A few minutes later, the Ork Boy was disarmed and strapped to a chair, where the other Marines had gathered around him, their weapons ready.
The Ork desperately tried to plead with them. "Please, just lemme go. I'll do anything!"
"It's not what we want you to do" Frostclaw said, twirling a knife in his hands, "It's what we want you to say."
"I'm just a simple fighter!" the Ork argued, "They don't tell me anything!"
Grimm's patience was running thin. "Then tell us what you DO know! Why are all these xenos races joining together?!"
The Ork whimpered in fear of Grimm's rising anger before finally saying. "Here's what I know. The Chaos Marines have some new big shot leader who's decided that the only way to win is by uniting all factions that are enemies of you Space Marines. So far he's gotten quite a few."
"Who?" Cassius asked.
"Orks, Tau, Necrons, and Death Guard. We tried taming the Tyrannids, but they tried to eat us the second they saw us, so that was out of the picture. Anyways, once we were all together, we were sent here as we were told that a big group of Space Marines was camping there, so we all just decided to test our teamwork and take you down. Looks like we did a damn good job to me."
Infernus scoffed. "Not good enough."
"Wait." Matthias said, "you said someone told you we were here."
"Yea, that's roight." The Ork said.
"This canyon was well hidden" Frostclaw said, "The only one who would've known we were even there would have been someone within our ranks or…"
The other Marines came to a quick realization; the governor of a nearby city, Aktrion, on the planet had told them to go there during their crusade to destroy a Necron hold. He would have been the only one able to tell the enemy where the Marines were hidden.
"I think we know where to go next" Matthias said, "We'll probably get more info out of the governor, assuming the Inquisitors haven't gotten to him first."
Cassius nodded in agreement, "Then back to the city it is."
"Well wha about me?" the Ork asked, "You gonna free me?"
Cassius walked over. "Gladly." He then suddenly drew his chainsword and cut it clean across the Ork's neck, beheading it.
Cassius the holstered his weapon. "And thus, your wretched head is freed from your miserable shoulders."
"So, now what?" Gabriel asked, "Aktrion is miles away; we'll be cut down too quickly if we go on foot."
"Well then" Frostclaw said with a chuckle, "Good thing we prepared ahead of time."
As the other Marines watched, Frostclaw hit aa button on the center console, then went to the back of the room as a hidden section of rock opened up, revealing a small group of quad bikes and ATV's.
"Now I know we're no White Scars." Frostclaw said, "But I think we can manage."
"Works for me" Grimm grunted.
"Your call, Sergeant Cassius." Matthias said.
"Well, we don't have much choice." Cassius replied, "Let's move out."
A few minutes later, the Marines were speeding off towards the city of Aktrion. Grimm and Infernus rode together on an ATV while the others took quad bikes. The team sped out of the canyon and across the plains, riding for at least another hour before reaching Aktrion.
The city of Aktrion was a newer stronghold of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and as such, it resembled a large factory, with multiple forges raring with life with the sound of clanging machinery and the sight of smoke as it rose from the forges. Dominating the city stood a large obelisk-like structure that gleamed metallic silver and had multiple ledges sticking out from the sides in an orderly manner; the palace of the governor. Upon entering the city, the Marines had to slow their vehicular advance due to the smoke from the forges, but they were able to maintain a steady pace. They arrived at the palace gates to find them, surprisingly, wide open, and had no resistance driving through. Wondering how this could be, they got their answer in the form of a black ground vehicle that was parked nearby, the symbol on its side unmistakable.
"Inquisitors." Matthias said as they dismounted. Infernus walked over to the vehicle and placed a hand on the chassis. "Metal's still hot. Looks like they just got here."
"Then there's still time?" Gabriel asked.
"Most likely" Cassius said, "We should hurry nonetheless."
As they went in, the Marines wasted no time making their way to the governor's office; the place where the Inquisitors would most likely interrogate him. However, they also noticed the servants watch their advance in surprise and whisper amongst each other, and Grimm became fed up with it after a short while. He turned to one of the servants and demanded, "What is the cause of your whispering?"
"We had heard rumors of the attack on your camp," the servant replied, "It surprises us to see that some had survived, though we are overjoyed as well."
"Where is your master?" Cassius asked.
"He's in his office. An Inquisitor is there as well, and I'm sure he will listen to your testimony."
Cassius nodded his thanks before leading the marines the rest of the way to the office. Upon arriving at the doors, they could hear the governor's muffled, yet pleading voice, which was swiftly rebuked by another voice, this one clearer.
"Stop giving me excuses!" it shouted. Cassius suddenly kicked the door open as the group walked in. The office was well furnished, though many different gizmos were randomly scattered about; a consequence of housing the Mechanicus. The governor himself, and older man in lavish robes, was laying on the ground, his forehead bleeding as he had been "interrogated" by the Inquisitor himself, a taller man with black, spiky hair and wearing a black suit of armor with a longsword strapped across his back.
The Inquisitor turned to see the Marines and raised an eyebrow. "Who are you?"
Seargant Cassius introduced himself and the team before explaining their surviving the attack and getting information from an Ork that lead to them coming back here to question the governor themselves.
The Inquisitor, who introduced himself as Romulus, nodded his head in understanding as well as in agreement. "Well, I suppose you can remain here. I haven't been able to get much out of him, but if you have any ideas of making him talk, by all means, go ahead."
The governor looked with frightened and pleading eyes at the Marines, but Cassius was having none of it. "Grimm, Frostclaw, let's show him how we make traitors confess."
Grimm cracked his knuckles as he and Frostclaw walked over to the governor, hoisted him up by his arms, and pinned him to the wall. Then, using his free hand, Grimm drew his fist back and aimed for the governor's head.
"I doubt you'll survive this hit" Grimm said, "So talk, or I pancake your skull."
"Ok, ok please!" the governor cried out, "Mercy, I beg of you!"
Cassius gave to order for Grimm to restrain his fist, then nodded to the Inquisitor, who walked up to the governor, putting his face inches from the other man's.
"Now that I like to hear." Romulus said, "Now, about this conspiracy you foolishly joined..."
The Marines felt a twinge of satisfaction, now they would have what they needed to avenge their brothers and end this new heresy before it could fulfill its goal.
Let me know what you think so far! I know there isn't much action as of right now, but this is simply the buildup. Expect the fighting to start about two chapters from this one.