Angels Lament

Hello again and welcome to another chapter, I hope you are doing well. Today we will be continuing a little while after the last chapter and now aboard the venerable Astartes Vessel The Angel's Retribution. Also for a bit of help on how the timeline of this chapter plays out its a this happened and then while that happened this happened at the same time. If that makes any sense. What will happen aboard this hallowed vessel, how will the Crew of the Normandy react to the sacred Technology of the Emperor, and his Mighty Angels? Well, let's find out...

Chapter 25: Angels Mercies

Commander Shepard awoke to a strange forceful shake this sending her mind into instant alertness as she woke. But instead of some enemy prison cell, she found herself in the familiar surroundings of the Normandy's Captains Quarters. The light emanating from the fish tank being the first sight the drained and veteraned Commander saw, the tank immediately putting some of her worries at rest. Jane sat up from her bed, her body aching as she moved. Once she was in an upright position Jane rubbed her palms against her face attempting to wipe away the last of her fatigue to no real effect. It was then Jane noticed the IV attached to her arm, the sight of the tube poking out of her left arm bringing all of her memories from the last few days all back to the forefront of her mind. The pain and anguish this recollection almost bringing her to tears, the 'Saviour of the Citadel' barely holding herself in check.

Finally, after wrestling some control back Jane looked around her quarters, scanning to see if anything else was different. Jane herself was dressed in her undersuit, which went beneath her armor. While to her left next to her nightstand was the IV stand, the bag of clear liquid giving a faint glow, which Jane found highly unusual but before thinking too much on that she continued to scan the room. On Jane's nightstand sat her Carnifex pistol, and her Assault Rifle beside it, Jane taking note of this. On the Floor directly ahead of the IV stand was Jane's armor, the suit filthy and in pieces, with stains and blood covering most of it.

Jane turned her head to look elsewhere after that. In front of her bed, a few feet away, there was situated a small chair, a someone propped up in it, their head laid against the wall behind the chair. Shepard now becoming cognizant of the sound of somewhat labored breathing coming from the slumbering person in the seat. The darkness of the room momentarily halting Jane from recognizing the person. But quickly after readjusting herself she recognized the person both on the breathing and from their stature, it was Joker.

Upon recognizing the person Jane pulled the sheets off herself and made to get out of her bed. Her body again rocked with pain at her movements, but she stubbornly pushed past the pain as she had grown used to doing countless times. Jane quickly rising from the bed, then slowly and quietly making her way to her Pilot and her good friend. The Commander also noticed another person asleep in her room, as a prone form shifted slightly on the couch in the corner of her room. Jane immediately discerning the person as Garrus, as she caught sight of the Turians' legs. The lights of the room finally activating a second later, as they detected the movement present in the room

The sudden appearance of light caused Joker to stir from his slumber, but the witty pilot immediately froze upon seeing Jane up and awake. But Joker quickly recovered from the sight of Jane, the pilot nearly jumped from his seat, him only being held back by his frail body, though his body language still exuded a mixture of relief and excitement, but also some small part grief.

Once he was up Joker spoke aloud his voice showing clearly his comfort from seeing Jane awake and fine, but his voice also holding a deep sorrow. "Jane! You're Awake! Garrus! She's Awake!" He said looking to the room's other occupant, who immediately sprang from his position.

Garrus was still dressed in his armor, the suit covered in grim and guts, a stench clinging to the cloths that now began to reach Jane. The smell was so horrible it nearly caused Joker to gag as Garrus moved closer to Jane and by proxy Joker himself. But Jane held her stomach the smell one she had experienced many a time. Garrus crossed the distance between himself and Jane in seconds, Shepard noticing his movements causing him pain as he moved, his Turian features twitching with anguish at every movement. Once Garrus was close enough he threw his arms around Jane, her quickly returning the hug, her mind too overjoyed at being reunited with her old friend for her to care about the Collector guts she was getting on her clothes.

Garrus said into Jane's ear as he held her, his twanging voice cracking as he spoke as if what he said caused him great despair and pain. "I'm sorry Jane. I'm so so sorry."

