Guard base we paced of some offensive hardware heading towards them. We also had two other Guardsman with us. Well, a Stormtrooper and a Catachan. They've been taken by local law enforcement and are likely causing trouble in a local base."

Hertius had been in a trance-like state, reeling off the summary of events which had brought him to this point. He turned to Munroe.

"If you're asking about myself, then consider me wanting to avenge the glorious craft that was shot down. Such an affront to the Omnissiah shall not go unpunished, and a few insignificant speeders will hardly sate such drive."

[Mabbz]

"And as for me, I'm a soldier," said Maria from the front. "I follow orders, and right now my only superiors within a hundred miles are Brother Hertius and the two sergeants."

"Ah yes, your friends are how I found you," David said conversationally. "They cause an impressive ruckus, which I came to investigate. I spoke to some witnesses who told me that you two were seen with the Tau at the time. Then I heard a report from a resistance member that you were searching for something in St. Annalina's. I'm guessing you were looking for the resistance? Tell me, are you hoping to join, or do you just want to enlist our aid in rescuing the Sergeants?"

[Narric]

"I don't see how those choices are exclusive." Hertius sighed with a smile behind his respirator. "The Tau base likely has plenty of useful hardware a resistance could use, and we obviously would like our comrades back."

Hertius turned his head to the soldier.

"Though I can understand if you prefer mechanicus blessed weaponry, I can assume Rail Rifles and Ion Rifles will certainly be welcome additions to your movements armoury."

[Mabbz]

"We could certainly use the equipment, if only there was a technically minded individual that could get us past the biometrics." David smiled. "But raiding the base is a bold move. We'll have to come up with a good plan for that."

There wasn't much talk after that, aside from David providing directions for Maria. Eventually they reached the mine. The outside looked deserted and the entrance half caved in. David got out and disappeared inside for a minute, and when he returned he was followed by half a dozen men. They quickly took apart the obstruction, allowing the Devilfish to carefully manoeuvre inside. As they disembarked the men were already rebuilding the fake rubble.

The chamber they were in was largely barren except for several piles of rubble that looked almost natural until you realised they were perfectly positioned to provide cover for defenders. They were led further back, through a small gap in the rockface to another chamber, this one full of bunks. There were further tunnels at the far end of the room.

"From what you've told me, you've had quite a long day," said David. "Get some rest; we'll talk more in the morning."


The next morning, Sergeant Wexler awoke to the sound of his door being unlocked. A pair of Tau entered, and he could see a third standing outside the door.

One of the aliens that had come in was dressed in the robes of the water caste. "Good morning, Mr Jeffers," he said with an easy smile. "We've been checking your story, and I'm pleased to say that everything checks out. As such, we are releasing you from custody. Oh, and we have the medication you were prescribed." The Por'vre held out a bottle of pills.


Sergeant McTavish awoke to the sound of a hatch in his door being slid open. He was in a small cell, with only a toilet and a bed. A tray of food was pushed through the small hatch. A careful examination revealed nothing of interest, like a key or a weapon.


Hertius awoke to the sound of hammering. The bunk room was empty except for Maria, who was still half asleep. Walking through to the antechameber, he saw the cause of the noise; a pair of the men from last night appeared to be trying to fix the Devilfish's hull plating where it been damaged in yesterday's battles.