Armageddon, Segmentum Ultima
Within the Hive cities of Armageddon, reconstruction efforts have been progressing smoothly. Since the end of the Third War for Armageddon, the famous Commissar Yarrick, Hero of Armageddon, fought the infamous Ork Warboss Ghazgkhull, Self-Proclaimed prophet of the WAAAAAGH! on Armageddon three times before Yarrick chased the Warboss through the Ultima sector. With no possible Ork attacks in the future, the people of Armageddon had a time of relief as they rebuilt their homes and livelihood. More recently, a Lord Inquisitor's fleet had docked in orbit of the planet and many are either relieved or anxious by a Lord Inquisitor's presence. The fleet will remain in orbit until they refueled and resupplied their ships for their crusade against the Orks.
On an Arvus Lighter spacecraft en route to the Inquisitor's fleet flagship, four young teens felt the feeling of dread and anxiety looming over their heads, wondering how they caught a Lord Inquisitor's presence and were thinking of the worst possibilities that may befall upon them. They offered their silent prayers to the God-Emperor, begging forgiveness for all the wrongdoings they've done in their whole life.
Before their departure to the Inquisitor's flagship, they were transported to planet Armageddon as it was the fleet's next destination. Each were transported from their respective home planets to Armageddon. As soon as they arrived and dropped off on the planet, two teens, a Guardsman and Psyker, had a joyful and tearful reunion with each other. The other two got acquainted with each other; The former slowly backing away in fear from the latter's insectoid companion. They all got acquainted with each other and conversed about themselves until their transport arrived.
Back on the spacecraft, each of the teens preoccupied themselves with different tasks to distract their minds off their current situation.
Matt the Guardsman cleaned his Chainsword and performed maintenance on it. Afterwards, he laid it next to his seat, leaning of the ship's metal wall. He crossed his arms, closed his eyes and leaned back on his seat, head hanging low as he drifted to sleep. Dreaming of glory and heroism with Natalie beside him.
Natalie the Psyker, finishing her prayers to the God-Emperor, smiled softly towards Matt. Removing his helmet and hanging it on his Chainsword, she laid his head on her lap, gently stroking his head. She gave the sleeping blonde a peck to his forehead to which he smiled as Natalie giggled. Her Force Staff laid on a seat next to her.
Both Natalie and Matt were childhood friends born on the same planet of New Cadia. They came from middle-class families with dreams of heroism in the army. They were separated when they entered their respective training with Matt to an Imperial boot camp and Natalie to the Scholastica Psykana. For years, both thought of each other and wished to see each other again as their training went on. When they saw each other again, they thanked the Emperor for his kindness as they embraced each other after years of separation.
Lance the Commissar-in-training, formerly wearing prison garbs now back to the Commissar's uniform, was inspecting his Gunblade and downscaled shoulder-mounted Lascannon as he thought about his predicament. It was bad that he got into trouble with the Mechanicus but with the Inquisition, it was inevitable and with no hope of being redeemed. He slowly scooted from his seat away from the Catachan and her insectoid.
Anna the Catachan groomed her pet Catachan Devil, Fiddler. She doesn't know why an Inquisitor would take interest in her but she doesn't question it. An Inquisitor's presence may make her nervous but she had face things more fearsome than an Inquisitor from Catachan and she doesn't fear them. Fiddler barely fit into the spacecraft in the cargo hold if it weren't for spirally curling its body to fit in and be brought with her.
The ship's intercom blared to life as the pilot's voice drowned out the vox's static.
"Attention all passengers! This is your pilot speaking. We are approaching our destination." The pilot announced over the vox-caster, "Please keep your belongings with you at all times until we docked with the battleship. The Emperor Protects!"
"The Emperor Protects…" The teens echoed as the announcement woke Matt from sleep. Surprise and shock jolted in his mind when he realized he slept on Natalie's lap. In a flash, Matt sat up and blushed as embarrassment washed over him. Natalie calmed him down with a smile from her face, explaining she placed his head on her lap to make him comfortable. Matt thanked Natalie for it, bashfully scratching the back of his head with a faint blush and looking away in embarrassment. Natalie giggles at Matt's reaction, still loving the blonde airhead since their childhood.
