In Tergum Cultro: Chapter 1

The sewer was a long stretch of bare brickwork tapering off into the distance punctuated with occasional drains, rusted ladders and access covers. From the drains ran trickles of chemical run offs, raw human sewage and the decomposing corpses of small scavengers creating a repulsive stream of waste running down the centre of the space. Diseased vermin scuttled through the mess and fought with hooked legged spiders to gnaw mouldy meat from white bones.

They were sent fleeing by a sudden stab of light penetrating the absolute darkness and the sound of movement approaching fast. The vermin ran before a line of giant figures waded through the reeking sewage, their dark blue armour stained with filthy grime up to the kneecaps.

There were eight of them each a giant in smooth ceramite bearing the dark blue and grey colours of the Storm Heralds Chapter. At their head was Sergeant Toran bearing a chainsword and bolt pistol and he swept the tunnel for threats as he advanced. Close behind him was a giant in thick Mark III plate, it was Borther Furion and he trudged along with the top of his helm brushing against the tunnel roof.

Furion bore the weight of a Heavy Flamer with ease keeping its dual nozzles well away from the wet floor. The flamer was not typically assigned to a devastator squad but then Pyrus squad had a reputation for being unorthodox and Captain Phalros of Ninth Company had agreed it was perfect for tunnel fighting. Without needing to be told the rest of the squad was keeping back, even when wearing power armour nobody was foolish enough to get in the way of a Heavy Flamer.

The Space Marines filed along through the putrid muck then behind them came a line of servitors trudging mindlessly loaded down with packs of demolition charges. Finally came a huddle of red clad figures festooned with augmetic implants, the dreaded Skitarii warriors of the Adpetus Mechanicus.

The large party of altered humans proceed cautiously through the darkness, alert for motion detectors, auspex sweeps and tripwires. From behind the leaders Halis Paur waded along, kicking aside floating fragments of human waste as he said, "I know I said that we get all the crap assignments but I never meant it this literally."

"This is an important duty" called Furion from the front, "Fourth Company is driving the rebels from outer city above us but even they cannot storm the Inner Wall without heavy casualties. That Bastion is the only real obstacle in the whole city, they will be slaughtered once they enter the kill zones. We have to create a breach point from below so our brothers can burn out the heart of the rebellion on Caminus."

"So Fourth Company gets covered in glory and we get covered in excrement" replied Halis cynically.

Further back Brother Ophelian piped up and said "What I don't understand is why we are putting such effort into prosecuting a simple civilian rebellion. It is not like there are great factories on Caminus to recover and the planets' resources are bountiful enough... so why not just level this whole stinking city from orbit and be done with it."

It was a typical thing for him to say for Ophelian was a ruthless warrior with a chilling disregard for life. In any situation he simply chose the most direct path to victory and would not hesitate to discard someone the instant they ceased to be of use. Toran had tried to impress on him the need to minimise collateral damage but to Ophelain there was the Emperor and the Chapter and everything else was irrelevant.

Furion replied, "This is an old world, there are Mechanicus shrines here that date back to the Nova Terra Interregnum when Saint Karyl led the faithful to first colonise this whole sector. Who knows what mysteries are buried under the temples: that is why the Tech-Priests want their sacred Forge-Fanes back in pristine condition."

"So why not let the cogboys handle it" said Ophelain, "This is world is a fiefdom of Forgeworld Crux Lapis: let the Skitarii slaughter the rebels and then ship in new colonists from the Hives of Tectum."

Halis let out a grunt of a laugh and called out, "Politics is why, our Chapter's history with the wider Imperium is hardly shining. Chapter Master Gorgall seeks to improve relations with goodwill missions like this."

"That is enough" interrupted Sergeant Toran, "This mission has been assigned to us and we shall see it done, do not shame us before our allies."

With that they turned to glance behind them where the servitors were trudging forward with Skittari surrounding them. At their head was as figure in red robes who floated serenely above the sewage seemingly unperturbed by the filth.

The body of the Magos was vaguely box like, with strange protrusions undulating under the robes, yet where legs should have been was only empty space with a slight breeze hinting at esoteric devices keep it afloat. The Magos clearly detected the attention and in a strangely feminine voice for one who was essential a floating box in a red robe called out, "Astartes 776-9-10-1, is there an error?"

Toran called back, "No Magos Castabore, merely checking that you are keeping up."

Castabore replied, "Unnecessary repetition of effort, my Skittari are fully capable of matching your pace."

The Sergeant stated, "Better to be sure, and my name is Toran."

Castabore replied, "That is an inaccurate means of identification, you are the first member of the tenth squad, Ninth company of Astartes Chapter 776, colloquially designated Storm Heralds"

"That will hardly be quick to say when we are in combat." retorted Toran

Castabore paused for moment and queried, "You propose that expediency supersedes accuracy?"

Castabore went silent for few seconds as she processed the concept then stated "Proposal accepted, re-designating Astartes 776-9-10-1 as Toran."

Toran his attention turned back to the sewer seeing the tunnel suddenly opening up into a broad concourse. It was a confluence of sewers that entered from multiple channels before running together into the larger route the party had emerged from.

The broad concourse was lit by a handful of flickering lumen orbs that revealed signs of former human habitation. Mounds of detritus and shanties declared the spoor of vagrants and mutants, the forgotten and uncared for in Imperial society. Once dozens of outcasts must have congregated here but now there was only stillness and the quiet trickle of sewage running through.

Toran swept the space with his bolt pistol and did not like the number of blocked angles and concealed positions he saw. He said, "Magos Castabore keep your Skitarii here and guard the demolitions, Pyrus squad sweep and clear the area."

With that the Space Marines broke formation and began to sweep around the piles of junk looking for traps. As they searched the space young Novak commented on the squad's vox link, "Emperor wept, are all cog boys so pedantic?".

"Not had much dealings with them before have you" retorted Furion, "This is them being brusk and snappy."

That earned a brief chuckle from the squad as they carried on searching and Toran took the opportunity to make his link to Furion private so he could say, "Something is definitely off with this mission: this is Scout work and why send a high ranking Magos down here.. there is more going here on than we can see."

Furion replied, "Perhaps we should look upon this as an opportunity."

Toran turned his head to look at him and Furion made a small gesture towards the Tech-Priests party saying, "The Adeptus Mechanicus is perhaps the most powerful of all imperial Institutions. Our Chaplains are driving us into conflict with the wider Imperium and soon Terra wil move to make an example of us. But if we can convince the Tech-priests to withhold their support any Imperial retaliation would be doomed to fail."

Toran saw the wisdom in his words, he was about to ask how to approach Magos Castabore when a flicker of movement caught his eye.

Ahead of him was a small formless mass cunningly hidden in shadow and piles of rubbish. It was the smallest discrepancy and to mortal eyes practically invisible in the gloom but to the gene-forged senses of a Space marine it was blatantly obvious to be the shape of a man hiding under a camo-cloak.

Toran roared, "Ambush!" as dozens of rebels rose up from cover and flung themselves at Pyrus Squad.