The serpent has various species that come from different sizes and habitat and even prey preference based on their habitat. It’s believed to be extinct in Terra for perhaps a millennium or maybe it might still exist, but never been recorded for any recent encounter so far. However, many species that fit its criteria roaming around the galaxy, some still the same, but others needed to be purged for various reasons. One or perhaps many serpents are roaming across the galaxy, which is currently locked into its new prey.
Gill and his squad have been running across the sewer system for hours and he knew that the device is working. The transmission has been sent for hours and sparks of discontent has grown, but the device is also vulnerable from the enemy. The star prince’s dominion, known simply as the dominion has kept a tight leash on the planet and didn’t expect the Alpha Legion infiltration. Despite their trained militia holding the line, he knew that they’re inadequate when facing the hippies. These hippies were said to be trained from youth and known to be ruthless, but Guille knew better that they are nothing compared to him and his brothers. After all, all of them have fallen as far as his encounter goes into the sewer. The hippies are nothing comparable to them, they’re as useful as propaganda material to terrify its citizen from dissenting. However, when blows come it becomes clear who should be reckoned with and what matters is that they need to prevent them from reaching the device. If the device is damaged or destroyed, then whole operations will fall and so the rest of the invasion.
The hippies advancing through the sewer system, the trained straggler is no match for these heavily equipped and motivated soldiers. After uncovering the source of the ‘isolated’ insurgency across the systems, rather than sent regular enforcer the dominion sent their elites. Walker has been cowering in one of the branching sewers, he sent shots over and over, but then replied is more intensive, projectiles and explosives showered his position and the rest of the defense. The rumors were true, the hippies have been deployed to hunt them and end the rebellion. Tales of their brutalities often heard when it comes to mentioning them in any rumor and some even claimed that they need to commit murder as their graduation ritual. Whether it’s true or not he doesn’t want to find out and hoped the armored giants that have been for years will help him in these most desperate moments. The insurgent may be trained in fights, but it’s another story when facing armed forces ready to kill anyone with extreme prejudice.
The hippie squad advance methodically, using covers by covers they keep advancing no matter how many shots were fired at thanks to their body armor. The latest ceramic hybrid armor proved to be effective, woven well to their uniform and armor, it gave them flexibility and protection in most environments. As a result, any incoming projectile is being absorbed without causing damage to itself or the wearer. Some riots shield was also deployed and they’re as effective as their body armor, giving them cover at the vulnerable positions. One of them flushes the other cover by using the grenade, a methodical tactic that has been effective against armed civilians. As another one decided to do the same to cover his fellow squad, his head exploded. Others soon joined, none of them aware before more bodies exploded. The giants have finally joined and the tide immediately turned for the better. The hippies aware the predicament didn’t panic with the sudden intervention, instead they issued a retreat order. In a matter of time, these forces are retreating and yet they were sustaining casualties by the Astartes and the vengeful insurgent.
As he harried these invaders away, Guille can’t hide his approval from inside his mask and says, “These new bolters round prove to be a great asset, I wonder if the other legion will use it?”
Sergeant Ieze replies, “These rounds are obviously designed to fight astartes, captain. Made in case another legion fight breaks out, obviously the other legions are to prideful to employ or even thinking to develop it at all.”
“If we use regular bolter, these enhanced mortals called the ‘hippies’ might survives the shot. Surely the legions should be smart enough to employ it, then again, their pride is too blinding. If we ever face them though, they’ll feel the wrath of the Alpha Legion.”
Walker is astonished by the sudden tide, he expected it would take a hard-fought battle and yet it happens rather quickly. One of the giants approaches him, he tried to recalled on the name of the giants. They never talk a lot and when they do its mostly during training or giving the order, thankfully he remembered just as it approaches him.
“Lord Alpharius, they’ve been able to breach most of the perimeter and sustaining high casualties. What is your next order?”
The giant replies in a booming voice, “Began the preparation of ‘The Serpent Strike’, Walker.”
“Are you referring to the one?” Walker's eyes went wide as it finally comes for it.
“It seems that we’ve reached the breaking point, it’s either one of us who dealt the fatal blow. And I’m keeping it on our momentum!”
“Yes, my lord, I’ll inform the entire cells to begin the plan, when we execute it?”
“Execute it in four planetary rotation, we can’t be to slow or too fast. Everything we’ve done is hinged at this moment. The dominion will start to make a planetary crackdown the moment they realize of our existence.” Walker simply nods and went away to start the next phase. Sergeant Ieze decided to ask about the decision.
