The Second Legion
Part 4
"The Coming of the Despoiler"
Space Hulk Fortress of Apathy Main Hull section
How do marines wear this? Canoness Savitch wondered for the hundredth time that hour. The modified Corvus armor she and her sisters were clad in was woefully heavy, and very claustrophobic. Still it offered better protection for this type of disdainful mission, than their normal battle armor. A company of the Sisters of the Jeweled Amethyst and 5 Squads of Terminators from the 11th Battalion had been sent aboard the millennia old Space hulk as it approached Elysia Ultimus. Normally the Judicators were not above blowing the Hulks apart from the Planet, or aboard the massive Battle cruisers, but they had a particular interest in the center ship of the eight that made up the Hulk. That vessel, an ancient Magnificent class Battle barge, had caught the attention of the Judicator codiciers who had gone over the vidscreen data from the remote stations that had observed the Hulk's reentrance to real space. Savitch consulted the Auspex built into her left gauntlet. No life signs within 500 meters. Turning slightly, she signaled the two squads behind her forward. With a measured tread the sisters set off down the corridor. They had passed through connections through two of the ships so far and if the Judicator Tech Marine was right. " Squad Romanov, Overwatch" The Canoness turned to see the huge black and red armored figures of Terminator squad Romanov on the left arm of the T Junction. Veteran Sergeant Romanov nodded in acknowledgement of the Canoness and saluted. " Canoness, Sisters"
"Veteran Sergeant, Marines"
" Any hostile contact?"
"No Canoness. And this is the hatchway that leads to the Objective vessel."
Savitch nodded, the beak of her helmet bobbing up and down in a parody of an Elysian Avian hunter she had once seen.
" Inform Celestian Brody and Fraekes to consolidate on our Position. Squad's Damov and Antonius will remain here as well." Savitch ordered. Behind her she could hear Celestian Greta relaying her orders. She turned back to Romanov.
" Sergeant, Breach the Airlock."
Romanov tossed his stormbolter to his second, and strode over to the airlock. He looked at it for a moment, and then consulted his Sensorial panel. Then he input a code into the lock panel. Romanov stepped away from the Airlock as it hissed open, reclaiming his Stormbolter.
" It still Works" the Terminator muttered. Activating his suit lights, he illuminated the entrance. Savitch watched as the massive Terminator paused for a second to unsafe his Stormbolter, and then entered the next section of the hulk.
Fortress Base. Command Center.
Primarch Krosfyah paced the length of the floor, his strides eating up the distance. The Command staff ignored him, so used they were to his odd behavior during missions he was not involved in. They were all apprehensive, with nearly the whole 6th Battalion out sweeping for the Remnants of the Tyrannid forces, the Fleet out pursuing a Red Corsair Battle Group that had penetrated the System, and the Operation aboard the Space Hulk. Along the back wall stood Veteran Sergeant Trask and the rest of the Primarch`s Bodyguard. Silent as always, they stood guard over their charge like wolves over their cubs. The Primarch stopped walking for a second, and rubbed his hand over his face. " Captain Jarrick"
" Aye Primarch!"
"You will maintain overwatch of our operations. I am going to rest. If there is a serious problem, you will summon me immediately"
" Aye Primarch!"
"Carry on"
The Primarch strode out, followed by his guard. Jarrick turned back to his console.
" Thought he'd never leave." The Captain muttered with a smile, then grew serious.
" Contact the Ravens Fire, and have five squads ready to cover the incursion force if they need extraction."
" As you command, Captain"
Tyrannid Hunter Team Gobern
Musile Swamp
Veteran Sergeant Gobren hadn't moved for almost two hours. The Terminator Sergeant stood in waist deep sludge frozen in pose, staring at the narrow entrance of a Burrow fifty meters away. First inspection appeared to be a normal Swampbor den, but something wasn't right. Swampbor were massive omnivores, and their dens were always marked by a distinctive scent. Not the scent of Death he had first smelled. Around the Veteran Sergeant. The twenty members of his Kill team were somewhere near, under cover. Like him, they were waiting. Kill Team Gobern comprised a Terminator Squad, one tactical Squad, and a scratch team of Devastators. Their support, a Land Raider and a Razorback were somewhere to the rear, in the Trees that Bordered the swamp. Gobern was firing before he consciously saw what he was aiming at. Hellfire Shells from his Stormbolter cored supersonic trails through the humid air before smashing through the chitinous armor on the head of a Genestealer. Gobren Kept firing as a low whoosh echoed through the swamp, followed by a low boom as a Krak Missile detonated in the mouth of the Den. The red Fireball, obliterated the hollow from the Swamp, and blew an eight- meter crater in the bank. On his left, 5 Tactical marines dashed forward, Hellfire Boltguns pouring suppressive fire into the crater.
