+++6.984.984.M41+++
+++Gyrax, Subsector Myrren, Sector Askellon, Segmentus Obscurus+++
+++Firestorm - Bridge of the guncutter+++

Lars was staring out in the void, strapped in one of the passenger seats of the Firestorm's cockpit, tracking a tiny blinking light through the armourcrys windows. They had left the launch bay of the Spear and were now approaching the rogue pod. It had been launched more than nine hours ago, but the Maiden had been en route to exit the Gyrax system so, if left alone, the pod would take over two weeks to cross the distance to the planet. It gave the Arbite plenty of time to intercept the lone metal capsule. So, Lars had reported back to the Spear and had requested a guncutter to catch the fugitive, or fugitives from the Maiden. Captain O'Hara hadn't refused, but had looked quite cross when Lars came to the losses during his boarding action. With a grunt O'Hara had said not to lose any more of his crew and Lars had taken care of the briefing himself. In the back of the Firestorm, a new squad of ten troopers were doing their ammochecks, loading their guns and sorting out their assault gear: grenades, manacles, ... Lars saw Corporal Benji and trooper Willis as well. They had been attached to the squad as Lars was sure that they would be motivated to bring this mission to an end.

The pilot looked over to Lars and pointed at the escape pod. "We will be on it in five minutes. I'll give technographer Djinn the sign to warm up the magnets." Lars nodded. His plan was to pull in the pod with the onboard magnetic clamp and to board it afterwards. They would see if their external chainsaw would be able to create a passage to the pod. If not, they would need to go in from outside. Lars didn't look forward to that. His last experience in the void had been sufficient for a lifetime. If he could avoid walking outside on the hull of the Firestorm, he wouldn't mind one bit.

The Firestorm came closer and the pilot started with his manoeuvres to adopt a parallel course to the pod. It was a tricky move; one hit from the heavily armoured Firestorm could pierce the hull of the pod which would probably be the end of the fugitives aboard. From the back of the ship a loud humming could be heard as Djinn fired up the electromagnets. "It's working sir... Djinn, adjust power by a quarter though." The pilot reported. "We don't want them squashed."

A minute later, a loud clamour indicated that the pod was attached to the Firestorm. Lars thanked the pilot for his excellent steering and unbuckled himself to move to the back of the cutter. He floated through the cockpit door to find corporal Benji with technographer Djinn at the controls of the external chainsaw. Djinn was busy putting in the correct coordinates for the saw and injecting pressurised sacred oil in the controlpanel slit as to ensure a compliant machine spirit, while Benji, hanging upside down, was harrowing the somewhat scrawny technographer to get a move on.

"That's enough corporal. I'm sure the esteemed technographer is able to configure the chainsaw without your help." Benji did at least have the decency to blush. "Just want to finish this mission as fast as possible, sir." "Yes, yes. I see corporal. Djinn. Report please." Lars answered a bit annoyed, but what the corporal lacked in social skills, he made up for in enthusiasm and fire precision. "Report, yes sir. I've established a secure lock and have been able to set the boarding tube accordingly. Firing up the saw as we speak, sir."

Even though the boarding tube was separated from the crew bay of the Firestorm with three layers of extra thick amourplating, they could hear the diamond tipped teeth rip in the escape pod's exterior, but they felt the results of the saw even more. Lars imagined that it would be worse in the pod. Perhaps the occupants would surrender immediately. But somehow, he doubted it. The perseverance of his quarry was quite formidable.

Suddenly the whining and vibrations stopped and they could hear a metal clang. Technographer Djinn reported rather dryly. "Connection has been established with the enemy vessel. Do you wish me to open the hatch to the tube?" "On my signal technographer." Lars replied quickly, "Benji, you're going in first. Willis, you'll follow and I'll jump in right after you. The rest of you, stand by and wait for my orders. Djinn, hit it!"

The three men took position against the ceiling of the Firestorm, ready to sail down the boarding tube towards the pod. With a loud hissing the hatch of the Firestorm moved to the side and the now considerably paler corporal jumped down the hole, gliding towards the pod. Willis didn't hesitate either and followed suit. Lars said a short prayer to the Emperor and jumped to follow the two troopers, hoping that their counterparts weren't laying in ambush.

Lars glided through the tube and turned midway to land on his feet on the escape pod's deck, only to jump away immediately to avoid being shot. However, no shots rang across the cramped space and the only noises Lars could hear was the excited breathing of Willis and Benji. As Lars managed to get a grip, he levelled his shotgun, but found only one target waiting. "Standby." Lars whispered in the bead, indicating all the troopers to keep their positions. Keeping his gun aimed at his target, he yelled. "You! Turn around and give us a show of hands."

