Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (26)

Timothy sized up his options. The Tyranid would eventually get through the door. Then an important shield in the event of artillery fire or even orbital bombardment would be useless and immediately be fatal.

Therefore the monster must be confronted.

He knew that the fate of this world and many others now rested on his demur shoulders so he gave the command –

“Open the door.”

For a brief moment, they were hesitant to comply.

But that changed once I activated the wheelchair’s weapons systems.

The people crowded to the rear of the large cavernous room.

The banging stopped as the door slowly opened and then the Tyranid slithered in once it was able to, its stench engulfing the room.

The six-legged monster prepared to pounce.

Timothy bobbled back and forth as his heavy machine guns fired.

Blood splattered from the Tyranid and it darted from left to right.

Timothy turned with the creature mowing down many of the civilians and many of the computers in the process.

But the creature was spent, many of its limbs now blown off as it curled up and died.

Timothy stopped firing and ordered the door closed once more.

One of the survivors limped to do so.

“Did the Tyranid injure any of you?”

Two women hobbled forward, their legs lacerated.

“Shoot them.”

One of the officers shot them on the spot before they could even plead for their lives. No chances could be taken.

Timothy went to a control panel that was still functional. The planet’s forces were in the ascendancy.

Wheelchair Wars 3 (Part 23)

The Tyranid menace rained down from orbit in ever heavier waves. A long-orbit satellite, already the last functional confirmed that they were committing their entire fleet. Life on this planet and possibly thousands more now hung in the balance.

Screams of panic came from outside. Timothy had the large metallic doors sealed.

Timothy could see the intense fighting throughout the planet. Some minor fortifications had already fallen. But Timothy had ensured that a nasty surprise awaited the seeming victors. The fortifications were all rigged to explode. It was merely a matter of pressing a button on his screen. Alien and human life incinerated in an instant.

Another even nastier surprise was the use of the atom bombs. These were strictly prohibited as a threat to stability, not only under the Emperor but every other Empire in the galaxy too. But Uisneach as a free world had forged its own path.

The President had argued against their use but Timothy had convinced him that it was the only way. Of course, he had insisted on a limit to the number that would be used fearing that the planet would be left a toxic wasteland. Timothy had nodded dutifully, then ignored him.

The Tyranids had formed large biospheres near the largest cities. Timothy had heard about these super monsters before. They had to be stopped before they tore down the defensive positions. He gave the order for the first thirty nuclear missiles to launch.

Some of them target spaceships in low orbit. For a few moments, the room went deathly quiet. Then large cheers went up as one large mushroom cloud and then another rose into the atmosphere. Timothy immediately ordered the next round of missiles to be prepared. But the Tyranids changed their tactics pulling their ships back from low earth orbit and spreading out on the ground.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (8)

The General continued to speak, his scarred face barren of emotion.

“And yet the enemy must be stopped. The Tyranids cannot be allowed to simply cut a swathe through the Empire. You, Timothy, confirmed what I already knew. The best way to destroy this enemy is by depriving it of what it needs most – life to gorge on. It might not stop them here but we will gradually sap their strength till they are no more.

Prepare to fire the Terminatus missile.”

There were audible gasps from those on the bridge.

“Prepare to fire, that is an order.”

Timothy began to sweat, and his heart raced. But there was nothing he could have done or said to change what was about to happen.

“Fire,” the General commanded.

Timothy looked out. A white speck hurtled away from the ship towards the beautiful blue and green planet. Deathly silence gripped the bridge.

Then it seemed to disappear into the green haze for a few seconds.

Perhaps, it had failed Timothy had thought.

But then the first dash of red appeared and it began to slowly expand. Timothy left the bridge to return to his dour quarters. He knew what was about to happen and couldn’t just sit and watch it. Over the next few hours what was once a thriving world would become a barren rock devoid of all life.

All those men, women, and children, their homes and dreams would be no more.

Wheelchair Wars Part 2 (11)

Timothy learned much more about his current predicament the next time he awoke. They were on one of the Emperors fastest ships – Neros. It was on reconnaissance trying to find out more about the enemy.

Timothy and his last two troops were on one of the very last ships to evacuate the doomed plane which was now already a dead world with all life now having been stripped from it. The Neros crew allowed them entry saving them from eventual starvation not for any humanitarian reason but because testimony from people who had seen the enemy in action up close was lacking.

The enemy were called Tyranids. An alien species from outside the Galaxy. It was unknown how long they had been travelling to reach Humanity. They might one day pose a threat to the Empire. So far many worlds had been lost, yet they were mere pinpricks against the millions of worlds of the Emperor.

Only the occasional world defended by Space Marines has managed to resist. But they were currently aligned against the forces of chaos. The Tyranids who cannot use the Warp so their ships or hives travel slowly at a sub light speed. Still, they are gradually cutting a swathe through this sector.