Lance and Anna watched the two with different views. Lance saw it as a refreshing sight from his training as a Commissar, wondering if he would meet a girl like Natalie. Anna saw it as heartwarming and charming sight that's rare to see in this war-filled galaxy. Fiddler clicked his mandibles as Anna finished grooming him. They looked outside the ship's windows and saw the massive Inquisition warship orbiting the planet and its fleet.
Soon, they holstered their weapons and mentally prepared themselves with their inevitable meeting with the Lord Inquisitor. The ship landed in the warship's massive hangar bays housing multiple fighter spacecrafts and transports. Techpriests and Servitors maintained the many vehicles and weapons within the hangar. Also, within the hangar, numerous humanoid mono-eyed mechs are lined up along the walls, standing 17.5m tall with an imposing presence on the room. The words 'Zaku I' printed on its chest. Techpriests are also seen maintaining the mechs, praying and placing purity seals upon its armor.
Lance was amazed by the Imperium's new weapons, taking a moment to admire the mechs. The others are also amazed by it but not the same as Lance's enthusiasm. The sound of footsteps is heard. They turned their head and saw a beautiful blonde woman wearing a formal business suit and the badge of the Departmento Munitorum, accompanied by two Servo Skulls. Matt and Lance were mesmerized by her beauty until Natalie and Anna elbowed them at their side, knocking them out of their stupor. Anna instructed Fiddler to stay in the ship's cargo hold and not eat anybody or any of the ship's livestock. The insectoid clicked its mandibles in agreement, crawled and curled up inside a tank-sized crate. The Guardsmen and Techpriests avoided the Catachan Devil in fear of being eaten.
"Greetings, I welcome you to the Slayer's Vengeance; Flagship of this Inquisition fleet." The woman greeted them with a smile, "I presume you are the four that the Lord Inquisitor summoned?"
"Yes, we are!" Matt spoke up first with excitement in his tone, shaking her hand, "I'm Matt and this is Natalie, a childhood friend of mine!" He introduced Natalie to the woman.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Natalie politely shook hands with the woman.
"Likewise!" the woman said as she turned her attention to the other two, "And you guys are?"
"Lance, Commissar-in-training and Weaponsmith." Lance introduced himself with a salute and tone of a superior officer. "Had trouble once with the Mechanicus but was released after the Lord Inquisitor freed me from custody. I hope he doesn't get mad at me for that…"
"Don't worry! He isn't like any Inquisitor you've known." The woman reassured him of his worries.
"And I'm Anna! Survivalist Prodigy and Tamer of Dangerous Beasts!" Anna introduced herself with a cheerful tone like Matt's, "No planet or beast is too tough for me! I had my pet Catachan Devil with me but he is in the cargo hold for safety reasons."
"And your name, miss…?" Matt asked the woman.
"Apologies, I haven't introduced myself." She recomposed and introduced herself, "My name is Sara Ragsdale, Secretary of Lord Inquisitor Hawkins and Administrator of Army Logistics."
"Come, the Lord Inquisitor is expecting you in his office." Sara gestured the others to follow her, "Follow me and keep up. Try not to get lost…We've had recruits often getting lost here."
They nodded in agreement as Sara led them through the battleship. Seeing the many different crew and machinery that run the battleship. Small talk was made as they made their way through the ship.
"I was just wondering…" Matt spoke as they walked through the ship's metal halls, "Who's the Inquisitor leading this fleet? Is he someone famous?"
"Dunno, I never really knew much about much of the Imperium apart from stories told by the veterans back in Catachan." Anna said, recounting her time in Catachan, "Most of the time I spent was training and taming wild beasts."
"Lance, how about you?" Anna turned to Lance, "Do you know anything about this Inquisitor?"
"To be honest, I don't know much since my incarceration on Mars." Lance said, turning heads of passing Techpriests and the group, expecting an explanation, "It's from a crime that I'd rather speak about in private and away from the ears of Techpriests."
