Chapter 1: Angels of Death
A cool wind swept over the dark grey soil, dust spiraling lazily on updrafts from burning vehicles. The air was tinged with the smell of fuel and smoke, a piercing scent of death, well known across the galaxy. Brother-Captain Dragus Havern took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Ah...", he sighed, reaching down and running his armored palm over the dusty ground.
"Another world conquered in the Emperor's name," he rose up, gazing over the hazy mist that covered the battlefield. He had led the conquest of this world, as a Brother-Captain of the Imperial Fists Legion, 2nd Crusading Company. His brothers had scoured the xenos and heretic filth from the ancient Hive Cities, and pulled the planet safely back into the Emperor's fold. Now, exactly three months after the invasion began, they were ready to pull out.
This campaign had been a routine operation for Havern, the xenos here had barely mastered gunpowder and the heretics had been mere disorganized warbands, feuding over petty reserves of weapons and broken down machinery. Hardly enough to stop three hundred battle-hardened Space Marines, let alone Imperial Fists. 'I wonder how long the Ultramarines would have taken to finish the job', Dragus chuckled at the thought.
"My Lord", he turned towards the voice.
"Ah Brother Kalman", Dragus responded, instantly recognizing the Techmarine's grating voice. A metallic rasp escaped from Kalman's armored vox-grill.
"The last of our war-machines have been loaded onto Thunderhawk Transports for our return to the fleet", he said, "We await your command Brother-Captain." He looked across the broken ground to the dilapidated spires rising from behind the city-walls. "This world has seen much pain over the past centuries..."
Dragus let out a soft chuckle, "I never took you for a sentimental one Brother, why this change of heart?" The Techmarine rarely showed any emotion unless a prized technological artifact was present.
"The work that will have to been done here is monumental Dragus," the Techmarine replied turning his bionic-laced face to the Captain. His left eye gleamed red, his lower face covered by an armored respirator attached to his suit. His skull was topped by an adamantine plate, housing the cranial augmentations he had received during his training on Mars. "The machine-spirits here have been neglected for so long, their pain echoes through the empty streets, like children lost in a storm."
Dragus sighed, his Techmarine Brother had always been an enigma to him, but he was a loyal servant of the Emperor, and a trusted, if somewhat narrow-minded, companion. "I agree with you there Brother, this world will take a long time to get back on its feet again. But we have freed it from the shackles of barbarism it had languished under for so long."
"Indeed...", replied Kalman. They turned and began to walk back to the Company's field headquarters. It was a seething bustle of activity, men hurrying to and fro, ammo-crates being carried to waiting transports, powerlifters stomping along with great boxes of materiel in their claws. The Imperial Army had taken over operations on Polaris V; they would oversee the installment of a new Planetary Governor and take care of any remaining dissidents hiding in the ruins. The Space Marines' battle here was over, and they were already preparing the next conquest.
Dragus walked by a Sentinel carrying parts for a forward supply depot. Techmarine Kalman was reviewing a data scroll of the final preparations for their departure.
"Brothers!" Dragus heard a familiar voice calling. He smiled as he saw the face of the man. "I was wondering when you would return from your stroll Captain!"
Veteran Sergeant Argus was a giant of a man, even by Space Marine standards. He filled his artificer suit as completely as his voice filled a room. An exemplar for the Company, Argus had been serving alongside Dragus since their days as scouts, almost two centuries ago. "So Dragus tell me," he said with a soft chuckle, "which world have we been called to next? I truly hope it will be more interesting than this blasted pile of dirt." Dragus shook his head, the Sergeant never tired of his duties. In every battle the Company had been involved in, he had led his squad into the thickest fighting, challenging twisted xenos and foul heretics alike. All had fallen before his righteous fury.
"That remains to be seen Brother," Dragus replied. "For now, you should gather your men for our departure. Or do you want to stay here Argus? I heard the local grox are of excellent quality."
Argus let out a great guffaw. "If I stayed here Captain, who would be there to watch your back in battle? I could not allow any of my brothers to have to shoulder that burden!" Dragus laughed mirthfully, as the Sergeant turned to his squad's field tent. The pair then moved on to the command bunker at the center of the complex.
[Some time later…]
Dragus felt a great shudder ripple through the Thunderhawk as it began its ascent. From the viewport, he saw the planet slowly sinking away beneath them, the sky growing darker with every passing second. Then, the mighty roar of the engines died away, and the ship cruised gracefully towards the waiting Strike-Cruiser.
The Hammer of Terra loomed ahead of them like a great mountain, its mighty spires piercing up from its armored bulk. The Imperial Aquila shone proudly on its flanks, themselves bristling with bombardment cannons and launch tubes. The Thunderhawk glided into the mighty vessel, the bay doors closing behind it. As the ramp lowered itself, Dragus saw a figure waiting for them.
The baroque armor was unmistakable, tubes reaching from the suit and plugging into a sparkling hood. "Welcome back, Brother-Captain. We have been awaiting your return", the deep voice of Librarian Helbrecht echoed across the vast chamber.
"Greetings Librarian", Dragus replied, "how go the preparations for our departure from the system?"
The Librarian gestured to the exit doors, the sigils of purity on his armor fluttering as he turned. "All crew are ready for Warp Jump Captain, we await your presence on the bridge." Dragus nodded and made his way to far side of the chamber. With a loud hiss, the doors opened and he continued on to the bridge.
Suddenly, the ship lurched, sending many of the serfs helping with unloading the equipment sprawling. "What in the name of the Emperor was that?" Dragus shouted.
"Captain!" a voice crackled through his implanted earpiece. "We need you on the command deck now!" Techmarine Kalman's voice sounded pressingly urgent. Dragus responded quickly, "On my way brother!" He rushed to the bridge as more shockwaves rippled through the great vessel. 'Is it a xenos attack?' He wondered. No Ork or Eldar presence had been sighted in the system. But that did not mean it was nothing to worry about. Experience had taught the Captain to expect any possibility, no matter how unlikely...
He paused for a moment. 'Could it be… a demonic incursion?' His mind filled with hate at the thought of those forsaken abominations. He raced down the ship's hallways, his heavy footfalls echoing as he barreled his way through the serfs who were rushing all around him
With an audible hiss, the bridge doors opened and he stepped inside, all around him crewmen were yelling commands and frantic messages to one another. A voice burst through the chaos.
"Captain!" He saw Kalman calling him from behind one of the ship's holo-screens. "An Anomaly has appeared in front of the fleet!" Dragus looked at the image on the screen.
He had seen a Warp-Portal before, that seething mass of madness and unholy power was not something you easily forget, but this was entirely different. In front of them was a throbbing ring of light, its edges distorting the stars behind it. It glowed with a brilliance almost painful to behold, like a gateway to some realm of paradise. Dragus had seen enough.
"All ships! This is Brother-Captain Dragus of the Imperial Fists! Turn about and move away from the anomaly! I repeat, all ships, move away from the anomaly!" Thrusters fired as glowing tendrils extended from the portal, wrapping around the Hammer of Terra. The mighty vessel lurched as it was slowly pulled towards the glowing gateway. Dragus gritted his teeth as the anomaly loomed closer.
"Emperor protect us..." he muttered under his breath as the ship was swallowed in a blaze of light. The portal glowed brightly for a moment longer.
And as suddenly as it had appeared, the portal vanished. Of the noble Battle-Barge and the three hundred marines on board, there was no trace.