Ulfric Stormclaw watched the as yet another dozen Leman Russ battle tanks descended the thousand-mile shaft of Luna Maximus’s elevator. It was the fifth shipment of tanks they had received of tanks in the last fortnight and they were welcome sight to the battle weary imperials but Ulfric knew that they alone would not be enough to halt the Dread Mob. Ulfric looked to the south and watched the sun set an hour early behind a tar black ocean of promethium exhaust. For seven weeks Ulfric and his comrades had been battling the unstoppable ork horde doing everything in their power to halt them. The Imperials had won several key skirmishes against the orks and had killed several of their commanders but these victories were all pyrrhic and only delayed their inevitable onslaught. Now the dread mob was but a day’s march from the elevator and the defenders of the Imperium were seemingly out of time and options. Ulfric turned away from the approaching horde and headed for the great war tent at the base of the Elevator.

Ulfric entered the tent to find the other commanders had already gathered and started speaking without him. A PDF Lieutenant who Ulfric knew as Sherman spoke hastily before the gathered officers.

“We still have time to evacuate most of our personnel if we leave right now and abandon some of our vehicles.”

Captain Taranis held his terminator helmet in the crook of his arm and spoke down to the Lieutenant.

“We have orders to hold this elevator Lieutenant, to abandon it would not only be an insult to the imperium but a disgrace to the Emperor.”

“What difference would dying here make? If blood is the emperor’s currency let us not spill ours wastefully.” Replied Sherman

Chaplain Odius responded to the man.
“Your speech is bordering on the line of cowardice Lieutenant Sherman, you may either contribute in finding a solution to stopping the dread mob or flee and be die a traitor’s death.”

Sherman shut his mouth as the crusaders continued on.

Tempestor Prime Riley spoke
“Our first priority is to deny the orks passage off this moon even if that means destroying the elevator.”

Captain Dallaire of the PDF spoke out in concern.
“My lord please forgive me, but that would be unthinkable, the elevator is ancient we could never hope to construct another, if we lose that we might lose the entire moon forever.”

Riley raised his voice at the Captain.
“In case you didn’t notice were at risk of losing this entire damn system if that mob gets control of that elevator, and I don’t see any other option at the moment.”

Queen Moira Valorn spoke “Riley is right we can blow the elevator now and prevent this cancer from spreading any further, it is by no means ideal but it is likely our safest course of action.”

“No” came a low growl.

Acting Commander Ardan of the Emperor’s Hounds spoke his once regal purple carapace was now chipped and torn, freshly scarred by the fearsome dread mob.

“Brothers I have lost many of my own to this bastard dread mob and I will not let their deaths be in vain, my chapter will hold here we will let no xeno pass. I ask who among you is with me.”

Ulfric was the first to step forward.

“You will have my axe brother.”

Captain Taranis pounded his helmet against his breast plate in approval. “Not another step brother, the Carcharodons will stand with you.”

Queen Moira bowed “House Valorn will stand with you and your Hounds Commander.”

Captain Xenthes nodded “We will show them our fury.”

Tempestor Riley sighed and spoke “Wouldn’t be our first suicide mission, alright me and my men are in.”

Captain Dallaire laughed “Its not like we have anywhere to run to, isn’t that right Sherman.”

The PDF lieutenant shook his head “I have no idea why you off worlders are so eager to die, but so be it we will hold.”

Ulfric smiled “So it is agreed. This ends tomorrow.”

Riley spoke “If we intend to do this we need to do it right, we have to take out that Gargant.”

Ardan nodded “Indeed, and I already have a plan for that.”

The Hound commander leaned over the map and began placing tokens on it.

“The PDF has dug into these trenches they are just under twenty thousand strong. They make up the bulk of our forces and as such they will act as a spike strip against the Dread mob, I ask that you all leave the majority of your men in the trenches with the defense force as they will need all the fire power they can get.”

Ardan placed a token that represented the dread mob.

“The Gargant itself is at the center of the horde, we estimate it is surrounded by anywhere from five hundred thousand to a million orks, and several hundred other lesser ork vehicles, trucks, bikes, battle wagons, you name it. They are the gargant’s vanguard. All of this is meaningless once we destroy the gargant.”

Ardan took several more tokens and placed them in front the trench.