“Is it wise to waited that long, brother captain?”
“The next phase is the whole point of the plan, it’s either now or it will be a prolonged fight. After all, the fleet is eager for the signal. If they left too long, they’ll create a nuisance loud enough to alert the system surrounding it.”
“The Luna Wolf wouldn’t be mind if they would get another fight and them definitely like an open fight, Captain.”
“Don’t just think the small detail sergeant, this is the great crusade and meant to subjugate all civilizations in this galaxy. And let’s not forget, we’ are the Alpha Legion, we are Alpharius. “We must show our worth and took down the planet with our way, you don’t want to be looked down by the likes of the Ultramarine, don’t you?”
Sergeant Ieze just snorted and it’s an obvious response for him and the Legion, always being looked down by others. Guille often wonders why the others always seem keen on open warfare if the alternative is as much as effective. Perhaps, they are too prideful and prefer open combat just to claim victory and glory for themselves. Not to mention others legion Primarch seems to be less mentally stable or composed when compared to his gene father. He wonders do the Emperor just let his children wage war as they fit? Perhaps he doesn’t really care as long as it gets done, which explains why no one could order his legion to change their way of fight that’s been dictated by their own gene-father. But none of it matter anyway, what’s more, important is that the Dominion need to get a rude awakening.
The slums, home of many people who is struggling but seems to be unable to break free. Like many other slums, these one is no different, although it faces a mundane problem. Enforcer has been dispatched and they were tasked with a simple duty, demolish the slum as it been done before. Sheryl aimed it carefully, being trained by these giants for some times means she can deliver her task. The enforcers are all armed with equipment to subdue mobs and at the same time ready to kill anyone who looked ‘suspicious’. Most of the slum’s inhabitant has gathered unarmed and tries to block the enforcer in demolishing their home with obvious futility and failure. Despite her and her friend’s persuasion to take arms long ago, it seems most people refuse for whatever reason. If it wasn’t for those giants, she might still go to carry stones and expect the people to rally behind her. And now these people shall pay for their foolishness as she going to fight for her home. Her parent has been accused of having anti- dominion leaning and executed. As it got worse, they are among of thousand who faces show trial just so the dominion consolidates their grips. With a little patient among the building, she fired her bazooka and it directly hit the vehicle. It burst into a flame, not a massive one but it sends shrapnel to anyone nears it and with luck harm them. The enforcer response immediately by setting their weapons into ‘lethal’ setting and fired at the protesting crowd indiscriminately. As they were busy in gunning them down the rest of the mob, her guerilla comrades open fire which in turn it becomes another warzone.
Hassan and the rest are packing everything, from provision to medicine and weapons. He and the group has been trained and studied for this moment. The giants also started to guide on what is going to be needed or what isn’t. He never could really understand if these giants ever talk to each other, they seem distant and seems barely communicate with their fellow giants. And yet they were able to coordinate rather well. A few years ago, he would be a nobody, a spacer that hauls goods either legal or illegal. But ever since these giants started to appear, he has become more than a cheap worker in space cargo transport. Most of the time he smuggled any goods to fooled the authority into believing he’s nothing but a common worker. When he didn’t do that, he trained extensively in using firearms and guerilla warfare. He and others have been trained for a few years, and yet he felt like he has been trained for decades. He always felt that he often did all of his daily activities in a trance and with predilection, during the drill or during anything else.
Come to think about it, he always wonders why did he decide to takes arms. His work can be considered as a poor grinding one, but not the worse compare to the alternative. He was not that surprised when the giants started to appear and trained him and the rest. In fact, he can’t recall his first meeting with them, it just felt like he’s done before and in a long time. He doesn’t remember any of their names since all of them almost identical to each other, only the name Alpharius did he know which he’s not sure which one uses that name. With all of these thoughts, it comes to a sudden cut as someone pulls his shoulder. “What are you doing, hurry up, everyone else is still packing!” says his fellow comrade in arms as she hauling another crate. He could only nod and then continues his task in the preparation. He decided to brush it off since none of those are matters anyway. What is important is that the time has come to bring down the dominion rule on this planet.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Matt feels happier than before and perhaps in his lifetime, after all, today is rather a special day. He has a very special delivery, a delivery that is so important to the point it takes half of the space of his auto cargo. And he’s not the only one, on this day he meets most of his co-workers, and they all also planning the same thing. He and his co-worker has been tasked by them to send this important package by the new client, planned to be a great surprise for the receiver. In fact, he and the other are having quite a difficult time camouflaging it, hiding it for anyone who ever going to inspect it or having a stroll. Although he’s a bit surprised that the supervisor was on board with the plan later, shortly after the client decided to visit her. He, however, didn’t quite remember how much amount exactly is the client will pay him or the company for the service. But he does remember that it’s obviously a very important offer that can’t be missed and nothing else.
