Force Majeure Session Seven: Rebel Ambush

By mathey, in Only War Fan Fiction and War Stories

After successfully capturing a flight deck from Severan Dominate forces, Alpha Squad has once more suffered several casualties and is in need of new replacements. With Lieutenant Kravos' assistance, Lady Commissar Cedercreuz picks Sergeant Reave Arion and Private Caius Casuat, formerly with Lieutenant Gilbear from 6th Platoon. She also picks up Pvt Solar, a Vox-operator who Arion knows well. Casuat, a skilled vehicle operator, is seconded to Darrien.


As the squad reforms, Darrien trips Isabella, but Yekaterina responds with a reckless use of one of her psychic powers, dazing herself and him. Commissar Cedercreuz slaps Yekaterina as she freaks out and tells her to shut up. She asks Sgt. Arion some questions to size him up, finding out he's professional and a capable NCO. He can tell she's no-nonsense, has fanatical faith, and is likewise competent.


Kravos holds a briefing for his platoon in a converted mess-hall. The next mission is to do some stealth recon of the now collapsed docking arm which was the initial beachhead for the Regiment on Lycurgos. Command is curious to know what if any enemy presence is in the area and if it can be reclaimed for the Imperium. The squads involved are assigned void suits, multi-tools, and auspexes. Sergeant Ario talks to the Supply Officer and is successful in getting the gear, plus an extra auspex. Lady Commissar Cedercreuz takes an auspex and Darrien takes the other one for use aboard the squad APC.


Alpha moves out with rest of 1st Platoon to the broken docking arm. As they near it they can see that the Rebels have set up their own airlocks and walls to replace those with breaches. Darrien leaves the APC at the rear of the column and comes up to try and open the rebel-crafted airlock, but he accidentally shuts another emergency door on top of it. Cedercreuz tries to open it next, has no luck, and even the platoon's Tech-Priest also fails. With no other choice and the chance for surprising the enemy fading quick, the squad begins looking for another means to enter the breached docking arm.


As they search for some other portal in, Beta Squad watches through the broken airlock door and can see some movement. The Tech-Priest accompanying Alpha Squad opens the door and Cedercreuz sees that the corridor is littered with debris, signs that a rebel ambush is prepped. Sergeant Ario also smells promethum fuel, signs of enemy armor in the area.


The Lady Commissar finds alternate entrance that lies above the ambush corridor, but Yekaterina gets stuck while clambering up to join the rest of the squad. Sergeant Arion helps Isabella figure out how to get the sanctioned psyker through, then follows them inside. Alpha Squad's perch offers them full view of an enemy ambush force awaiting the rest of the platoon, composed of four tanks and a platoon force of red-uniformed rebels lying in wait in void suits.


As the Imperial force begins to move toward the ambush, Alpha strikes and gets to the flank of the enemy, taking them completely by surprise. Yekaterina tries to fling debris at one of the flame tanks, but unfortunately she is only able to cause bloody tears to start streaking from the eyes of any images or statues in the vicinity. Her next failed psychic attack wipes a trivial memory from the minds of those in the area.


Darrien drives the squad APC around to flank one of the enemy Lehman Russ battle tanks, assailing it with lascannon bursts and then a heavy bolter. It responds with its heavier cannon, starting to do major damage to the lightly armored carrier. The rest of the squad trades fire with the enemy infantry, and Lady Commissar Cedercreuz targets an enemy NCO with her bolt pistol. Her careful shot blows the arm off of the Severan Sergeant, and the disordered rebel infantry loses its unit cohesion. She helps rouse the team to victory, and Sergeant Arion bravely crosses the corridor to toss a grenade into the hatch of the enemy tank. The explosion incapacitates the crew and Alpha Squad once more proves crucial in the victory of the Imperium over the traitorous forces.


With the enemy trap sprung and the damaged docking arm recaptured, 1st Platoon prepares to return to the reinforced defenses with their allies. Shortly afterward, Lieutenant Kravos and other officers are called to emergency briefings which take several hours. When he returns to brief his platoon yet again, he tells them that the commander of enemy forces (General Frederique Constantine) is actually on the star fort with them. Their special mission is to venture across the fort into the command center for Lycurgos and capture Constantine at any cost. Once they have secured him alive, they are to return to friendly lines.


For this mission, Alpha Squad requisitions an auspex, vox, multikey, and lascutter. Due to some fortunate logistics mix-up higher up the chain of command, they also get some extra grav chutes and several crates of High Provender.