Jane somehow realizing what he meant, her eyes again filling with tears she could no longer hold back. Joker having overheard what Garrus said too began to get emotional, his pale face filling quickly with remorse and anguish he shared with Jane. Shepard noticing Garrus's hold on her tightening, followed by a small noise, like a whistle, coming from him* the noise was sorrowful and mournful like a funeral march.

After a few moments of the room's occupants letting their emotions flow the three began to take hold of themselves again, Joker wiping his face, and Garrus releasing his grip on Jane. Shepard in turn letting go of the Turian and taking a step back to collect herself, the Commander grabbing a tissue from a box on her nightstand and using it to wipe her eyes. Jane then quickly turned back to the two about to ask them for more information on what had happened to Kaiden.

But before she could say a word the Elevator dinged indicating it having arrived, the doors opening a second later. The person walked out from it and into Jane's quarters catching her off guard by their strangeness.

…

Antros woke up to a powerful shaking coming from all around him, his world immediately filled with agony, his mind and body feeling as though they were bathed in burning Promethium. The pain was so immense it took him far longer than it should have to recognize his surroundings. He was within his private chambers aboard The Angel's Retribution the beautiful and lavish surroundings helping to give the Chief Librarian something to focus his mind on to try and distract himself from his anguish. Finally, after a long moment, Antros was able to force his way through the pain encompassing his senses as his indomitable will shoved aside the pain.

Lucius stood up from his bed after collecting himself his mind finding it difficult to keep itself focused on a single thought. But this too Antros worked through, using his training, discipline, and willpower to force his mind to clear and allow him to discern his thoughts and emotions. Antros quickly went to his mirror, mounted on the left wall from his bed. The mirror showing him the state his body was in on the surface.

The Chief Librarian was dressed in a Ceremonial Robe, this indicating to him his brethren and students in the Librarius had performed a ceremony of some kind in, possibly in the hope of aiding him or to see what he had seen so they might plan in his absence. Either way, it was of little consequence now, Antros next looking to his face and exposed limbs.

His face was bright red and incredibly hot to the touch almost as if a raging fire lay just beneath his skin. Like his face, his arms and legs, as well as his covered torso all shone with the same heat. Antros's palms were scarred, the imprint of Vitarus's hilt having burned into his flesh through his armor. While Antros's bare feet and toes showed signs of having been nearly broken, Antros feeling the temporary frailty of the bones in his feet as well as his toes. Lucius let out a heavy sigh as he examined his battered body.

Antros immediately recognized the cause of this all being his overexertion when attempting to bring retribution and vengeance upon the spineless Harbinger. The memory of the foul Reaper causing Antros's nostrils to flare and his hands to clench. His palms quickly shooting pain through Lucius's arms and throughout the rest of his body, forcing him to relax his fingers. That anguish quickly subsided, but his other pain remained.

After another moment of studying his injuries and other things, Antros stepped back from the Baalite Glass mirror. The Chief Librarian quickly stepped towards his wardrobe and threw the two door's wide open. Antros took out a pair of clothes used for Noble parades and negotiations with Imperial Governance, as he felt these clothes best matched where and what he planned to do next.

The clothes, a simple black undershirt, with a white dress shirt next followed by a large crimson Coatee with golden buttons engraved with the symbol of the Chapter. The trousers were the same crimson with the golden stripes running down both flanks of the cloth. While adorning the chest above Antros's heart was a collection of Badges, the primary one denouncing his rank as Chief Librarian, the ceremonial metal forged like a skull with amethyst's for eyes and two sets of angels wings placed behind it.

Antros then went to his weapons cabinet the adamantium frame paired with Red Baalite Oak. Lucius opening the doors in the hopes to find his sacred blade Vitarus, but the Force Sword was absent from its wall mount, only its empty sheath in its place. This Immediately sent a small pang of worry to take hold in Antros as the blade should have been returned before then as it hadn't been damaged in all the fighting, the Chief Librarian having been more than sure of that the last time he had held the relic blade.

