The Lure of Pleasure and Pain

Chapter 3: Searching for Colonel Nolena Darrelle


Chelandra and Yuris moved slowly forward. The guards appeared to be more agitated the closer they got to the city. Something big appeared to be drawing their attention. The sky lit up with what appeared to be a massive firefight in the centre of the city. Chelandra was impressed, she had thought the defenders defeated. But also knew they would be vastly outnumbered and by now completely surrounded. Still it was enough to allow the two of them to reach within pistol range of the nearest guards.


Both drew blades and needler pistols as they moved closer towards the guards. Silence was essential if they were to reach the city, still a mile away.


Chelandra could see hand to hand fighting now on the outskirts of the city. It appeared to be several platoons of planetary guard trying to break free and leave the city. Wave after wave of frenzied mutants slammed into them, such was their battle prowess that the mutant perimeter guards ran towards the firefight, to help their Slannesh brethren. Several squads turned to face the advancing mutants and opened fire. The two Wraiths’s quickly changed to sniper rifles and waited for the mutants to leave their immediate area. Once they began to close on the planetary guardsmen, they opened fire.


Between the las fire from the troopers and the sniper rifles. There were few remaining mutants left to reach the defending troops. Another wave of mutants moved forward from inside the city to overwhelm the small force of guardsmen. Both Chelandra and Yuris continued to fire, there were no more than twenty troopers remaining now. But they had finally broken out. This was not good for Chelandra if they came towards her.


They both took defensive positions and began sniping at any who followed the retreating troopers. They caused enough casualties to send the battered attackers back into the city. A barrage of rockets fell just short of the retreating group. Several were caught in the blast and fell lifeless to the ground. The others scattered to prevent being caught all at once, but the barrage suddenly halted. By the time the troopers had reached Chelandra’s position she could see what a ragged bunch they were.


Not one of them had escaped unhurt. All bore some mark of the battle. They were surprised, shocked and relieved when they realised the two snipers were firing at the targets behind them, and not at them. A young sergeant approached Chelandra, not yet aware of whom she was. The rest of the troopers hit the floor and remained motionless to avoid giving away their position. Chelandra counted fifteen in total, including the sergeant.


When she lifted her visor, the young sergeant instinctively saluted. Then joined them on the floor, he seemed surprised and at a loss for words.


“That was impressive sergeant. I didn’t think you had a chance of escaping.” Chelandra tried to help his unease.


“I’m sorry for staring Lieutenant Merridayne. But we thought you had escaped the city, and would be long gone by now, why did you remain?”


“Only the two of us remain. The rest have left, only around three thousand of us made it to the rendezvous point. Our retreat was an absolute slaughter.”


“We had all hoped that more would escape lieutenant. Three thousand out of tens of thousands, it seems so few. I know many escaped into the wilderness, but they won’t survive long unless they can reach some of the border towns, and outposts. But I think all of them will fall eventually, there’s nothing left to stop them.”


“What’s happening inside the city sergeant? It looks like a major battle from this position. I thought all the defenders would be dead or captured by now.”


“It’s a massive assault on the government district. There’s probably around fifteen hundred troops left in the entire district. The Slannesh forces have massed around thirty thousand troops and several hundred vehicles for their final assault. Nothing will survive. There are breakout attempts all over the city, with most of their strength concentrated on the attack. It’s left their perimeters weak. But the best way to get out is through the sewers. We think there could be hundreds, possibly thousands hiding in underground tunnels that connect to the sewer network.”


“So there are still a lot of survivors. I thought most would have been taken.”


“We think anything up to twenty thousand people could be left in the city. But we have no way of knowing how many remain. It’s just a rough estimate, no more than a guess.”


“I’ll do what I can to help any that I find.”


“You can’t go back in there lieutenant. Nothing can survive in there, the city’s lost.”


“I know sergeant. But I have to find someone. So I don’t really have a choice.”


“Lieutenant Merridayne, it’s a suicide mission. Whoever you’re looking for is probably dead already.”


“It’s Colonel Darrelle, sergeant. She didn’t make it out of the city. I saw her from the rendezvous point, she was still moving. I need to find out if she still lives.”


“We all thought she had made it out with the rest of you. She’ll be dead lieutenant, you should go back.”


“Sorry, sergeant. I can’t do that. We’ll carry on as planned, you can wait for us at the rendezvous point and we’ll try and locate a vehicle or you can attempt to make your way to Beredos. That’s where the others are headed.”


“I’d like to say we’ll join you lieutenant. But I don’t think any of us want to go back in there.”


“No sergeant that won’t be necessary. We’re equipped for a stealth mission, so any extra bodies will just compromise our mission. Go to the rendezvous point and wait no more than a day for us. If we’re not back by then, we’re either dead or captured.”


“We could do with the rest lieutenant. So we’ll wait for you, if we’re not there it’s because they’ve found us.”


“Don’t wait too long sergeant. Lieutenant Alaric will need every trooper he can get.”


“We’ll be on our way then lieutenant. And thanks for the help, sorry to get in the way.”


“You weren’t to know we were here. And besides it’s cleared a path to the city, so we’ll keep moving before they replace the dead.”


“Good luck, lieutenant. I think your crazy, but good luck anyway.” He smiled, hoping she would share the sentiment.


“Thanks, sergeant. We’ll be careful. Hopefully we’ll see you within the day.”


“Goodbye lieutenant, see you later.” He looked hopeful but his words couldn’t hide his true feelings. He thought they would both die.


The remaining members of the platoon made their way to the tree line. Chelandra and Yuris moved on. Wanting to exploit the sudden weakness in their perimeter defences.