“We will take our most elite and veteran forces here, through the combined fire of the Crionian leman Russes, House Valorn’s knights, and whatever other heavy support we may have we will punch a hole in the center of the mob and with our elite strike force we will plunge into the Gargant’s heart like a spear.”

Moira raised an eyebrow of concern, “And just what is it you will once you reached the Gargant, we’ve fired nearly everything we have at it and every time we blow a hole in its armor the orks repair it in a matter of seconds.”

Ardan spoke “Once we are close we will use melta weapons to tear holes in its armor and then we will conduct a boarding action.”

Riley laughed. “You want to just run up to a twenty ton killing machine and try to board that thing? Fething space marines.”

Ulfric smiled “I like this plan let the green skins see the faces of their destroyers.”

Riley rolled his eyes “I had a feeling you wouldn’t want to wear your damn helmet.”

Captain Xenthes spoke “It seems to be our best option for taking out the gargant.”

Ardan nodded “It is, once we bring that thing down the horde will collapse.”

Riley sighed again “Like I said not my first suicide mission.”

Ulfric smiled “So its settled, rest now friends tomorrow will be hard won.”

With that the gathered officers adjourned, they would need to brief their men on the plan and make preparations for what was to come.

The sun arose behind the crusaders and the long shadow of the elevator cast itself over the long trenches. The PDF trenches went on for miles they, thousands of PDF troopers laid in wait their las rifles trained on the approaching horde. Among these flaks armored regulars were the heavily armored crusaders, hundreds of the 85th scions accompanied by dozens of marines from the Space Wolves, Carcharodons, and Emperor’s Hound’s Chapter, with them were also the Neophytes of the Stone Wardens sniper scopes searching for green skins. Towering over the entrenched defenders were the knights of house Valorn, their shadows blanketed the guardsmen they stood behind. Though still miles away the horrible horde could be heard like distant thunder, it was a horrible mixture of cracking and crunching of rusted machines, thundering war drums, and the tremendous thud that accompanied each step of the massive ork Gargant. As they drew near words began to take shape and distinguish themselves from the general orksish ambiance.

Today we kill and chew deyz bones
Today we burn and smash der thrones
Today we stomp make dem wrecks
Today we rise and break deyz necks.
Because dats what orks do.

A single guardsmen began taking a step backward but a Carcharodon marine placed a hand on his shoulder. The PDF soldier returned to his spot along the trench and leveled his las rifle at the oncoming black cloud.

Three stone warden scouts atop their bikes rode furiously toward the trenches. The squad sergeant began shouting at the defenders.

“Twenty minutes!”

The scouts dismounted their bikes and joined the rest of the defenders along the trenches trading bolt pistols for sniper rifles.

Time beat on and the ork horde seemed to grow both louder and lager.

The spear head strike force was gathered just behind the trench waiting for the signal to charge. The spear consisted of three land raiders from the Carcharodons, Space Wolves, and Emperor’s Hounds, three Taurox armored personnel carries from the 85th, and three escort chimeras from the PDF Captain Dallaire took command of one of these tanks.

Riley sat in the taurox with nine of his best men, they carried with them a mixture of plasma, melta, and hell guns and a large number of Melta bombs. Riley looked at his wrist mounted computer and saw that the elevator charges were primed and ready. Should the battle would become unwinnable he would not allow the orks to take the elevator, should he fall the detonation codes would be transmitted to Riley’s second in command. Riley didn’t bother to mention these bombs to any of the other commanders, as he simply didn’t want to have the argument over who would control the detonator. Its not like them knowing particularly mattered if he blew the elevator they were likely all dead or about to be overrun by orks. Still the bombs gave Riley some comfort knowing he did his part to prevent this small corner of the Imperium from being overrun by orks.

Riley looked at the the roof hatch on the top of the Taurox and rose so that he might poke his head out. The muffled thunder of the ork horde became clear as the hatch opened and Riley looked to the horizon and saw only a tide of steel and green charging beneath a black sky.

The Gargant Interior of was massive it hosted well over a hundred mek boyz and all of their Gretchen assistants. The ork meks were constantly making repairs to the Gargant, always welding slabs of steel to holes in the armor, replacing blown fuses, and putting out the occasional fire. Big Mek MegaFang the Gargants architect made his residence in the walker’s head, from there he not only controlled the behemoth but also held his WAAAGH council.