Though Antros could only ponder on this for a moment as he heard the door to his chamber begin to unlock and the heartbeat of a mortal also entered his ears. The door swung open to reveal Dimitra, her arms full with a platter that carried a verified assortment of refreshments, such as wine, water, and a small bowl with three Apple-Peaches, to name a few of the items. Though the poor Serf was showing signs that she was struggling to hold the platter as it wobbled slightly in her hands.

Antros quickly moving to help his loyal servant as she attempted to offer a bow to her Master as she saw him approach. The small woman saying as Antros came closer. "I am relieved beyond words to see you are awake, My Lord. I had prayed fervently for your save return when you had left to rescue the poor crew of the Systems Alliance ship. Then when you had returned to us in such a wounded and incapacitated state I had feared the worst had happened to you, Master."

Antros gently took the tray from his serf's hands saying as he placed it upon the closest table that could provide the necessary space for it to rest. Once having done that Antros turned back to his faithful servant and said attempting to relieve some of her worries, with a calm and collected tone. "I am fine, my loyal Dimitra. I simply allowed our enemies to feel the full wrath of the Sons of Sanguinius and the full fury of the Emperor's Angels." Antros said this as he lay a comforting hand on Dimirtra's shoulder, the act causing some pain to shoot from his palm, but he ignored it.

Dimitra beamed at her master's words saying joyously. "I am greatly pleased to hear that the Abominations against the God-Emperor were shown such destruction. And I am even more gladdened to report to you, My Lord, that the foul Xenos Ship was destroyed only moments ago, by our holy ship's cannons."

Antros smiled at Dimitra, what she lacked in stature or combat ability, she vastly made up for in her fervor, dedication, and faith to the Blood Angels and Imperiums cause. Antros giving a gentle but affectionate squeeze to the Chapter Serf's shoulder.

This caused the smile on her face to only brighten before she said, indicating towards the tray she had been carrying. "I brought you refreshments, My Lord. I grabbed some of your favorites, my lord, Triglyceride Gel seasoned with Nafarian Leaves. I had hoped to surprise you with it when you had awoken, My Lord, but now I see you are already awake."

Antros smile deepened a moment as he responded. "Thank you greatly Dimitra, I am truly blessed by the Emperor to have you as my faithful companion in these hard times."

Dimitra blushed slightly, bowing her head in an attempt to hide her pride from hearing such praise, her saying a moment later. "It is I who should be thanking the God-Emperor, for you, my Lord. You are truly a kind and generous master to me and all your servants."

Antros thanked Dimitra for what she said, but the Chief Librarian finally asked a question that had been concerning him greatly. "I thank you Dimitra, but I have an urgent question I must ask of you. I had expected to find Vitarus within its case, but when I checked only moments ago it was absent. Tell me did the blade take some sort of injury I had not seen when wielding her?"

Dimitra's face paled slightly at the question, her face growing some part mournful after a moment of her face only growing more remorseful she said her voice sounding anguished as though she was telling Antros of some great defeat. "I am greatly despaired to inform you, My Lord, to tell you this but… despite the best efforts of our Techmarines and our Librarians, the sacred sword Vitarus could not be repaired and is now being laid to rest by your acolytes in the Librarius." Once finishing what she had to say Dimitra threw her head down, her hands pressed tight against her face, and she began to openly weep the holy blades demise.

Dimitra's words cut deep into Antros as he stood before her, and even despite his enhanced body and powerful indoctrination the Chief Librarian felt his hearts drop upon hearing what had befallen his master's blade. After more than Ten Thousand years of service, the sacred blade Vitarus, a sword having been blessed by the Primarch Sanguinius himself with his own blood at the birth of the Blood Angels Legion, was now broken. This news weighed immensely on Antros's mind as he took it in.

…

Jane had maybe expected a familiar face like Dr. Chawkas, or maybe even the somewhat unwelcome sight of Miranda Lawson, but she was wrong on both accounts. The person entering her quarters being neither of those people, nor were they even a known member of Jane's crew. The person was human-looking, in stature as well as in skin tone, from the exposed skin on their face. The person was a woman from the look of her as well as she was far taller than all others in the room, her full height hard to judge but Jane estimated she was around 7 feet tall. As if her size wasn't enough to make anyone intimidated of her she wore bulky armor, Jane recognizing a dual-headed eagle on her lower waist, this allowing Jane to presume she was in league with the Angels.