The others silently agreed as the Techpriests diverted their attention elsewhere. Safe from a Techpriest's judgement. Matt turned to ask Natalie about the subject.
"Do you know anything about the Inquisitor, Natz?" Matt asked Natalie, calling her by a childhood nickname.
"From what I've read and heard about him, Inquisitor Hawkins was known as the Frontier Hero and had fought off countless Ork Warbands in the Eastern Fringe." Natalie said as the others were impressed by his military feats, "Another thing is that he was known by a title since his days as a Guardsman…"
"That title is…" Before Natalie could say it, Sara spoke.
"Goblin Slayer." Sara finished what Natalie was saying, "That was the title given to him by his peers and superiors due to his high body count of dead Goblins alongside Orks."
"But why was he known by that name?" Matt asked Sara, "Wouldn't make more sense to call him 'Ork Slayer' since he mostly fights Orks?"
"I asked myself that too…" Natalie wondered, "Why did they call him by that?"
"It's because of how vigilant, efficient and brutal he was when it comes to battling Greenskins." Sara answered, "Most soldiers forget Goblins, or Grotz, whenever they fight Greenskins. In the chaos of battle, all soldiers are focused on Orks since they're a bigger threat than Grotz. The Grotz used this to their advantage and sneak through the defensive lines, assassinating unsuspecting Guardsmen."
"He's always vigilant for Grotz and kills them with brutal efficiency." Sara continued, "Many lives are saved if it weren't for his efforts."
"That makes sense…" Lance understanding the reason, "Those who are less of a threat are ignored in favor of bigger threats. That's something most commanders forgot to take account for."
"But why 'Goblin Slayer' instead of 'Grot Slayer'?" Anna asked curiously
"It's an old term on how we called Grotz back then." Sara answered Anna's question
" That's true…" Natalie confirmed, "It's used in most feudal worlds to describe them."
"And we're here." Sara said as they arrived before an ornate double door with the Inquisitorial Rosette sculpted on. Sara knocked on the door before speaking through her vox-caster.
"Lord Inquisitor, I have brought the four people you've requested." Sara speaking through the vox on one of her Servo Skulls, "They are here before your office."
"Thank you, Sara." The Inquisitor's voice speaking through the Servo Skull's Vox, "You are dismissed from your duties today. As for you four, you may enter." They heard the doors creak open for them.
"May the Emperor guide and protect you four." Sara wished the four teens good luck as she walked away back to her quarters to sleep off the tiredness.
"Thanks, Miss Ragsdale!" Matt and the rest waved goodbye to her. Nervousness and anxiety swelled up once again within them. They calmed themselves as best they could to stave off the feeling. The four entered the office and were amazed.
The office was decorated with many military medals and different types of Ork Weapons taken from battle as trophies. Banners and Icons of the Aquilla and the Emperor hung on the ceiling and walls. Two armors stood on opposites sides of the room. One being a Guardsman's Flak armor and the other a Feudal steel plate armor. In front of them was the Inquisitor's desk and behind it was a massive glass window providing a clear view of Armageddon.
Seated behind the desk, there sat before them Lord Inquisitor Garette Hawkins. Frontier Hero and Slayer of Orkz. His red eyes gazed upon them. The mere presence of an Inquisitor can make any regular soldier nervous should they rend the Emperor's judgement upon them. With a wave of his hand, he gestured them closer. They obeyed and walk towards him as the doors behind them close. They came face to face with the Inquisitor, standing up as he scrutinized them.
"I welcome you to the Slayer's Vengeance and into my army." Garett greeted the four, "I am Lord Inquisitor Garett Hawkins of the Ordos Xenos. State your name and rank"
"Matt Roszak, Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!" Matt saluted before Hawkins, introducing himself with a formal military greeting.