Big Mek MegaFang set the Gargant to auto pilot which literally meant he propped the controls into the forward position with a stick. MegaFang approached his surviving ork entourage which at its peek numbered over a hundred but was whittled down to only two. The first was Leftenut Ratskull “Da Lucky” he had the face of a weasel and the teeth of a piranha, his flesh was a particularly pale shade of green. Thee second was Weirdboy ZogDog who was now more metal than green. After his last encounter with the Emperor’s hounds Zogdog was left without his favorite arm and covered head to toe in third degree burns, but MegaFang was able to salvage much of his favorite weirdboy and even gave him a few improvements. Their chief was the supreme Big Mek MegaFang. MegaFang did not trust any of the meks or pain boyz in his waaagh enough to let them operate on him and as such the ork preformed all of his bionic implantations on himself without the use of any anesthetic or good judgment. Regardless the amateurish surgeries were all successful and as such MegaFang grew to prominence through an ability to tolerate absurd amounts of pain and a collection of impressive bionic modifications.

ZogDog delivered news to his boss “Boss, we just got a message from dat off worlder git Nox Warprida, he’z offering to help uz take da skyvator but we’d have to postpone the assault by a couple of hourz.”

MegaFang snarled. “Dat git finks himself so high and mighty runnin around tellin everybody he’s da big boss, I tell you wot I’z da biggest boss dere iz, look at my Gargant, wots he got some snazzy bike dat goes kinda fast, big Gorkin deal, I bet I could build a bike twice as fast in af da time.”

RatSkull sniveled “He just wants in on our victory boss, da git knows e aint ard enough to win any fer himsef.”

MegaFang growled “You tell Nox Gitrida dat he can Zog off I don’t need him or his zoggin ladz of anorky no more.”

ZogDog laughed as he exited the room “Wif pleasure boss.”

RatSkull spoke as ZogDog exited. “We should be reaching stomping distance of da humiez in just a bit boss.”

MegaFang returned to the Gargant’s controls and smiled “Good.” RatSkull paused and scratched himself. MegaFang turned and sae his Leftenut still standing there, the Mek shouthed “Da Zog are you waitin fer get out dere wif da Vanguard!”

RatSkull snapped to attention and hurried off to his battlewagon. When the nob left Ratskull went over to the armored hatch door that was the face plate of the Gargant, he looked down to his two newly captured prisoners.

Cearul Adair had spent the last three days slipping in and out of consciousness, he would awake for minutes at a time to see he was perhaps six hundred feet above the ground, bellow him all he saw was a horde of orks and machine clamoring and shouting, in front of him he could see the sky piercing needle that was the Space Elevator, below that he could see distant banners Aquila flying defiantly over trenches. Cearul was striped of his armor and left only wearing his body glove, he felt his arms now crucified to the steel plates of the steel hull of the Gargant, is legs hung freely putting tremendous strain on his arms. To Cearul’s left he saw Alpha Faolan in a similar predicament only he was hung upside-down by shackled ankles. Cearul called to him “Faolan” But he got no reply.

Cearul was unsure weather or not he was already conscious when he the ork began shouting down at him.

“Oi, Beakie, you awake yet.”

Cearul having neither the energy or interest in speaking to the ork remained silent.

“I knowz ya can hears me Space Marine.”

Again Cearul made no response so MeganFang spat a grotesque ball of mucus at Cearul causing the Hound to flinch as the repulsive glob ran along his head and down his face.

The Mek laughed “Ha I zoggin knew ye wuz fakin it, Space Marine, I want you to do me a favor.”

Cearul looked up again and saw that he was even closer to the entrenched imperials.

MegaFang continued “I want you to watch as I stomp all deez pathetic humiez and all yer mate beakies into da durt, I want you to be witness to da dey dat Big Mek MegaFang began hiz eternal WAAAGH! And stomped out da sun itself, you watch now Space Marine, you watch good.”

Captain Xerthes looked down the scope of his astartes sniper rifle steadied it waiting for the first of the Greenskins to enter his cross hairs. For a moment all went silent around the warden of stone save for the slow beats of his twin hearts,

Two beats.

Four beats.

Six beats.

Eight Beats.