The woman's armor was White and Gold, adorned with several fleur de lis, these symbols causing Jane to be puzzled as she had only seen those symbols in a museum exhibit when she was a child on her homeworld. Other strange decorations were on the Woman's armor, like a small cloak that came down from her shoulders and rested at the base of her back, the cloak being white on the outside and red on the inside. With two other similar pieces of cloth forming a kind of dress that sprouted from her lower stomach, this cloth being the same color as the cloak. While upon the top of her head, covering any possible hair the woman had, was a Habit this sight too causing Jane to be even more confused. All of these clothes making Jane remember old human movies with old fashion Christian nuns in them.

What truly caught Jane off guard was what this woman had on her waist and on and in her hands. On her waist was an old fashion holster, which carried the same bulky pistols used by the Angels. Then on her left hand was a collection of what Jane hoped were medical instruments. On her index, ring, and middle fingers as well as on her thumb she had a bunch of strange items, like what looked almost like a scalpel on her middle finger, a hook on her ring finger, and needles on both her index finger and thumb. The two needles had plastic tubes that fed into two different glass-looking containers that rested on her upper arm, one container filled with what looked like blood, with the other filled with a clear liquid. Then in her right hand was a metal briefcase, a medical symbol painted on both sides of it.

Before Jane could truly come to grips with the sudden and bizarre person in her room, she was suddenly moving towards her. The woman walked slowly towards Jane while observing her with a keen eye, almost as if sizing her up. But again before Jane could really do anything the woman spoke, her voice not at all what Jane expected.

Shepard had assumed from her bulky armor and large stature she would have some deep voice, but instead, she had a near angelic voice of a singer, though she had a somewhat thick accent making her somewhat difficult to understand. "Hello Commander Jene, I em Sister Ellia of the Hospitaller Order, I am your Surugeon today. My sister, who had been seeing to you before me, told me that you would remain unconscious for some time, but it seems she was incorrect it seems." She said attempting to sound kind it seemed. "To start off, I will need to begin en examination. So can you please tell me how are you feeling?"

Jane was still a little shocked but she broke through it quickly and said in response. "Um Hello, Sister. I'm feeling alright now, but could you please tell me how you got aboard my ship?"

Sister Ellia nodded placing her briefcase on the floor gently before pulling a small paper notebook out from beneath her dress, she took a pen that was hooked to it off before flipping to what Jane assumed was a blank page. Whereupon finding said page she began to jot down a few things, Ellia using her hand with all her medical instruments on it to keep the book steady as she wrote.

She wrote for only a few seconds before looking up from her writing and speaking again her voice was sweet to hear due to its softness. "Well, I am glad to hear you have been recovering, Commander Jene. Es for why I em aboard your ship, it is simple, your ship docked aboard my own at the request of her Captain, end my sister's end I were sent by my superiors to overlook your health and the health of your crew who remained aboard during your ettempt to board the wretched Xenos's vessel."

Jane was surprised to hear about the apparent docking Jane assuming the Angels must have had some sort of Cruiser which would make sense as it must have been the same ship Jane had seen burrow its way through the Collector ship had been even larger than the Normandy. But before she could ask another Question of Sister Ellia, the woman spoke again.

"Well, how ebout your ribscage is it doing well now, my superiors informed me you had broken a few of the bones sometime before your final fight, but thankfully they hed been set right and had been healing properly. Would you sey this is still the case?" She asked her voice kind and her hand ready to jot down more notes.

Jane answered honestly enough, saying in a genuine tone. "I feel fine now, thank you but I'd like to get back to what I was doing before you showed up."

Sister Ellia replied quickly after jotting down a few more words and looked back up her blue-ish-silver eyes shining like precious stones. "I em sorry to insist Commander Jene. But I have my own orders to fulfill. I must preform some routine tests on you end ensure you ere recovering correctly. Now if you would lift your shirt a moment so I might examine your heart rate and breathing. I promise once I have preformed these tests you may do as you wish." She said attempting to sound understanding.