At the far end of the pod, a small and bulky person stood, apparently using magboots to remain standing still. A black cloak with a red ribbon at the edge hung from his shoulders, the hood pulled over his head. Slowly, the figure turned around, revealing augmented hands protruding from two slits in the cape. Finally, its face became visible, appearing from under the hood. Lars looked incredulous and he could hear how corporal Benji suddenly drew in his breath. A blank iron plate appeared from under the hood, with a dozen little black holes drilled in a circular pattern where you would expect the mouth of a human. Or the voxgrill of a techpriest for that matter. No eyes, biological of augmented were visible, but it seemed like a high-pitched note could be heard, just outside the normal human range. The thing spread its arms and suddenly two mechadendrites became visible as well, unfolding from the thing's sides. Not a single weapon was visible, but as the arms continued to spread, Lars got a better look of the armour under the cape. The thing carried some sort of black armour, of an unknown material, bulky but kinda flexible, with the Mechanicus skull engraved on the chest. On closer inspection though, the symbol had been adapted. The skull had been crowned and the human part of the symbol seemed to be engraved with strange patterns. Lars took his eyes of it as the sign didn't make sense and caused a slight feeling of nausea. At that point the thing started talking, or at least, a voice could be heard.

"Ah. Enforcer. I have been expecting your arrival. It took you quite a long time. One would think that the Adeptus Arbites would move with more speed when one of my calibre is involved." Lars could see how Benji's trigger finger tightened and another look from the corner of his eye showed that trooper Willis had raised his shotgun to aim at the thing's head. "Yes, we strive to do our best, but even then delays can be expected." Lars replied cautiously. "And who might you be that you have such high expectations from us?" "Ahh. Captain Musondo didn't get the chance to introduce me, I see. I wondered what had happened with him. I am Fyrran, formerly Fantianus Aurelius from the Adeptus Mechanicus, but now just Fyrran. No longer member from the somewhat silly fellowship of the Mechanicus." It was of course impossible to read any expressions, but Lars couldn't shake the feeling that the techpriest continued to mock them. He swallowed and lowered his gun just a little. "I see. And what were you doing with captain Musondo? Were you serving him as a ship's techpriest?"

At that point, the blank iron slab started shuddering. A strange staccato sound accompanied the movement. *BzBzBzBzBzBzBz* "No enforcer. It was not I that served Musondo, but he that served me." Lars was a bit distraught by the unsettling sound that must have been Fyrran's laughter. "Care to explain that aboard the Spear?" corporal Benji cut in. "Ah, but of course... Corporal. I have no intention of staying aboard this useless pod. Certainly not when you have cut such a nice hole in it. Enforcer, will you lead the way, if you please?" Lars had expected a firefight and wasn't prepared at all for this strange techpriest with his sense of superiority.

'What does this strange frag wants, Akira?'

However, he had meant to take the fugitives aboard this pod captive, so he stepped aside and made room for Fyrran to board the Firestorm. "After you, Fyrran. But consider yourself under arrest. If you didn't got the message from our coming already... Squad. One prisoner coming up the tube. Keep him secured until we're all up." With that final message delivered, Fyrran deactivated his magboots and sailed towards and into the tube, followed by Lars, Benji and Willis. Coming up on the deck of the Firestorm, Lars saw Fyrran turning around. Just when the corporal got out of the tube - Lars could see Willis' face under him - Fyrran started talking again. "So, this is the competion. Pity."

'Frak!'

Lars brought his shotgun up to aim, but suddenly Fyrran moved quicker than Lars' eyes could follow. He only heard the beep of the magboots reattaching themselves to the deck. His two mechadendrites rammed into the chests of two troopers, piercing their armour and cracking their ribcages with brute force. Two troopers opened fire, but Fyrran was no longer standing where he stood before, spinning backwards with a flikflak, throwing his steel encased feet in the face of a third trooper. Lars fired off a shot at the techpriest, but hit nothing but air. Corporal Benji opened fire with his stubber as well, but instead of hitting Fyrran, the leg of another trooper got pierced by the bullets, caught in the crossfire. Bubbles of blood spread out in the zero gravity cabin of the Firestorm.

Lars yelled. "To me men! Focus fire!" But even as three troopers behind him coordinated their fire and hit Fyrran in the chest, Lars could see that the techpriest wasn't slowing down, his armour apparently easily withstanding the punishment. Once more the mechadendrites shot forwards, crushing the windpipe of one trooper and sending another spinning around in the cabin. Lars pumped his shotgun to get off another shot, but he saw Fyrran charging towards him, heading for the bridge of the Firestorm. At that point a white flash engulfed the figure of the Fyrran, expanding even further like a lightning bolt, in a ballshaped pattern. Fyrran froze up and crashed, face first, into the deck, bouncing of it. From the tube, Willis's head sticked out, a wide grin on his face as he held the pin of a haywire grenade. But Lars could only look at him for a second as an instant later the lights in the shuttle shut off, the voxbead started hissing and shouting came from the cockpit.

"I think you owe Walter another beer, enforcer." Benji's voice could be heard from the dark. "Agreed." Lars replied. "Assuming we can make it back to the Spear in one piece.