Chương 63: Chapter Twenty-Four: The Last Hold (Part III)
Thankfully for the Squats, the effort of such an impact and the ensuing damage crippeled the Bigga Hulks thrusters. Reducing its momentum from the blazing fist of Gork and Mork to a glacial pace. The Khazkhun defenders reacted remarkably well and turned the entire force of the system's guns onto the Bigga Hulk. Which pummeled its shoddy shields and turned its surface to molten slag. Grunhag barely seemed to notice the Squat bombardment. He knew his masterpiece could survive it, and it would buy him time. Time for the rest of the Orkish fleet to arrive. With the defenses of Linnar focused on the scrap-behemoth. The main body of WAAAGH Grunhag entered the system.
Realizing the threat the Squat defenders took a different strategy. The hidden orbital artillery platforms directed fire at the Bigga Hulks thrusters. Repurposed mining ships launched explosive-laden asteroids as the Orkish flagship. Cutting the Bigga Hulks momentum and directing its orbit through explosive impact. Allowing the main body of the Squat fleet and defenses to turn their attention towards the incoming Orkish fleet. This quickly became a costly mistake. The mass and momentum of the Bigga Hulk were not it's only threat. Hidden across its bizarre design were as many turrets and armaments as multiple Imperial Battlegroups. At Grunhags's signal of psychotic laughter, the Bigga Hulk opened fire.
Filling the void with a literal cloud of munitions and energy bolts. Ordinance ranging from finger-sized to frigate sized exploded across the system. For fifteen solid Terran minutes, the Bigga Hulk poured its firepower into the Linnar system. Shredding hundreds of Squat vessels and thousands of unlucky Orkish ships. The Hulks guns aimed in literally every direction. Not caring what they hit, as long as they hit something. After this storm of "Dakka", the Bigga Hulks bombardment was cut short thanks to the Orks themselves.
The shear strain of the simultaneous weapon fire detonated five of the Bigga Hulks' "main" reactors. Disemboweling the ship with a mixture of nuclear detonations and structural collapse Stripped of nearly all of its maneuvering ability and a decent chunk of its firepower. The Bigga Hulk became a new planet in the Linnar system. While crippeled it was still a ferocious beast. Grunhag seemed to decide to make do with his ruined ship. Thinking he could rebuild it even bigger and better with the loot from the Squat Hold-Worlds.
With the remaining firepower of the Bigga Hulk, the Orks managed to take the outer reaches of the system. Yet the stalwart Squat defenders held the line and kept the inner system. With Linnar-Khaz acting as fortress and home for the Squats and the Bigga Hulk for the Orks. An impossible siege was underway. The Squats still held control of the Mandeville Point leading deeper into the Hold-Worlds. With a steady stream of resources and defenses coming through it to aid the Squats. Similarly, the carnage of the Siege called out across the galaxy and countless Orks would answer its call from the other Mandeville point.
The stories and legends from the Siege of Linnar-Khaz could fill a hundred books. It lasted for thousands of years (Squat time of course) and is considered one of the greatest testaments of the will and fortitude one can find across mankind. Even in its abhuman members. The time between the first Orkish ship entering the Linnar System to the first living Ork touching the ground of Linnar-Khaz was over two thousand years. A feat of survival and fortification only matched by the Steel Wardens exploits at the galactic Hell-Mouths millennia later.
The saga of this great siege might have lasted even longer than that. If not for a key event that spelled doom for the Squat Hold-Worlds. The arrival of an Eldar fleet. Materializing from seemingly nothing the Eldar weaved through the Orkish armada and Squat defenses. The incredible precision and skill of the Xenos on full display. When the news first reached Linnar-Khaz the eldest of the Living Ancestors are said to have shouted with joy. Long ago before the Ork Wars and during the Age of Silicon and the Squat Renaissance. The Aeldari Craftworlds had been counted as some of the closest trade partners and allies of the Squats. It was thought that the ancient oaths of aid signed long ago were being honored. The call for aid from millennia ago finally answered.