"Squad Gobren, advance!"
Under the watchful eye of Sergeant Klaus, the Devastator commander, The Terminators slogged forward. Gobren checked his sensorium. Still blank. Out of the depths of the Crater boiled a swarm of hellspawned creatures. Termagaunts! His mind told him, but the Veteran Sergeant was firing before he recognized the creatures before him. Explosive shells blew Tyrannids apart, their filthy carcasses staining the already brown swamp water a putrid purple. The Two heavy Bolters opened up, a line of green tracers transfixing the insect like horde from opposite sides. The Tacticals were falling back, but the aliens were too fast. Razor sharp claws scythed left, and A Tactical marine fell, sliced apart at the waist. A second Marine went down under a Homagaunt, firing his Bolter up through the chest of the creature as he squirmed to avoid the talons. Gobren saw the Squad Sergeant ram his powerglove through the head of a screaming Genestealer, and pivot, firing his bolter at a.
"SCREAMER KILLER!!"
The towering horror of the Carnifex erupted out of the crater. A deafening, blood-chilling roar echoed over the swamp, and the abomination hacked its way through the Tactical Squad Sergeant. Heavy bolter shells spanged off its bone armor, and for the first time in an eon, the Veteran Sergeant knew fear. And welcomed it.
"Lighting Justice! Come forward to Support!" The team Leader ordered, as he stepped forward, Power sword lifted. With a Deep roar of its own, Land Raider Dominator Lighting Justice Crashed through the Trees. The Ponderous turret rotated left, and the Mighty Dominator Battlecannon added its own eloquent statement to the debate of arms. The Carnifex disintegrated, hurling parts of its self in all directions. " Battle's Fury, bring the Apocathary to the Front." Gobern ordered as he and the rest of his squad reached the crater. It had no bottom, only a yawning void big enough for a Carnifex to pass. He switched channels,
" Command, Kill Team Gobren has contact. We have marines down, repeat, Marines Down."
Fortress Base Command Center
Jarrick Stood up from his seat and pressed the headset to his ears. Around him junior Marines worked the Eon old communications equipment.
" How many Marines Down, Gobren?" He asked.
"4 from Squad Tellicus" the Veteran Sergeant replied. " The Apocathary is with the last one now."
" What hit you?"
Kill Team Gobren
"Carnifex, and Troops." Gobern replied, making the signal for the Land Raider to pull back to cover the position. " Hold Command" The apocathary, in his blue and white armor walked over, his gauntlets were splattered with the blood of the marine he was been working on.
" Battle Brother Kobin will live if we get him to the Fortress immediately." He reported. Gobren nodded, and reopened the channel.
"Command, request immediate medevac for wounded marine, and support for further operations against the enemy."
" Confirmed, Gobren" came the immediate reply. " Medevac ThunderHawk Future Strike is on its way, ETA, 8 Minutes.
The Terminators loaded the wounded marine into the back of the Razorback Battle's Fury, along with the remains of his squadmates. With the Apocathary perched on the gun turret, and Terminator Borales for security, the vehicle peeled off, heading for the landing zone. After it had disappeared from sight, Gobern reorganized his forces. Sergeant Klaus`s Devastators he ordered to dig in around the Land Raider as Security, while his squad retreated to the oversized vehicle to rearm. Twice the size of the ordinary Land Raider, the Dominator boasted carrying capacity equivalent to a Thunderhawk gunship, plus the fearsome stopping power of the Dominator Battlecannon. For its assignment to a Tyrannid Hunter Team, most of its troop lockers were taken up by Hellfire ammunition for the team's guns. Still, each Terminator had an individual wall locker where he kept all the weapons he would need for a variety of missions.
" We're going in?"
The question came from Grollad, the youngest of the Squad. Gobren nodded, and turned to the rest of his men.
" Nugan, you've got the flamer and your Storm bolter. Grollad, You take the Assault Cannon and a Powerfist. Marelk, you can take your Thunderhammer."
"What about you and Borales?"
" Borales can have a Stormbolter and his Power Axe. I'm going with my Lighting Claws"
A roaring from outside signaled the arrival of the Reinforcements. Gobern walked out of the Land Raiders Bay to see a Pair of Black Thunder Hawks hovering in the small clearing. One disgorged a variety of marines, the other Imperial Guard and Adeptus Soritas forces. The Lead marine, a Tall Space Wolf Guard with the name Thagnar on his shoulder pad walked over and thumped Gobern on the shoulderpad ecstatically.
" Emperor be with you, Clawed one! Heard you needed some help!" " Who do you have?"
" My Wolf Guard Squad, a Ultramarine Terminator Squad, Some Deathwing Pansies" At this the Space Wolf Laughed uproariously,
" 5 Devastators from the Blood Angels, and a Tactical Squad from the Storm Giants."
