Lin Fan's scalp went numb under the barrage from the magnetic construct, while Delia's group, having withdrawn from the other side, relied on the Gorkanaut's pulverizer fists to smash through the banner tower's walls and flee this Ork university.
Most of the Orks still had no idea what was happening. They had only heard explosions and fighting from within the Super Waaagh Banner Tower, sounds entirely unlike the usual research accidents.
A steady stream of Ork troops rushed toward the banner tower, hoping to see what the excitement was about. Better yet if there was a fight to join. Snagging some equipment would be icing on the cake. Everyone knew the weapons in the Stoopid Pain Academy were the most interesting.
As for Delia's group, because the Gorkanaut had been the first to smash through the wall and the soldiers had emerged afterward, they had not immediately drawn the Orks' attention.
Still, a few greedy Orks had their eyes drawn to Delia's battered, scarred Gorkanaut.
"Strike when he's sick! Finish him off!" At one Ork's raised-arm roar, they launched an attack on Delia's Gorkanaut.
A storm of bullets held back the Orks' advance, but the lightning cannon mounted beside its head could no longer function.
Delia opened a voice channel to Old Jock. "Old Jock! Deploy the drop signal beacon, now! I'm calling for Imperium reinforcements!"
"Right away!" Old Jock pulled a short rod-shaped object from his waist, activated it, and planted it into the ground. The light atop the device flashed at steady intervals.
The Imperium fleet concealing itself far beyond the planet received the signal within seconds, along with Delia's unencrypted emergency call for aid over the military channel.
"A blue bird has appeared in Titanfall Basin. Repeat, a blue bird has appeared."
Some lower-ranking officers and communications