The first of the orks came into Xerthes line of sight, a green skin mounted atop a red war bike. The Captain adjusted his aim ever so slightly and breathlessly pulled the trigger. The ork fell and with that the first shots of the battle had been fired. They were soon followed by more sniper fire and as the enemy closed the distance more weapons added to the thunderous choir of led and death.

The orks were no strangers to the art of rapid fire warfare and began pelting the imperials with their own armaments. Guardsmen died in swaths as the Gargant would unload its kustom Supa-Gatler onto the entrenched guardsmen and then unloading its Rokkit pay load. Beneath the metal monument to Mork, ork boys unleashed their full auto rampage from their small arm shootas to the kannons mounted on Trucks and Battle-Wagons.

Captain Dallaire gave the order to the PDF Leman Russes to begin their firing mission into the center of the ork horde, once the battle tanks began to fire the Knights of House Valorn joined in with Avenging roar of their Gatling canons and the molten rage of their thermal canons.

The green tide began to part at its center as orks fled the center of the horde and consolidated in its corners leaving a clear path to the Gargant.

Queen Moira spoke into her vox “Spearhead you are clear to begin your assault.”

Riley sealed the roof hatch of his Taurox and shouted at his driver. “You heard the lady its now or never.”

Tank treads of the spear head began advancing. At full speed they cleared the trench leaping over the heads of ducking guardsmen. The three land raiders were met metal storm of bullets, thousands of bullets beat against the face of Land Raiders like winter’s harshest rain. But the spear pressed on plowing through wrecked vehicle and ork alike to reach their target. When the Imperial barrage stopped orks began returning to the center of the mob each wanting a piece of the boldest of Imperials.

The Imperials had made good progress until they came across every imperial tank crew’s worst nightmare the dreaded ork Tank Bustas.

Several Ork vehicles rode out to meet the imperials and orks armed with missile tipped hammers leapt from their trucks and buggies onto the roof of one of the PDF Chimeras. With two hammer swings the Chimera was busted open and the orks attacking the guardsmen occupants. Another of the PDF’s tanks fell victim to the same tactic though. The Scions were however more prepared for the orks attack as Tempestors emerged from the roof hatches to defend against the orks.

Just as Riley killed one of the ork tank hunters threatening Captain Dallaire’s chimera a single squig came charging for Riley Taurox. Riley had seen these before and immediately began firing at the charging creature. But the beast was a wily creature and evaded Riley’s shot. Before Riley could squeeze his trigger a second time the red creature was already upon Riley’s Chimera. Riley heard three quick tics and swore “Oh Feth.” As the bomb squig detonated sending Riley’s Taurox spiraling out of control before ultimately rolling over ejecting the scion from his transport.

Leftenut RatSkull’s Battle Wagon pulled up alongside the Space Wolves land raider, RatSkull leapt from onto the land raider’s roof. The ork hoisted his Rokkit Stick over his head but before he could bring his hammer down Wolf Lord Ulfric Stormclaw emerged from the roof hatch shouting a challenge at the ork.

“Get off of my tank you filthy xeno scum.”

RatSkull growled as he shifted his stance “Come and get some Beakie!”

The two charged for each other as the tank sped on toward the Gargant. The beast swung its explosive hammer at Ulfric’s head but the wolf ducked the swipe grabbed the hammer by the back of its neck. RatSkull kicked Ulfric in his chest forcing the Wolf Lord to release the hammer as he stumbled to his back. Ulfric rolled off of the side of the tank as RatSkull brought his hammer down with an explosive thud. Ulfric gripped the side of the Land Raider with his life as RatSkull discarded his used Rokkit Stick, the ork began stomping on Ulfric’s hands in an effort to make him let go of the tank. Suddenly the Land Raide made a hard left stumbling RatSkull back allowing Ulfric the opportunity to get back on his feet. Ulfric recovered his axe as Rat skull unsheathed a crude pair of ork choppas. Rat skull growled and charged at Ulfric but the wolf lord parried the wild attack and then struck RatSkull in one clean motion separating his head from his shoulders.