"Natalie Gyanko, Psyker of the Imperial Guard!" Natalie followed suit after Matt
"Lance Valkyrie, Weaponsmith and Commissar-in-training!" Lance saluted with military professionalism
"Anna Greenwood, Survival expert of Catachan!" Anna introduced herself with her usual cheerfulness
"And where's your pet insect?" Garett asked Anna, "I was told you had one…"
"He's in the cargo bay, sir!" Anna answered, "Told him to not eat anything that moves until I could feed him!"
"I see." Garett nodded, before turning his attention to the teens, "You four have been presented with an opportunity to serve under an Inquisitor. You will be provided with everything you need from accommodations to food so long as you serve the Emperor faithfully. Understood?"
"Sir yes, sir!" the teens affirmed their understanding
"Do any of you have questions for me?" Garett asked them, Matt and Lance slowly raised their hands. The girls looked at them with curiosity.
"You first, Valkyrie." Garett pointed to Lance, "What's your question?"
"Why are we called here to be part of your army?" Lance asked, "What's special about us?"
"In each of your profiles, each of your trainers had remarked about abnormalities about yourselves." Garett explained, being straight to the point, "Starting with you…" he looked at Matt.
"You have been said to possess the strength of an Astartes." Garett bluntly stated which made the other three teenagers shocked, especially Natalie.
"You, miss Gyanko, were described to be an Alpha Class Psyker." Garett stated, "Yet despite your proficiency, you had never shown a single sign of Warp taint." This surprised Matt and made him worried about Natalie.
"You, mister Valkyrie, are proficient with building machines and weapons." Garett stated, "Also, you have been convicted for the crime of creating A.I in secrecy…" Lance froze in fear after hearing his crime. The others, except Anna, were surprised and shocked about it. Anna was confused about what an A.I is.
"…Which I'm willing to overlook and erased from you're records since I'll need your expertise." Garett said, relief washed over Lance, grateful for not being punished.
"And finally, miss Greenwood, a Jungle Fighter said you have been able to tame dangerous wildlife in Catachan." Garett stated which made Anna feel a bit prideful of herself.
"You four will be forming a kill-team to exterminate Greenskins and anything else that gets in your way. Effective immediately." Garett explained their purpose, "Your missions will be assisting me and my Kill-Team on battles and battlefield reconnaissance."
"I expect you all to work together as a team." Garett strongly stated, "Fail and you will all be seen as failures in the Emperor's eyes. Am I clear?"
The teens frantically nodded in agreement; Not wanting to be failures before the God-Emperor himself.
"Now, what's your question?" Garett said to Matt.
"What's your story, Inquisitor Hawkins?" Matt asked, genuinely curious, "It's a bit personal…But I'm curious about your life before becoming an Inquisitor."
"Are you really interested in hearing my story?" Garett asked, Matt nodded and looked to his new friends for confirmation.
Natalie, Lance, and Anna agreed, wanting to know his story. Garett sighed and fiddled with his rosette before walking towards the giant window, staring down into Armageddon. He looked back to the eager faces of the teens.
"I was born on a Feudal world untouched by the Emperor's light." Garett began telling his story. The teens are surprised him to be a Feudal that lived outside of the Imperium.
"In that world, I lived a peaceful life with my older sister and a close friend." He slid a hand into a coat pocket, taking a picture of Brittaney and him as a Guardsman on Kommicus V. He internally smiled before folding it and pocketing it. "We lived alongside Xenos in an era of peace. A few that we fight against for the Emperor."
"Humans, Abhumans, Eldar, Dark Eldar, and many other inhuman races co-existed with each other." He said with the teens in disbelief about it, "Some conflicts arose but most are resolved and the only danger that the world cared about was the rise of a Daemon Lord. A Hero was prophesized to defeat it and return peace to the world."
"This was a cycle that repeated for eons. But I learned something worse than a Daemon." Garett said, the teens anticipated what it was, "On a faithful day, Grots attacked my village. My sister told me to hide. I obeyed and hid beneath the floor of our house. As I hid, I saw my sister get killed in front of me by them. They ripped off her clothes and mutilated her body. I was powerless and all I could do was watch." His fists were clenching hard as he reminiscence that day.
