Forge World Shina
Eastern main continent
Ruins of the Seventh Hive City
Sergeant Lecky sat down with his back against the wreck of a Leman Russ main battle Tank.
The Tank's massive hull lay on its side, its Turrets gone. Wisps of smoke still rose from the edges of a wound melted through by some heavy energy weapon. Its interior was charred black, giving off the acrid stench of scorched metal and chemicals.
Its broken tracks lay among the rubble like dead pythons.
With trembling hands, he reached into a pocket against his chest, soaked with sweat and caked with dust, and pulled out a badly crumpled waterproof cigarette case.
Only one cigarette remained.
The paper had yellowed slightly, and the filter was flattened.
He carefully pinched it out as though handling a sacred relic, brought it to his lips, and lit it with a lighter just as filthy, its edges chipped.
"Hiss..."
The cheap tobacco caught, and harsh smoke flooded his lungs, bringing a familiar, faintly stinging comfort.
He took a deep drag, held the smoke in his lungs for a moment, then slowly exhaled.
The gray-white smoke ring twisted and rose through the dusty, acrid air, quickly dissipating.
"The last one... this month." He muttered into the empty space before him, unsure whom he was speaking to. It felt more like a Ritual farewell.
"Enjoy it, Leki."
His gaze passed over the burning Tank wreck and scattered rubble, settling on the distance.
About eight hundred meters away, an enormous shadow loomed amid the ruins and thick smoke.
It was the wreck of an Imperial Warlord Titan, the Holy Hammer.
Its massive body, dozens of meters tall, had toppled forward like a collapsed mountain.
One enormous mechanical leg had been blasted clean off at the knee and hurled dozens