His journey was surprisingly less eventful apparently, things have gone bad to worse. The enforcer has been deployed on a huge mass. What he thought started from a small scale of protest turned into a huge riot. Perhaps if the governor didn’t arrest the leader under the promise of negotiation things would be different, but that’s just a rumor. The worker union claims that such events never happen or it was the work of a rogue group in their ranks. Apparently, riots started to appears across the planet even though most people try to run their daily life as usual. He’s worried since the package he’s going to send is a rather a combustible object hazard. After a few checkpoints, he finally arrived at his destination for the special packages.
The planetary governor is distraught, having his pleasant night being cut to an abrupt end. The fact that he’s being informed by the hippies failure by the general staff means something has been looming all along. Sitting in the command center while the staff and servitor doing their duty, he started reviewing the current situation and past events. The dominion elites got routed and even suffering a heavy loss which shouldn’t be possible for facing militias. But he also suspects that this incident might have been in motion far before it. “How long has it started?” he pondered, something off might had happens days, weeks, or even years. “Such revolt like this doesn’t just appear out of thin air,” The fact that insurgency started to appearing and somehow most precautions have been countered back is disturbing.
Matt somehow becoming happier than ever before, perhaps this is the happiest moment in his life. For the past few years, he always tries to strive into becoming on the top to get a comfortable life, but fate has another plan. Despite his effort, his background doesn’t support him. Born from a family that worked in mines and factories already carried a stigma, being seen as nothing but a rough worker. Getting the current job was more of a miracle and yet it’s far from what he wanted. However, he finally understood that he has a role. This important role is probably what brought him here, becoming what he is. And now he reached his destination and time to fulfill his fate, just like the rest of his coworkers.
Uprising has been sparked across the sectors and based on the chaos of the vox channels, but the worst part is how everything becoming incoherent. The main planetary administration is now in a full panic, the planetary governor is being puzzled by this turn of event. Large scale insurgency did happen in the past century, but they were minors and easy to handle. Whatever is happening it might have been plagued for years, it might be connected to the rampant smuggling of raw material from the cargo and mining company. Or might be the recent worker union reformation has been another failure, obviously punishing the ring leader in a fatal accident or disappearance and bribing the rest has failed. Even the mariculture mismanagement that led to an ecological crisis might’ve been orchestrated and not from lack of oversight. Even the tunnel's lack of proper maintenance and inspection could’ve been the reason why insurgents started to breed in a short time. Spontaneous population violence has been making sure to be directed into each other in the past, and yet this one seems to be directed specifically to the government. Whatever is going on, an invisible force has been against them for some time.
All of those though is suddenly being cut sort, strong vibration has happened near the proximity of the governor citadel. The runes then immediately flashed across the monitor, explosions have been detected, multiples reading. “Check the whole sensors and detect how many explosions are out there!” The governor shouted, hide his surprised reaction and perhaps even his dread.
One of the operator's replies, “The nearest one is …… hit the stadium a few blocks away from the main complex.”
Another person says, “The plaza at Tommy city where the demonstration is currently being held has been confirmed for an explosion.”
“An explosion confirmed at the suburb in the blue zone!”
“Attack on a military installation in area 11, confirmed as a large-scale revolt!”
“Militia mutiny around the Chief interior, skirmishes are intensifying!”
“Movement on the outer sphere reported, but unable to confirm it.”
More reports soon filled the room, making every report from the operators becoming less audible as their word drowns by itself. The governor decided to make a tough decision, “Order all the garrison on the planet to quell insurgency on their own sector, order the entire orbital garrison to make a planetfall and aid the ground forces.”
“Message confirmed.”
Suddenly, everything in the command center shuts down and then the emergency power being turned on. However, their communication device doesn’t work at all. “Send someone to check with the comm relay and order every force on red alert!” The governor knew well, that something has gone really abysmal. They are isolated being incommunicable with everyone outside the complex if they even know. The internal fox is still running, but someone or something has trapped them. And then he felt another explosion, but this one is close, very close.
“Sir another explosion has been detected by the system!” the operator cries.
The governor irritated by the incompetence of his staff, “I know that, where is this one coming from!”
“It’s …….. our basement complex, to be exact level F4, armory chamber.”