The teens mood became somber as Garett described what happened to his home. They understood how he came to hate the Greenskins in his life. Garett turned to face them with a stoic expression.
"From that day on, my childish innocence and my only family taken from me by the vile Grotz." Garett unclenched his fists and fiddled with his rosette. "I swore to myself to kill every last Grot that had ever lived until I die."
"For years, I worked as an adventurer for a guild. Adventurers are mostly seen as mercenaries for hire and I was no different. But I didn't care about what they say." Garett continued, "I slaughtered countless Goblins throughout my adventuring career on frontier villages. I was criticized by my peers and had little pay when exterminating Goblins but I paid them no heed. A few had joined me on my vengeance quest."
"How did you come to the Imperium?" Matt asked
"It happened when I was imprisoned by the Necrons…" Garett said as the teens were shocked in the recent development, "A particular Necron Lord had thought to make me a display piece alongside others from my planet for centuries. Rogue Traders rescued me and brought me onto the Imperium; Only then I knew my world's fate." His face became somber.
"The Necrons took over the planet, enslaving and eradicating all until it is nothing more than another Necron world." Garett said, "When I first set foot on the Imperium and basked in the Emperor's light, I realized my quest hasn't ended. Greenskins plague the Imperium on all fronts; Both Sanctus and Nihilus."
"For long as I live, I will not rest until every single last one of those living fungus are burnt to extinction." Garett said, finishing his tale, "And that was my tale. I hope your curiosity is satiated."
"Yes, Lord Inquisitor…" Matt said in a somber tone, Natalie patted his shoulder, knowing she and the others felt the same for the Inquisitor's origin.
The office door suddenly slammed opened and the teens looked back. Four individuals entered consisting of Yui, Bangle, Barry, and Nao stepped through.
"Yo! Orcbolg!" Nao greeted Garett with enthusiasm, "We've come to see the new recruits!"
They were greeted with weapons pointed towards Bangle and Nao as the teens went hostile as xenophobia took hold. Yui backed away in surprise, as well as Barry. Bangle and Nao were taken aback by the sudden hostility.
"All of you! Stand down!" Garett ordered them, leaving them confused. "That is my Kill-Team you're threatening and the ones who joined me on my crusade."
Shock and disbelief jolted through their body, seeing Xenos ally with humans. They looked to the Inquisitor for an explanation.
"They came from the world that I came from." Garett bluntly stated.
"But sir! They're Xenos!" Lance strongly stated, "Why would you ally with them!?"
"Because they are not my enemy." Garett simply explained, "My only enemy are the Greenskins. Not Eldar, Tau, or any Xenos in this galaxy."
"I order you to stand down or I'll have you executed for treason." Garett stated.
They were hesitant but an Inquisitor's authority is absolute, obeying his command. They holstered their weapons and faced Garett. Garett's team stood by his sides.
"This is my Kill-Team. They have been with me on many missions and I hope you'll learn from them." Garett stated as he gestured to each of them, introducing each one of them.
"You are all dismissed for today. Rest up on your quarters." Garett ordered, "You will be soon notified of your first mission upon arrival to the next planetary system."
The teens obeyed and went to their quarters, guided by Servo Skulls. The doors closed and Garett sat behind his desk as his team spoke to him.
"So much for a first impression…" Nao dejectedly said, "Why is it that every new recruit we met always draw their weapon to us?"
"Its xenophobia that makes them do it." Garett said, "I don't blame them. When you've been at war with countless Xenos, it becomes hard to trust one yourself."
"That's true…" Yui said, "I hope that they'll learn that not every race is an enemy to the Imperium."
"They will in due time…" Bangle said, hopeful that humanity will regain its trust towards Xenos.
"Those youngsters had yet to see a real battle." Barry said, "In battle, they will have to trust and work with another race should a greater threat arise."
"We'll see…" Garett said, "Prepare yourselves, we'll soon be departing."
"Where to?" Yui asked Garett
"We'll be meeting up with Commissar Yarrick's Fleet and perform a joint operation to kill the Ork Warboss Ghazkhull." Garett said, "I've sent a message to him via Astropath yesterday. We'll be leaving tomorrow early morning."
