Chapter One, Part Two –

Location: Governors Residence

As the first rays of light crept over the burnt out rooftops of Taumorr, Nikodem could finally see the raw destruction the orks had wrought upon the city. As his eyes scanned his surroundings in the cold light of dawn, he realised that this had once been an ornate district filled with buildings of grand architecture, opulent and extravagant in design, marking it as one of the richest of the four districts now lay in ruins. It seemed a desolate place now, the buildings riddled with bolter holes and blackened with the ravages of fire. In the midst of the dereliction stood the governor's residence, little to distinguish it from the other ruined buildings in the district save for a half scorched Imperium Crest hanging limply from the building. The courtyard which had once held a statue in tribute to some ancient lord now lay reduced to rubble. The fight had gone on well into the night to purge the enemy from the city, street by street and with ruthless efficiency.

The deafening whir of an Imperial Guard Valkyrie gunship snapped him from his contemplation. It passed low overhead, its engines buzzing a low whine as they slowed and prepared to land. The metallic grating of the landing gears lowering was followed by a dull thud as it touched down. Within seconds the armoured hull of the valkyrie opened, and stepping out into the light, was a tall man that Nikodem had not seen before, wrapped in a thick blue woollen coat and wearing a tall hat of black fur, Nikodem noticed he carried a holstered laspistol around his waist and a curved slender sword hung from over one broad shoulder, beside the man was a small platoon of men that wore the same thick blue woollen coats and fur hats, they marched military precision and purpose.

Immediately following the man out of the valkyrie was a woman, his eyes followed her as she walked down the valkrie's boarding ramp. Nikodem thought she was pretty in a plain sort of way, and her blue eyes showed an intelligence most women he'd met on Baal didn't possess, she wore a uniform very different to the others, the grey-green uniform was buttoned up tight against her ample chest, trying in vain to block out the cold crisp air of Taumorr

The man and woman, flanked by the retinue of men made their way towards the governor's residence and towards Brother-Sargeant Henrik who was busying himself issuing orders.

Sensing Nikodem's gaze upon him, Brother- Sargeant Henrik turned his attention towards Nikodem, and with a wave of his armoured fist, beckoned him over.

Not wanting to keep his squad leader or the new comers waiting, he hurried over to them.

The stranger bowed and introduced himself to the squad of Blood Angels. 'Captain Lukas Sterne, 9th Regiment, Vostroyan cadre, from the planet Vostroya' He had a light voice, his accent clipped and precise.

Nikodem had heard tales of the resilient men from Vostroya, said to be an inhospitable climate, where strong icy winds blow and the snow fell all year round. He had also heard of a Captain Sterne, a man whose reputation said how he was an inspiring leader, who during a fight with the alien race of the Tyranids, lead his regiment from the brink of defeat and threw back the enemy, turning the attack into a full blown rout of the xenos.

Captain Sterne turned and gestured towards the woman whilst giving an adoring smile said 'And this beautiful woman beside me is Lieutenant Persephone Reuben, Chief Technical Officer, Imperial Guard Intelligence Corps'.

Inside the large open hallway of the Governors residence Nikodem watched as men busied themselves clearing the rubble and laying out sandbags in what would soon be a guards post more likely home to a heavy weapon squad; Nikodem stood with Armand, his friend since childhood, though sometimes for the life of him he couldn't remember why - Armand was always teasing him about his smaller frame. Armand had grown tall and muscular since the gene-seed was implanted as part of the Insanguination procedure, while Nikodem, despite his best efforts, remained slight in comparison, and Armand had never missed an opportunity to tease him about it.

'Were you always this puny little brother ', Armand would say with a good-natured grin. 'You been Insanguinated yet little brother? cos you're just as scrawny as when we left the village back on Baal Primus'.

But there was none of that now, as they stared out into the hallway, which moments ago was a rubble strewn hallway, was now a makeshift head quarters.

Whilst men set up the autocannon in the guard post Nikodem gave a brief smile, remembering the old days spent in the village back on Baal Primus, when they had little to worry about except girls and getting drunk

'Remember when you had gotten drunk the night before our initiation and you insulted the barkeeps wife; he gave you such a beating that night and threw your drunken arse out the door' Nikodem chuckled.

Armand scratched his head as if this would help his memory, giving a great belly laugh Armand replied 'as I recall it was YOU who insulted the barkeeps wife and I stepped in to put myself between you and the barkeep and his wife and caught a punch in the face for my efforts, I still maintain you were as puny then as you are now little brother' Armand said through a grin.

Captain Sterne stood on the stairs of the hallway as he addressed the assembly of men before him, spreading his arms wide in a gesture that put Nikodem in mind of a chapter chaplain about to deliver a sermon. "I want to thank you for coming to our aid" he said gratefully.

'For those who do not know me I am Captain Sterne'

Turning his gaze over towards the assembled Blood Angels he gave a wide joyful smile when he spoke; 'you sure showed the Orks why they call you the Emperors finest, you gave them a damn good thrashing eh lads', a mixture of cheers and laughter came from the assembled men and Blood Angels.

Turning his head he looked upon the men as a whole; 'without your help this city would have fallen, though she lay in ruin and many who called her home are now dead, the city and the people of Taumorr thank you; so since it is custom on this planet we shall drink heartily tonight, in honour of your bravery and in memory of the those who have fallen'. At this a loud cheer ruptured from the crowd of gathered men of the Imperial Guard and Space Marines. With the speech done Captain Sterne stepped down the stairs and headed over towards the waiting Brother-Sargeant Henrik and Lieutenant Reuben; leading them towards a room away from the hallway and closing the door behind them.

Noticing the absences of Markus, a fellow aspirant that had also been chosen and had trained alongside him on Baal, Nikodem questioned his whereabouts with Armand who simply shook his head and said nothing; Nikodem offered up a silent prayer for his fallen battle brother.

Armand excused himself from Nikodem's company, the mention of beer had stirred up the big mans thirst, the vacant expression on his face a giveaway to his destination-the beer cellar.

Nikodem now took a moment to inspect his armour and found cracks and fractures ran across its surface in various places. A blackened dent the size of his fist showed the location on his chest where the Ork Warboss had fired off an unsuspecting shot and hit him. He realised just how lucky he had been for the armour to withstand such a blast, and at such close range. He thanked the all father that he had not joined Gerek as one of the battles fallen. He knew his armour would need proper treatment and repair work but for the moment a field repair would have to do; he pulled out a tube from a pouch around his waist and squeezed out some of the fast acting ceremite adhesive and applied it to the worst of the cracks and fractures. His mind wondered back to when he first donned the blood red armour of the Blood Angels and couldn't help but smile to himself as the memory came flooding back to him.