The governor surprised but now realized it's too late. It has begun, the fall of his planet has begun. But he’s witnessing something even more jarring as the room itself started to be set ablaze.
The whole plan was indeed felicitous when it comes to the timing, even though it comes by chances. But that’s the risk and reward in waging the war in the way of the Alpha Legion, both snake fang and venoms are important. The tunnel that has been on constant construction by the spy cells is the fang, a pathway for the attack. Cells can be made and lose in a very short time which is still abundant, and yet when it infects its opponent it can become deadly. Now the strikes have started but what is more important is how long the host will struggle before the venom kills it, the seeping serpent has started. And now, Guille and his entire grand company and most of the militia cells storm the underground complex and to the command center.
The signal for the fleet has been sent shortly before the assault, which means now they are racing against time. Thankfully favorable statistic is with them, based on the existing information available. The entire planet is in disarray and all they need to do is too take over the command center before the fleet arrives. Previous attempt to destroy its orbital battery has been a failure when they realize that the batteries are too protected and fortified, which could end their element of surprise. After some and extensive analysis, one conclusion comes up. The best chance to disable it is to take the planetary governor citadel command center. From there they’ll control it remotely and making sure none will be using it. Since the dominion so focused on suppressing it people, they never expected when the Alpha Legion holds the planet spines.
Breaching the armory was part of the plan that being remedied halfway through the planning. Thanks to the information about it, they were able to cut short when it comes to armament. All they need to do now is to secure the chamber and all of its armory, arming the rebel’s forces in a short time. Caught by surprise and shock, Guille and his grand company and the rest of his indoctrinated forces assault various parts of the complex. Squad 139’th squad will lead an attack to secure the fox tower, 175’th squad will fortify the entrance, 75’th squad will guard the power complex, 16’th squad is keeping the armory intact including the entrance, 5’th squad guarding the tunnel, 195’th squad hunting down straggler and so on. Guille doesn’t need these squads to reply, they’ve been briefed far before the sudden intervention by the hippies at the sewer system. It only took a fox short coded message to confirm that all of them are heading into their own objectives, for him would obviously be the command center.
The whole planetary forces in the planet are too preoccupied with the chaos across the world which leaves the vulnerable link at their own base. Guille has no hindrance in heading his target, resistance however does exist on a small and disorganized scale. Some mortal tries to shoot in his direction but failed and exploded before they have their chance. Some did manage to land a hit, but it’s simply bouncing on his ceramite armor or helmet. If someone has the courage, they would try to charge his position which is then squashed by the terminator squad following him. Halls soon filled with corpses as his grand companies headed to their objective and none could resist. And so, his encounter has been less lethal than it should be.
In a few moments, he reached the command center blast door which isn’t a problem for the door to open itself. The room is a mess, blood painted most of the console, and the console itself wheezing with static electricity due to the damage. The staff is either dead or in a trance, but the room is still operational. The governor however is shaken, confused, and helpless about what has just happened. Guille immediately held the planetary governor's head onto his hand while his lieutenant and the techmarines run the command center with ease. The man is terrified and finally realizes that this beast that held his life in its hands is the culprit.
The governor trembles, but he gathered his courage and says, “Who are you?”
“I’m Alpharius and you’ve dared to resist our conquest, you’ve to stand defiant despite the ultimatum. And now you shall witness the futility of your attempt. Witness our fleet as they entered your system!”
Guille then releases the governor, as he falls from Guille clutches he see the main display. Readings of massive fleet detected as it heading directly to the planet, but there is no resistance. Sensors that should’ve altered the presence are either destroyed or inactive, or to be precise it registered the enemy fleet as a non-hostile. Both orbital and ground batteries are being deactivated which ensures these fleets will land mostly unopposed. He knew it would’ve been possible if they hold and know how to operate the command center. And looking at his surviving staff working under these giants make him realize that they’ve encroaching the planet extensively than he could’ve imagined.
He looked back at the giant and it says, “There is more work that needed to be done governor, your expertise is needed.”
“You asking me to betray the dominion, are you trying to ridicule me?” the governor is furious as he tries to move however, he can’t.
“It seems the indoctrination has started to take effect, my apothecary will take care of you.” His hand moved to one of the giants, this one has a chain saw on its right arm and bulkier backpack than the rest. And the governor could sense a malicious intention from the giant as he started to check the vials around his belt.
“I‘m Alpharius and we are the Alpha Legion, your Dominion will be crushed by your own weight. Our fang and venom will bleed both of your army and your people before they can struggle.”