Another string of crystal struck Nagolist in his jump pack. One cylinder billowed black smoke while razor sharp crystal penetrated the armor. The marine's cylinders were already beginning to turn red. With the loss of one engine, the other had to work twice as hard. The gyros failed completely before Gideon's eyes. He could hear the panicking marine over the radio. "This is Nagolist...I have, I have a burn out on engine one...please advise." He was breathing hard, trying to focus and contain his voice. Asmond responded to the distress call. "Nagolist, remain calm. Lean the opposite direction of the damaged engine. Get on the ground as soon as possible." He said "Sir, I can't, my engines..." Nagolist started. "His gyrostabilizers are damaged." Gideon cut in. "I'm trailing him, one scourge is on his six. I've got the jump on it." "Roger Gideon, what is your heading?" Asmond asked. "Uh, hold on a sec." He said dodging a flashing sign sticking out of the ground. "Oh-three-zero feet, heading is North by Northwest, speed to zero-nine-zero miles per hour, enemy, zero-one-zero feet." Gideon saw Michael ahead, chasing a scourge across the street as he spoke. "Gideon, handle the situation." Asmond said with a grim voice. "Yes sir." The scourge was drifting left and right quickly in front of him. Turning his chain sword around, he held it backward, blade down and back. His left hand touched the pommel, his right near the guard. Screaming, Gideon gunned his engines and dove into the scourge. Sparks flew, and there was resistance on the blade. The dark eldar had turned sideways, the blade grazing its leg. Swinging himself upright, Gideon's boots left trails of sparks behind him. Plasteel screamed in agony as it was scraped against the hard Crete sidewalk. Jumping back into the air, Gideon saw the rookie loose complete control. The marine bounced off the ground and flew into a building. The jump pack detonated with a deafening roar. Pieces of flaming stone whizzed past Gideon's head, and bounced off his armored chest. Banking left around a building, he followed the scourge, screaming over the radio. "Man down, man down. Sector thirteen dash two. Power plant explosion confirmed." The scourge tried to pull a loop and barrel roll right, into an alley. Gideon caught him by the leg, and drew his knife. Grappling each other, the combatants climbed strait into the air. Knocking the splinter cannon from the dark eldar's grasp, the marine drew his monofilament knife. The scourge drew a z shaped knife, with purple edges bristling with teeth. Holding the alien by the neck, Gideon blocked its swing with his own blade. Metal sparked and the scourge attacked again. He's too fast Gideon thought to himself. The blade ringed off his shoulder armor. Thrusting low, Gideon punctured the alien's soft armor. Digging into the scourges collar armor, he tore down. Mesh armor tore, and fabric harness buckles snapped. The dark eldar jump pack flew into the air, spiraling off into the distance. Holding onto his knife, Gideon pushed the dying creature with his armored boot. The blade slid out, making an audible snap as organs ruptured. With arms flailing, the scourge fell towards the ground. Gideon put his knife back into its sheath, then opened a channel to Asmond. Warning signs filled his vision. A familiar female voice began to speak. "Danger, jump pack heat approaching critical levels. Ceramite shield, failing. Reduce speed to fifty percent. At current status, core meltdown is imminent." "Asmond, I need to cool off. Please advise. Over." Gideon said calmly. "Squad, go to heading one-five-oh, coordinates, thirteen dash fifty-two." Asmond ordered. After a wave of "yes sir" and "acknowledged", the marines found them selves on the top of a giant building. Gideon noticed that the other jump packs were also glowing. Steam began to rise off them as raindrops hammered the ground. Looking into the distance, a field of ravagers were moving towards them. As the rain began to fall in sheets, Gideon heard low rumbling noises. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted several figures in black armor. They rode bikes with large wheels, and huge engines. Asmond spotted them as well, and announced out loud. "Praise the emperor, we're not alone." Watching the thermal gauge return to nominal levels, Gideon brought up the artificial horizon on his display matrix. The female voice reassured him once more. "Heat levels nominal. Engines online. Ceramite shielding at acceptable level. Combat mode, sustainable." As the ravagers drew closer, Gideon noticed glowing green ammo hoppers on unusually large rifles. Men were loaded on board, all hefting splinter rifles. Their sergeant took off his helmet and spat on the ground. "Dark lances. This is going to be a fun jump." He muttered under his breath. Asmond locked the helmet back in place, and reloaded his plasma pistol. The squad followed suit, checking their equipment and reloading weapons. "Dark Angels, advance!" He yelled. "Take the ravager on the far left." The marines lifted off the roof, trailing a cloud of Gray smoke as they arched left through the sky. Steam began to emerge from heated exhaust cylinders, adding to the smoke. The Dark Eldar transport veered right, swinging around a building. "Gideon, Michael, Sergai melta-bombs!" Asmond shouted. "Sir, I'm out." Sergai replied. "Same here." Said Michael. "Making attack run." Gideon called out. He was already pulling out a bomb and arming it. "Squad, covering fire!" Asmond yelled. A green dart melted through the armor on Gideon's shoulder pad. Crystal shards imbed themself in the plasteel shell. Gideon ducked low, turning onto his back. He could see Asmond firing plasma rounds at the vehicle. Looking forward again, he gunned his engines. Aiming slightly lower, he could now see the bottom of the craft. Passing under it, he threw the bomb up towards the floor. The bomb's electro-magnetic binders locked it into place. The rest of his squad kicked down, and shot strait into the air. Banking hard left, Gideon's shoulder pad broke a hole through a hardcrete building. Gideon cried out it pain. The usual warning voice filled his helmet. "Warning, plasteel armor breached. Fleshwound imminent. Scanning...Flesh severely damaged. Combat efficiency reduced." He spotted a bombed-out building, and landed on the one of the floors. Gideon looked at his wound. The left shoulder pad was mangled and cracked. he unclipped it, and dropped the reck to the floor. Red bone protruded through ragged flesh and cracked plasteel. Gideon opened a channel to Asmond. "Sir, I nailed a building, my shoulder is damaged...bad." He said. "Stay where you are were coming over." Asmond said. |
CHRONICLES OF AN ANGEL VOLUME III - DOGFIGHT By Brother Gideon |
TOMES OF VALOUR |
This story has been reproduced with permission from the author. Many terms used in this story (such as Space Marine, Eldar, and others) are Trademarks of Games Workshop, Inc. Their use here is not intended as a challenge to said trademarks. |
