Seneca and his half-track head down into the ravine first, while engaging in absent minded conversation with Phantom. After another minute or so, Phantom turned to the gunner, some kid he didn't know the name of.
"Hey, trooper, you don't seem to talk much," Phantom said, leaning a little too close to the young trooper.
"Uhm... yeah, I don't," the boy replied, obviously nervous.
"Now," Phantom said, adjusting to a more comfortable position, "why would that be?"
"I, uh... I don't know, sir... I've... heard things from the veterans, about... stuff," the trooper said, fidgeting and squirming as if uncomfortable. Phantom let out a little grunt before settling back into his seat.
"Good enough for me," Phantom said, shrugging casually.
Ulrick complained to thin air about why they were on this dreadful planet, wondering why the Tyranids were attacking here, wondering why they were riding around in the desert, burning their asses off, when some specialists could be here doing it for them. Especially when the inside of his half-track is air-conditioned. One of the gunners, just a kid, interrupted him, telling him that there were a whole lot of ores and minerals under all of the sand that are vital for the continuation of the Imperial Crusade. The other new gunner helped his comrade by adding in that there were lots of people in those hives that would probably be a tasty treat for the Tyranids. Ulrick frowned, probably correct in thinking that these boys had never seen battle before, let alone Tyranids. He turned in his seat, and shot a glare at both troopers, stopping them cold in their tracks. The glare said 'if you don't shut up right now, you can walk.' He turned back to his viewport, and spaced thinking about some Krieger girl he kept company with a few years back as he descended into the ravine.
Phantom dozed off in the ten minutes it took the half-track to get down to the ravine floor. He began to dream, about impossible things, like people besides his squad liking him, and being able to receive psychic transmissions. He was quite happy, until they neared the ravine floor. A very real voice, as loud as if it had been sitting next to him, spoke. It's voice was ragged and hoarse, reduced to a grinding whisper.
"You... left... me..."
Phantom woke with a scream, nearly firing off a burst of the autocannon in the process. Seneca turned around, after nearly jumping out of his seat.
"What's the matter with you?" Seneca asked, his face a mix of worry, curiosity, and annoyance.
"I... I don't know."
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Topic: Defenders of the Imperium (Read 10644 times)