Lean and beautiful, the Aeldari ships were not the cruel designs of the Dark Cities. These were indeed children of the Craftworlds. Yet they came for reasons of their own. Reaching orbit of Linnar-Khaz. The Eldar leader with little ceremony or decorum demanded something returned to her people. In ages long past the Craftworld Zandros had entrusted the Squats with a cache of gems for safekeeping. Psychic stones taken from the Temple of Isha and stored elsewhere. A memento of a fallen civilization, saved by the foresight of an ancient seer. Puzzled but happy to oblige the contract, the Squats still held the gems. Even during the diaspora, they refused to blemish their honor by failing their oath of stewardship. The Squats had one condition, however. Craftworld Zandros would honor its own pledges of aid in exchange for the gems. Those binding words were meant for the Squats' darkest hour, and that was now.
The unreadable Eldar leader simply cut communications. Her final words in the Aeldari lexicon. A phrase that could be translated in one of three ways. Apologizing for a failure, dismissing something unimportant, and strangely a promise of protection to an unborn child. Before the Squats could even attempt to hail the Eldar again. A force of Eldar warriors burst into the Elder-Hall of Linnar-Khaz. Leaping through a webway portal, a coven of garishly clad soldiers tore through the surprised Squat leaders. Unarmored and surprised, the elderly Khazkhun were cut down easily. Before the guards could react to the attack, the Eldar had cut pieces from the Councilmen and women and stolen their Oath-Keys.
Like a gale of blades and blood, the Eldar fled through the heart of Linnar-Khaz. Evading the wrathful Squats and making their way to the Great Vaults of the Squat Clans. Using the flesh and keys of the High-Council the Eldar picked the locks. Retrieved the gems from the vault and fled back through the Hold-World. Losing a handful of their number to Hearthguard and other defenders. With the target of this raid secured the Eldar escaped through a Webway portal and onto their ships. The small Craftworld fleet spent this time strafing Linnar-Khaz and refusing the Squat hails, and demands for an explanation. Once the Eldar were safely on board the ships. The Xeno craft unleashed a volley of weapons across Linnar-Khaz and its defenses before escaping the system.
The sudden death of the near entirety of the Squat High-Council sent shockwaves throughout the defenders. Living Ancestors of the first generations snuffed out. Clan leaders and revered elders cut down without explanation. Then the fleet attack across Linnar-Khaz had damaged key infrastructures and defenses. The strange alien weapons penetrated the fortifications easily and reaped a great toll. Just as the Squats started to recover, the true damage of the attack was revealed. The life support systems of millions of cryo-pods had been damaged. Leaving their occupants to die. The lucky ones simply froze solid, others woke up and suffocated or starved in chilled coffins. Entire clans were wiped out. Relatives and friends killed by the thousand.
Shock and horror filled the hearts of every Squat. The pain and inconceivable loss burrowing into the Abhumans obsessive minds. Many went mad with grief. Some simply wasted away. Doing their duty for the Hold-World but refusing to eat. The steel-hard spirit of the Squats had been cracked. A crack the Orks took great advantage of.
As the full effects of the atrocity wounded Linnar-Khaz the Orks prepared a great offensive. The Bigga Hulk had been somewhat repaired. With Grunhag at the helm of the mighty vessel. Eager to finally break open Linnar-Khaz. As the Orks closed in on the Squat world they faced a new challenge. The grief of the Khazkhun became unbridled wrath. Maddened with pain and fury the Squat defenders became the attackers. Throwing everything they had at the Orks in a violent act of ritual suicide. More than half the population of Linnar-Khaz was clutched by this Oath-rage. Ready to die and kill as many enemies as they could in the process. The Orks loved it. This was the payoff they had been promised. A final good and proper fight for the ages.
The other half of the defenders who retained their sanity prepared to evacuate. Leaving Linnar-Khaz and joining the other Hold-Worlds. Helping them survive and defend themselves. The Oath-Rager Squats were happy to die defending the evacuation. Letting those who wished to survive fight another day. Even mad with grief and less than half their original number the Squats of Linnar-Khaz fought on. Delaying the Orks for centuries. Dying to the last in combat with the Greentide. With oaths of vengeance upon their lips and Greenskin blood soaked into their beards.
At last the Orks moved on from Linnar-Khaz. While some stayed behind to loot and pillage. Grunhag pushed them forward. Eager to break the next Hold-World. They did not have to take long. The losses during the siege of Linnar-Khaz were irreplaceable. The damage done by the Orks and Eldar weakened the surviving Hold-Worlds. Steadily the Orks broke each one. Working there way down the chain of stars. Almost leisurely enjoying the death and carnage they caused. By one and a half thousand years after the fall of Linnar-Khaz, all the Hold-Worlds had fallen. All except one.
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