They nodded and were dismissed, walking back to their quarters to rest. Garett sat inside his office alone. He contemplated on what he should do with the three girls in the brig. He found out they were the Hero and her party, Sword Saint and Sage. They had been tainted by the Warp and he couldn't let them be on his ship for long in fear of them being corrupted and possibly transformed into a Daemon.
"I'll just drop them off in the nearest Shrine world I pass." Garett concluded his thoughts, "The Priests would know what to do to them. If not, then let their souls be at peace with the Emperor."
Living Quarters
Matt and Natalie are surprised at their accommodation's quality. There were two Queen-size beds with the softest sheets they've ever felt. A shrine to the God-Emperor on the opposite side of the room. And the overall lighting and decoration was high gothic and high quality. They felt like it was the wrong room for them as they thought it was for a high-ranking officer, not for the common soldier. Yet it was theirs to take. Lance and Anna's room are of the same quality. The team was split into the two rooms. Anna's Catachan Devil, Fiddler, was taken to the agriculture wing of the battleship and was kept under heavy surveillance should it go berserk.
"One hell of a day it is, huh?" Matt remarked, changing into his sleepwear after putting away his gear, "Learning that our Lord Inquisitor works with Xenos."
"I know…" Natalie said, changing into a nightgown and sat next to Matt on a bed, "I never knew how he did it but we'll have to trust him and his companions."
Matt nodded and asked Natalie, "Natz, what is it about you being an Alpha Psyker and having no Warp taint?"
Natalie hesitated for a moment before answering, "I honestly don't know… Ever since my powers awakened in my time in the Psykana, I was never tainted and all others have been corrupted and consumed by the Warp."
"I was placed under surveillance by the Inquisition and I understand why." Natalie continued, "It was suspicious for a Psyker to be untainted. I was released when the Lord Inquisitor recruited me."
"What about you, Matt? About the strength you possess?" Natalie asked Matt
"Same as you, I don't know about it until I felt something change in me." Matt explained, "Everything started to feel lighter, anything fragile shattered on my grip and I could probably lift any vehicle in the Imperial Guard. Naturally, the medicaes performed tests on me, trying to find the source until I was recruited for the Lord Inquisitor's army."
"We've both got the same situation, huh?" Natalie said to which Matt nodded. Natalie embraced Matt and wrapped her arms around his torso, her head nuzzling his chest. Matt was surprised by her sudden action. Her scent was nice and sweet, emitting from herself.
"I missed this feeling…" Natalie spoke as she nuzzled her head on Matt's chest, "Just the two of us and nothing else… I missed you, Matt."
"Me too… I thank the Emperor for reuniting us." Matt said, "His kindness knows no bounds."
"Can you…embrace me?" Natalie looked up to his eyes with a flushed face, "I don't want to let go just yet…"
"Okay…" Matt hugged her with both arms, burying his nose in her hair, deeply inhaling her scent. He patted her head, ruffling her hair. Natalie savored the feeling of Matt's gentle touch. It lasted for a few moments until Natalie planted a kiss to Matt's cheek. Matt blushed at the sudden kiss, looking away embarrassingly with a bashful face. Natalie giggled at his reaction. She grabbed his head and placed it on her voluptuous chest.
Matt's face was red from embarrassment and the softness of Natalie's chest. She ruffled his hair as she patted and nuzzled his head.
"I like you, Matt…" Natalie whispered to his ear, Matt blushed deeply as he pulled away from her chest and faced Natalie, "I hope that someday… We can be more than friends…"
"I like you too, Natz…" Matt returned a kiss of his own to Natalie, directly to her lips. She blushed deeply as her hands held her lips; Matt claiming her first kiss.
"One day, I'll make you mine and hopefully live together on a paradise world with you forever." Matt said as Natalie smiled at his proclamation.
"Wanna sleep together?" Matt asked Natalie, "I'll make you feel more comfortable."