Riley slowly arose to his feet, he was surrounded by flame and metal. Riley winced in pain nothing broken but he was definitely going to be sore for the next few mornings. The Scion checked his heads up display but found it had been damaged in the crash. Out of the corner of Riley’s eye an ork began charging for him, riley quickly drew his hot shot las pistol and put three cracks of red energy into the orks torso toppling it over. An error message flashed infront of Riley’s field of view advising him his rebreather was compromised. Another axe wielding ork came charging for the Scion and that ork to was met with a laser death. Riley began removing his carapace helmet as a massive armored nob began began a mad sprint for the tempestor Riley squeezed the trigger of his pistol, but no fire spat forth its energy cell had been damaged in the crash. Riley cursed and threw his helmet at the oncoming green skin, the nob was stunned by the hit allowing Riley time to reach for his knife. Riley roared and began charging at the ork knife in hand when suddenly a blast of blue plasma disintegrated the oncoming ork.

Riley turned to see the entirty of his squad emerging from the burning Taurox. Riley smiled and looked over to the Garagant they were now but a few feet away. Riley shouted at his men, “Mission isn’t done yet, move, move.”

The ten scions sprinted at near super human speed towards the oncoming Gargant, orks would try to stand in their paths but they were dispatched by the molten rage of plasma, melta, and hell gun.

The surviving vehicles of the spear reached their destination, in ten gargantuan steps from the hulking behemoth that was the gargant. Space marines, scions, and the few surviving PDF exited their transports. From one of the Tautox’s came the Scion’s heavy melta bomb, three scions were required to lift massive payload out of their Taurox, they set it down and Jamison’s the 85th’s explosive expert began priming the massive charge.

Riley and his squad arrived just as Jamison finished priming the device. The scion sapper began speaking beneath his helmet. “Now we just need to deploy the charge so that the Gargant steps on it.”

Captain Taranis stepped forward “There is no time for that.”

The Carachadon grabbed the massive explosive and hoisted above his head. Taranis cursed under its weight has he took a step toward the gargant. The marine growled as he began sprinting.

“I am the the emperor’s breacher, his holy ram of vengeance, I am Taranis the Destroyer!”

With a hearty throw Taranis launched the melta charge at the Gargant’s rusted chassis and the bomb collided with the steel plate sending staggering the Gargants next step. When the debris dust cleared a smoldering hole was left in the Gargant, rings of still meting metal framed the gaping steel wound in glowing red.

Ulfric Stormclaw laughed “A fine throw brother, now advance for the All Father!”

Riley shouted to all of his gathered men “Scions lead the way.”

The imperials fired all they had into the breach and the orks. Soon enough the imperials reached the gaping hole in the Gargant.

As the imperials began boarding the lumbering giant something caught Ardan’s eye. Upon further inspection Ardan realized that something was actually a someone. Ardan’s eyes widend in shock as he recognized the badly beaten face of Commander Cearul and swinging next to him Alpha Faolan.

Ardan looked to his left and saw Brother Rhodri had also noticed Faolan and Cearul.

Ardan shouted to Rhodri over the battle cries of Space Wolves and Scions.

“We have to get them down from there.”

Rhordi shook his head “I’m with you brother.”

Ardan quickly leapt onto the steel plates of the gargant and began climbing up the exterior of the titan gripping onto peeling metal plates, exposed wiring, and whatever other jagged piece of metal he could find Rhordi followed his lead.

The Gargant interior was some of the most ferocious close quarters fighting Ulfric Storm Claw had ever been part of. Ork meks hastly grabbed whatever weapons they could get their hands, slugas, choppas, shootas, some orks were forced to improvise and pulled random pieces of still active pipe from the wall. Ulfric found himself lost in a Blood haze he watched as several PDF and several of his fellow wolves were brought down by the ferocity of the ork tinkerers. The sight of seeing his brothers fall unlocked something feral inside of Ulfric, there were rumors among some of his that he suffered from the curse of the wulfen and the way he fought the orks would lend credibility to such claims.

Cearul watched as Ardan and Rhordi climbed up to him. Cearul had just assumbed that he was losing his mind and that they were but mirages, reminders of his failures but soon enough Ardan began cutting away at his restraints with a plasma cutter. Cearul croaked weakly.

“Ardan.”

Ardan spoke “Easy brother, we are going to get you out of here.”

A single ork rose above the others the cyber-organic weird boy Zog Dog laughed as he he landed a deadly blow against one of the Emperor’s Hounds who demanded revenge for his Alpha. Taranis had sensed his heretical presence before he saw the vile creature. Taranis would no longer tolerate such a creature to continue to draw breath.