Garrus, who had remained quiet seeming to have already met or at least already seen of these 'Sisters of the Hospitaller Order,' finally spoke doing his best to sound kind but forceful. "Okay, were thankful to your help Sister, but we have our own things we need to do, so if you could please do as Commander Shepard asked." Garrus turned to look at Jane and continued speaking. "We still need to talk about what happened with the rest of the crew Commander as well as what else has happened."

Despite Garrus's attempt at a kind tone, the Sister responded violently, her sweet voice turing venomous as she turned and looked down at Garrus, her accent only deepening from her anger. "I will not listen to the disgusting instructions of e Xenos, I would follow the instructions of a Traitorous Heretic before I listened to your foul species. Your kind attacked Mankind unprovoked and slaughtered the innocent! I would rather break all my vows as e peaceful healer and take up arms against you than speak to you again! So hear me, Xenos, speak again and I shall break those vows gladly!"

Garrus was to say a little, shocked his mandibles agape and his eyes popping from their sockets.

Joker too was surprised but he kept his distance and remained quiet.

After a second of tense silence, Garrus slowly stepped back, the Turian looking not exactly afraid, but his face showing he felt more like he had been deeply insulted like what the sister had said cut him deeper than he realized.

Once Garrus stepped back Sister Ellia looked back at Jane her face softening and her eyes again beginning to shine. "Es I elready said, Commander Jane, I was ordered to be here end to ensure your wellbeing."

Jane was quiet a moment but finally, after that time Jane spoke. "Okay, can you please just skip the medical exam, I'm fine, and as my friend said I need to see whats happened to my crew."

The Sister looked a bit displeased for a second but she seemed to relax and she spoke a moment later, her voice still kind. "I will do as you ask and stop with the medical examination. But so that you are aware your crew with grievous wounds have been taken into the medical chambers of our ship so they might be given the care they need. I can tell you of a few of the specific individuals if you-"

Jane broke in then suddenly upon hearing about what might have been news of Kaiden. "Wait do you know what's happening to a man named Kaiden? Kaiden Alenko?"

The Sister seemed unaffected by being interrupted and said immediately after Jane asked her question, her voice not sounding any less kind. "Yes, I em eware of what was last happening with him. His wounds were very severe which meant he needed intensive and professional care. He was taken with the rest to the medical Chamber but was later moved to the personal quarters of Magos Dithius, who took over the efforts to save his life."

Jane responded quickly, her voice quick and somewhat tense. "Where is he? I need to see him."

Sister Ellia responded in turn and said with a more serious tone. "I am sorry to say but you are not allowed to see him yet as your audience was requested once you left your ship so that my superiors might speak to you further."

*I did some research on Turians and if they could cry and how their species showed emotions and that is what I found for crying. The person said they were unable to cry but their species equivalent is them producing a sad almost bird call/whistling noise. Feel free to correct this if it's incorrect but that is what my research led me to believe.

Hello, this section is a new little piece I've decided to try out including where I respond to people who review. I've been doing so before since the beginning of the story, but I've been doing it in private and this has shown to have its fair share of issues. Namely, lots of people don't have accounts so I can't private message them and then lots of those that do don't seem to always get the messages. So here it goes I'm gonna answer some peoples review and also their questions. Tell me if you think I should continue to do this in the future.

Random Reader: I'd firstly like to apologize for what I said it was rash and cruel. I thought you had been meaning to include me in what you had said but I now see from your reprisal that that was not your intention at all, so for that, I am deeply sorry and I will do my best to remove my review when I can. I would also like to apologize for taking what you said at such face value, I had no idea there were such horrible and crazy communities here on this site. As well I would like to say thank you for being so civil in your response to mine as mine was very mean spirited and that you were able to respond to it in such a civil and decent manner truly speaks to you possessing a far better character and moral code than I. Also thank you so much for being kind in your critiques and thank you for taking all the time you have to respond and read my story. I hope you can accept my apology for what I said and I hope you would like to continue to read my story and leave your feedback on it, but if you don't want to anymore I understand and again all I can offer is a genuine apology for my irrational response. I at least hope you can have a good rest of your day when you read this