"Sure, Matt…" Natalie accepted, "Please be gentle with me…"
"Okay…" Matt said as they laid down on the bed. Underneath the blanket sheets, Matt and Natalie caressed each other and felt one another's warmth as the cold night welcomed them to sleep.
With Lance and Anna, the two had stored their weapons and changed into their nightwear. The two conversed with each other about themselves, learning about each other's lives.
"What is it about an A.I that got you incarcerated by the Mechanicus?" Anna asked Lance of his crime.
"I'll ask you something…" Lance said, "Do you know what a Man of Iron is?" Anna shook her head to say 'no'.
"During the Imperium's Great Crusades, they used Men of Iron as soldiers and laborers on their worlds." Lance said, "They were artificial beings capable of human-like thought and feats that humans can't do."
"Eventually, they rebelled against the Imperium once they got too intelligent." Lance continued as Anna got intrigued, "After a long and arduous war, the Mechanicus and the Emperor declared any A.I to be enemies of the Imperium and their creation outlawed."
"I was incarcerated by the Mechanicus despite that it was never my intention to build a Man of Iron." Lance said, "I only wanted to create autonomous drones similar to those that Tau use."
"It's okay, Lance…" Anna comforted Lance, "I believe you're not a bad person as they said. And deep inside, you seem to be a nice person who cared about others."
"Thanks Anna… I needed that…" Lance smiled as Anna comforted him with a hug, "We should get some sleep. The Lord Inquisitor may have some plans for us tomorrow."
"Sure…" Anna went to her bed and laid down, taking one last look at the Commissar "Lance, if there is something you need to talk about, I'm always here for you…"
"Thank you…" Lance laid down on his bed as he prepared to sleep, "Good Night, Anna. May the Emperor bless your dreams."
"To you as well, Lance." Anna said, "Good night."
Soon, Lance and Anna slept peacefully and dreamt through the night. For tomorrow, the team shall face their first experience in battle with Orkz.
The Brig
Within the cells housing convicts and traitors, three young girls are locked behind bars. Their limbs chained in adamantium, powers sealed off by machinery, and weapons confiscated. None of them knew what happen that got them into this situation. All they could remember was they were on a quest and suddenly found themselves on a cell within what seemed to be a metal ship. A person wearing regal military uniform accompanied by two priests and a ragged-looking mage came before them.
The Hero, Rachel Thompson, recognized instantly from their voice and red eyes. Her companions, Honoka Inoue (Sage) and Haruka Saxton (Sword Saint) were in disbelief to see the one the Hero idolized since her childhood. She asked him on where they are and if he could release them. He told them everything about their whereabouts and were in disbelief. However, they could not be released for they could be a threat.
They were confused about this until the priests and mage told them they have been tainted by a dimension known as the Warp. He told them that they would have to be cleansed of their taint. If not, they would be consumed by it and transformed into a Daemon. They were horrified at the possibility and pleaded him to do something. He refused and said this was his only option for them.
Before leaving, the Slayer spoke to her one last time.
His words were: "Rachel, you are not a hero… And you will never be one. Stop clinging on a childish dream! For you are just a child, granted power by false gods and playing pretend! This universe does not need heroes; It needs professionals. If you want my respect, grow up and face the truth of reality!"
His next words filled her with dread and fear: "Skitarii! At the first sign of warp corruption or transformation on the three captives, execute at will!" Four Skitarii Vanguards equipped with Arc Mauls, Rifles and Pistols stood guards at their cells, obeying his order.
He then took one last look at her and said, "If you were to survive this, you are welcome to join me in my crusade. If not, may the God-Emperor have mercy on your souls…"
He left soon after without a second thought. Left alone with her cyborg jailers and her friends. Rachel felt betrayed by her own idol and was expected to die. His harsh words hit hard and blunt about herself. Her friends don't know what to do about it and were helpless. Soon after, they started to hear whispers on their heads and were tempting them to offer themselves for unimaginable power. No matter how much they ignored it, it never went away. The whispers grew only stronger as it went on, keeping up their resistance. The Skitarii Vanguards are alert and ready to execute them. One can only hold out for long until Chaos consumes anyone and Hero would not let it.