Zog Dog grinned as he looked over to Taranis with his cybernetic eyes.

“You want some to den space marine.”

The weirdboy launched a bolt of green WAAAGH energy at the captain but Taranis weathered the blow against his force sword. Taranis in turned unleashed a flah of lightening agains the ork but Zog Dog erected a psychic shield. Taranis charged the ork and swung with his force sword, Zog Dog caught the blade with his staff and with the butt of his pole jabbed Tarans’s face cracking one of the lenses in his helmet. Taranis snarled as the ork took a second swing at him. Taranis caught the orks staff in his hand broke it with his sword. Zog Dog now enraged by the lost of his staff swung wildly at Taranis. The destroyer head-butted the ork sending several of his mangled fangs flying. With a downward swing Taranis split the orks skull down the center.

In the midst of all this chaos Riley kept his mind focus on the mission bring the Gargant down as soon as possible several of Riley’s men slipped passed the bloody melee in search of the Gargants critical systems. A group of Scions found what they guessed to be the main engine room and began setting melta bombs. Riley climbed the Gargant’s stairwell killing every ork and Gretchen that crossed his path until finally he reached the control room at the top.

Riley reached the door at the top of the Gargant’s head. Riley kicked the door in and was imidatly greeted by a barrage of bullets from MegaFang’s Kustom Snazz Gun. Riley rolled in to cover as the the big mek sprayed a hose of lead at him.

MegaFang roared ‘You fink dat you diry zoggin humie scum slurps can stop da might Big Mek MegaFang.” The ork laughed as he unloaded more rounds at Riley forcing him to find new cover.

The ork roared as he loaded another belt of bullets into his weapon. “I am da one who stomps da sun, I am dat great green destroyer, I am da one dat….”

Riley shouted “The only thing you are is an ork that talks to much”

Riley emerged from cover and fired rapid blast from his hell gun. MegaFang roared and dropped his massive firearm. The enraged warboss charged at the scion, riley landed several more shots with his hell gun but the mek’s rage ensured he felt no pain and his bionic limbs ensured he kept on fighting. Riley found himself now cornered in the tiny control room anything that might have been used as cover was now destroyed. MegaFang seized Riley by his throat and pinned him against the wall.

“Look at me humie, I am all dat iz ork, I am da killer of worlds stompa of Stars. I will sweep all across yer pathetic humie empire like a great green wind.”

Riley laughed and MegaFang snarled. “What is so zoggin funny.”

Riley spoke “You really need to learn how to stop talking.”

MegaFang growled as he wound up his punch but was stung in his back the crack las gun. As MegaFang turned his head at the new threat Riley seized the opportunity to draw his combat knife and plunge it into MegaFang’s face. MegaFang roared in painand stumbled backwards, Riley reclaimed his Hell Gun and kept firing at the ork until he was absolutely sure it was dead.. Riley looked up from his fresh kill to see Captain Dallaire and Specialist Jamison standing in the doorway.

Riley laughed “Thank the Emperor you guys showed up, that ork was trying to talk me to death.”

Dallaire spoke seriously “Our job is not yet done; we still need to bring this thing down.”

Riley nodded “Right, Jamison set the charges for three minutes.”

The crusaders quickly ran out of the gargant leaping out of its gaping belly wound. Cearul, Ardan, Rhordi, and the unconscious Faolan were the last to clear the blast zone. They each made a mad dash to their transports as the melta charges began detonating inside the Gargant. The great metal beast took its final step as its face blew off of its torso and it stumbled forward into the dirt and onto a massive mob of ork boyz.

The green skins watched in utter horror as their god of war crumbled before their vary eyes. Whatever order the orks had was long gone. There was an immediate power struggle among the nobz who was the new warboss. Without any proper leadership most of the orks began to flee back into the desert, while some of the stubborn orks wanted to press on with the assault. Those that stayed were gunned down by the Imperials virtually none of the greenskins made it to the trench and the few that did arrived full of bullets and las wounds.

Riley watched as the last orks fled out of sight. He looked at the mess around him what was once a barren desert was now a junkyard. Riley took a seat on top a large pile of scrap as Captain Dallaire approached him. The PDF commander took a seat beside him and spoke.

“We did the impossible here today.”

Riley shrugged and rubbed his bruised shoulder.

“Its not my first suicide mission.”