Captain Richards: Hello and thank you so much for reviewing. I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. And to answer your first review I see. Yes, I do plan to continue First Contact With An Angel, I currently plan on doing two things, releasing the unfinished and unedited version of the last chapter, and then the plan so far is to recreate the story from the ground up, namely by publishing a new version, where I fix as many of the mistakes as I can that I made in the first version of the story. I don't currently have a time table on when this will happen but I can at least say soon. Then to your second kind of question maybe, I'm cross on what I might do but eventually, I may have Imperial Reinforcements arrive, Though I will only say this on who I have agreed should show up through it, the Sons of Russ are Angels of their own renown. Then also in tandem with that I have a slight maybe plan to have not only allies show up in the future, though I have no solid plans there. And thank you for the time you took to read my story and offer your great feedback on it. To your next review now Yes the station wasn't yet destroyed but it most definitely was now. And now in closing to you my good Captain thank you so much for reviewing and have a lovely day :).

Guest (Bolter Guest): Hello and thank you for reviewing and offering me that lore, I knew bolters didn't operate off of gunpowder but I'm simply using that for simplicity. But Thank you for the other information on Bolters I will try to keep that in mind moving forward.

Bekisheverdik93: Thank you back :)

Another S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Yeah I didn't want to stretch the Chapter as I had decided to make it pretty short when writing it. Thank you for your continued reading and support.

AlextheSouthParkGhostRider: I hope what happened was satisfactory with what you wanted to have happen and thank you for reading and reviewing. :)

Jctherebel: Thanks hope you can enjoy this one just as much!

Bob2121998: Thank you so much, I'm very glad to hear you are loving the story and the individual chapters. I hope the wait wasn't too long for this chapter

Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: Thanks I'm glad my work has pleased you. And on Harbingers Fate I will remain quiet. But thanks for reviewing

Fortitude501: I'm super glad to hear you loved the Chapter and the fight between Antros and Harbinger. I wanted to make it Epic but I worried my poor writing and word choice would get in the way, but I'm very happy to hear it was still able to be interesting to you. And Thank you so much for the kind words in saying its the best you've read, I'm insanely overjoyed to hear that someone liked it that much.

Brother Bov: I'm super happy to hear you liked the chapter. I hope this one is a worthy addition in your eyes. I'm sorry to hear you had trouble reading the part with the Human-Reaper though I had not intended for it to be so clunky and uncomfortable to read. I will do my best to try and edit it better as I get time to do so. And to try and explain a little of the poor word choice, When the Human-Reaper is talking its use of the word "Power" is intentionally that way as that is what I have the Reapers call the Warp as to them it has always been a tool they can use to do things like they did and it has never been seen as otherwise like how the Imperium and humanity knew it as a dimension for FTL, caused people to have psychic powers, and contained the spirits as well as the manifestations of human emotions and believes. But the Reapers never had seen it that way but as a power source for their abilities to manipulate reality and to influence the minds of others.

RIZWAN: I plan to have Eldar action very soon, but Imperial Guard stuff will still be a ways off as I have other things I wish to show first.

Chronus1326: Thanks I'm glad you enjoyed the Chapter, I do plan to show more of the Priests of Mars, but I hope their presence in this chapter could appease you for now. :)

MrMorriss: I hope the next chapter was a decent one for you as well as this one :). And thank you for reading and reviewing

Anon: It's a bit left open to interpretation how Primaris Marines emotionally differ from normal Astartes. In official books where they are talked about like in Devastation of Baal Guilliman himself says they are highly successful and stoic warriors who are capable of better threat assessment than their original peers, also saying they are kinder and less irrational and superstition, which were all his intentions. Also, Guilliman tells Dante, leader of the Blood Angels to stop how they originally train Astartes with their brutal and uncaring ways and instead allow their human kindness to shine through them as only by doing so can the Imperium have the heroes it needs (his own words paraphrased). So it's not to far of a stretch for a Primaris Marine (a Sanguinary Guard at that, as they are both the cream of the crop and the most patient and kind of their brethren as they are meant to exemplify Sanguinius completely) to act that way, at least in my interpretation of recent lore especially doing with the Blood Angels who already weren't like most normal Astartes as demonstrated in lore and books.