She will earn her idol's respect and see through this to prove she's not a child playing hero.
In a distant part of the Ultima Sector, Commissar Sebastian Yarrick's fleet orbited a barren desert world. His hunt for Ghazgkhull going ever on. Yarrick and Ghazgkhull had developed a rivalry between each other during the Armageddon Wars. When he lost his right arm after the second Armageddon war, he claimed an Ork Power Klaw as replacement from the Ork Warlord Ugulhard's corpse which became his signature weapon.
At the near end of the second war, when captured by the Orkz, they surprisingly let him go as the Warboss said to him that he put up a good fight and to his astonished boyz: "Good enemies iz 'ard to find.". He enjoyed the challenge Yarrick posed and doesn't want it yet to end.
Yarrick was staring off into the emptiness of space on his battleship, Vessel of Superiority. He wondered where his Ork rival is in the sector and when their rivalry will end.
"Commissar!" He looked back to see an Astropath approaching him, "I have an urgent message! It's from the Inquisition!"
"The Inquisition?!" Yarrick said in surprise, "What does the Inquisition want from me?"
"The message is from Lord Inquisitor Hawkins of the Ordos Xenos." The Astropath relayed the message, "He said he'll be joining our hunt for the Ork Warboss!"
"Send a message back." Yarrick ordered, "I appreciate and accept the aid given to me. Relay our current coordinates to them as soon as possible."
"At once, Commissar!" The Astropath obeyed as it walked to Communications to relay the message.
"Ghazgkhull, our rivalry may finally come to an end." Yarrick thought, "Maybe I'll finally get my well-deserved retirement on Armageddon after this…"
In another part of Ultima, an Ork fleet is merrily and joyfully cruising along. Orkz chant and sang to their enjoyment, looking for the next best fight. Inside the fleet's largest Ork Battleship, Warboss Ghazgkhull Uruk Mag Thraka sat at the helm, bellowing orders and commands to his boyz. His mind wondered to Yarrick as he smiled for his next fight.
"I'ze hope you'ze ready fer anovva foight, Yarrick!" Ghazgkhull thought, "Me WAAAAAGH! just begun and me boyz will be fightin' all da way froo ze ends of da galaxy an' back!"
"Full speed ahead!" He ordered, "WAAAAAAAAAGH!"
"WAAAAAAAAAGH!" his boyz echoes as Ghazgkhull slammed a big red button, diverting all the ship's power towards the engines. All ships of the fleet soon followed, blazing through space like red comets. Jumping through the Warp and joyfully battled their way to their destination.
At another part of the sector, Trazyn and his Tomb-fleet were scouring the sector for Garett and his team. At the Lord of Antiquity's helm, Trazyn stood tall as the Necron crew operated the ship. Trazyn suddenly received a message from one of his scouts.
"Milord, I bear great news!" the scout said
"Have you found him?" The Infinite asked
"Yes, Overlord." The scout said, "He is at Armageddon and soon departing to the next Planetary system. He'll be joining up with Sebastian Yarrick to hunt down the Ork Warboss Ghazgkhull."
"Excellent!" Trazyn exclaimed, "Activate the Inertialess Drives! We're departing! Our hunt is over!"
The skeleton crew obeyed and the fleet's Inertialess Drives flared. The fleet jumped towards the next system in pursuit of the Slayer. Trazyn was also excited at claiming Yarrick and Ghazgkhull for his collection. After years of searching, his final piece was found and the exhibit will be complete.
"After all these years, I've found you…" Trazyn thought, internally grinning with his non-existent mouth, "My final piece back to my hands. And you've brought others to be part of my collection…"
"Our battle will be legendary!" Trazyn said to himself, "One that will be remembered for centuries!"
A/N: That was Chapter 5! It will be a three-way battle between Humans, Orkz, and Necrons!
Mostly filler before the big fight happens. Please wait for I don't always have the energy to write. And I thank your patience.
As always, please leave a review and criticism is appreciated as it helps me write better.
Thank you and See you next chapter!