They replaced the headset visors, scanning constantly for enemy targets. They brought up a VDU display of the surrounding buildings and any possible heat signatures, or movement. Whatever was going on in the government district must have drawn all activity into the centre of the city, as it burned brightly once again.


She noticed all across the city outskirts small bands of people making a desperate dash for freedom. Some were lucky enough to make it, others were killed by fire from the city, and occasionally some were rounded up by bands of mutant troopers. But there was nothing she could do to help them. Her mission was for the colonel alone, and that’s what she intended to focus on.


The treatment of some of those that were caught made Chelandra want to end it for them. But to do so would risk herself, she tried to ignore the scenes of violence and abuse as they happened. It was just too much to bear to look at. All those poor innocent people, she thought, no one deserved this kind of treatment.


There was suddenly movement right in front of them. No more than five hundred metres away. Three, of what looked to be no older than late teenage girls ran screaming from one of the ruined buildings. Several hundred feet behind them she saw at least twelve mutant troopers chasing them. They were gaining fast and would be on them within minutes.


The girls were actually running away from Chelandra, trying to escape from the city. She raised the sniper rifle to get a better look at what was happening. She had probably thirty seconds to act before they were caught. Yuris put his arm on her shoulder. “We can’t save everyone lieutenant.” He looked grim, as though he hated himself for even thinking about leaving them to their terrible fate.


“Screw it Yuris. There’s no way I’m letting those bastards freaks anywhere near those kids.”


The sniper rifle fired. The head of the closest mutant to the girls exploded, covering the other troopers in whatever passed for mutant blood. The second shot took out the throat of the next mutant sending him reeling to the floor and trying to hold his neck together.


Yuris raised his weapon and fired, he took out the back marker. With a shot to the heart, the round tore a huge whole through the mutant’s chest.


The mutant’s turned now, nine of them were left. At about seven hundred feet they were easy targets for the sniper rifles. They fired their laser rifles in wild gestures of frustration and rage. They could barely even see what was firing at them, just an outline as the stealth suits protected their wearers.


A shot from the tree line tore into one the mutants hitting it in the stomach. Sending him crashing to his knees. That was a damn good shot for a trooper she thought. Especially at that distance.


The mutants suddenly appeared confused as though they had no idea what was happening, both Chelandra and Yuris fired again, a second shot from the tree line also. Three more opponents lay dead or dying on the blood soaked grass.


The girls had stopped by now to see what was happening. They crouched down and huddled together. They were terrified but thankful to whoever was trying to save them.


As the remaining mutants closed the gap, still firing wildly at something they could barely see, Chelandra took out the lead two. Yuris dropped a third. Another shot from the troopers took out a fourth. She really was going to have to see about him joining the Wraith’s if they all survived, whoever he was.


That left one within fifty feet, he spotted his targets now. His head was obliterated as all three sniper rifles found their target. Both Chelandra and Yuris drew their combat knives, they checked each of the corpses, cutting their throats as they did so, better to be safe than sorry.


Chelandra motioned for the girls to stay where they were, but they seemed almost glued to the spot anyway. They made their way across, replacing their used ammunition. Checking the rifles to make sure they were still in good working order. They scanned for a response to their gunfire, but nothing came.


They reached the three cowering girls, who seemed almost as scared to see them as they were to see the mutants.


“Are you girls going to be alright?” it seemed a ridiculous question. But she asked anyway.


“Who are you? How did you do that?” asked the least scared of the three. Though she was almost hysterical.


Chelandra once again removed her visor for them to see her face. As she did so they seemed to find a bit of confidence. But all started crying and smothered her as though they recognised some familiar and friendly face.


“You’re her. The war hero lady, we saw you on the holocon.”


“I would like to introduce, Ms. Chelandra Merridayne.” Yuris smiled at the eldest of the girls. She looked about nineteen so Chelandra let it go.


“It is you. My brother would be so jealous now. If I knew where he was.” She looked happy to be safe, for now. But sad at the mention of her brother.


“Look girls, we haven’t got time for introductions or anything, come here.” She motioned to the girl who had spoken to her, and held up her range finder binoculars, in front of the girl. Then she motioned to the area of the tree line. “Look through the binoculars. And make your way to the woods over there, you’ll find fifteen troopers waiting there for us to return. Tell the sergeant you’re his responsibility until I return. Do you understand?”


“Yes, thank you Chelandra. Ms. Merridayne, thanks for everything.” They seemed reluctant to let her go. And insisted on hugging her before they left. The eldest went over to Yuris and kissed him on the cheek. Which made him smile and her blush, it wasn’t lost on Chelandra. And she wished they had time to get acquainted, but they didn’t.


“Come on Yuris, time to go, you can speak to her later.” She grinned as she said it.


“Yuris, I like it. I’m Melani. I hope you come back, I’d like to speak to you sometime.” She blushed again and then they were off. Heading the mile and a half towards the woods. Chelandra preyed they would reach the troopers, but she had done all she could.


“You ok Yuris, you look worried?”


“Only for them lieutenant. Not for myself, thanks for not listening to me by the way. I couldn’t have lived with myself if we had let them be captured.”


“Me either Yuris. No way could I have watched them be taken. I’d have sooner shot them than allow that.”


“Me too, damn I hate this Lieutenant. But we’ve got a job to do so I’ll stay focused, no point dwelling on it, not yet.”


“Let’s go, there’s still a lot to do. I don’t want to still be in the city when daylight hits.”


They were virtually on the outskirts of the city now. They would have to be more careful here. Stay in the darkness and shadows, or they would be visible. And that would not be good she thought.