After dusk we are going on combat patrol. We can’t see much in the twilight as the toxic smog of the wastelands are filling the air. It’s greenish glow is reflected in the few remaining windows in front of us. We can’t see. We can’t hear because command ordered one of our proud tanks to join. Any surprise we might have had now is gone. Whichever enemy awaits they are ready. Combat patrol turning into call for combat. Hopefully our brothers inside the city will survive until relieved.
We enter the apartment district. The decay is the herald of the imminent danger to come. And we are not the first to see the inner life of the abandoned apartments. Disturbing signs mark the walls like scars. Some seem irritatingly liquid, like if the walls were bleeding. In M Squad they had to drag out a comrade.
We make camp, as good as it gets, smoking a lhostick, drinking something mind-clearing.
Tonight I won’t write a letter to you, my love, as the 381st was assigned two new Commissars.
+++MESSAGE INCOMING+++TAU PATHFINDERS SPOTTED+++APPROACHING >>> ENGAGE <<< 772/89.323TF-22 EOM++
+++AFFIRMATIVE+++VECTOR112g.44-5 >>> ENGAGING <<< EOM++
Dear my love, today we cleansed the area. We are all well. There’s rumors that there’s an Axxxxxxs Chxxxxr to be xxxxxxxx. The food is fine and all our hopes and prayers go to the Emperor.
Yours, Odalrich.