Gobern nodded and smiled. " Suit up then, because the Terminators are going down the hole." As the Space Wolf walked off to prepare himself and his squad, Gobern walked over to the hasty Perimeter being set up by the Imperial Guard and the Sisters of Battle. The Tall Celestian saw him coming and offered him a salute, which he returned, while removing his helmet.
" Veteran Sergeant,"
" Celestian, Who`s in charge of this unit?"
"That would be me," a Bespectacled Imperial Guard officer said from where he was sighting a Heavy bolter. " Captain Oliver Seegam, 57th Elyria Guard."
Gobern smiled to put the captain at ease, and then began to give him orders. The officer nodded and passed the instructions on to his subordinates and then turned to Gobren.
" Veteran Sergeant, if you would permit me, I would like to join you in the cleansing."
Gobren looked at the Captain for a second, and then nodded his assent. " Get your men together and meet us at the entrance in 5 minutes."
5 minutes later the team was assembled. 20 Terminators, and 20 Imperial Guardsmen. Gobern looked around, and Put on his helmet. The rest of his men followed suit. Thragnar smiled a little before motioning for his squad to do the same. The Ultramarine Sergeant Darius did the same. Gobren turned to the white armored figure of the Deathwing Terminator. He stared back, bald unhelmed head gleaming in the soft sunlight.
" Brother Dark Angel, please put on your helmet." Gobern asked, his tone low and Courteous. " I fear no alien!" the Deathwing sergeant replied. " I will not cower behind Ceramite whilst I smite the foes of the Emperor."
Gobren took a deep breath, and turned away from the Dark Angel Terminator. With his left hand he made the signal, and his men walked forward and dropped into the hole. The bottom was 20 feet below, and the suits shock absorbers accepted the force of the landing easily. Gobren flipped on the Photon lights of his suit, and made a half circle. He was in a Y shaped tunnel, hollowed out of the soft rock under the swamp. He consulted his Auspex. Nothing.
"Brother Thragnar, you and Squad Darius proceed down the left passage.
Captain Seegam, your Troopers will stay with Squad Zrion and us. Keep in contact at all times. For the Emperor!"
The Force moved out, stepping slowly and carefully, weapons ready, and eyes peeled for the tell tale shapes of Tyrannid beasts lying in ambush.
An hour later the tunnel abruptly re-entered a main cave. Seconds later the other two squads rejoined them. "No sign of the Enemy" Darius reported.
"We have heard them, though," Thragnar joined in, " Low inhuman growls through the rock. They are here."
" Veteran Sergeant" Gobern turned to see Captain Seegam standing next to him. " These rocks are wet. I believe we are under a river."
" It must be beneath the So`or" Gobren replied. " Good Work Captain. I believe we have here more than a simple group of hiding Beasts."
" So what do we have," Darius inquired.
" We might have found the missing hivemind" Gobern replied. " Spore pods did come down in this area, but we never did find out if the hive mind could have been on one."
"So what do we do?" Seegam asked.
" We cleanse the Aliens!" Zrion interjected. " Why do we waste time in this prattle?"
"Be Quiet, Angel" Thragnar growled, " No one seeks to die here for your Glory. We must have a plan." Zrion bristled at the Space Wolves rebuke and took a step forward.
" Terminator Sergeant Zrion!" Gobern`s voice cracked like a whip in their communicators. " Stand down. You will not dishonor My Primarch or Russ, or the Lion, by fighting needlessly in this battle situation."
Zrion glowered mightily, but stepped away from the Space Wolf. Gobern dropped down on one knee and looked around.
" We need support. Our communicators cannot reach the surface from under water, so someone will have to go back to the hole and tell the rest of the force to call for reinforcements."
" If this is the Base of the Hivemind, undoubtedly the aliens have let us get this far." Darius pointed out. " They know we are here." " They are biding their time, waiting for us to split up."
Thragnar joined in. " If we sent the Imperial Guardsmen, they would be slaughtered before they could travel 100 meters."
" Then what do we do. We do not have the ordnance to sustain a long combat in this place." Zrion said.
" Then we must make it a short one." Gobern said, " Squad Gobern, fall back Pattern Gamma 5."
As the Judicators deployed, Thragnar followed suit. " Wolves, Pattern Gamma 4"
With the Guardsmen in the Center of a Diamond formation of Terminators, the Imperial force slowly began the Long retreat to the entrance.
Where however, silence had governed their entrance, as they slowly walked towards the Entrance, the guttural calls of the stalking aliens began to filter to them. They began to see flashes on their Auspexes as aliens darted in and out of sensor range. Grimly the force retreated as fast as it could.
The first attack came from ranged weapons. Flesh borers whined through the darkness to impact harmlessly on the Thick armor of the Terminators. Grollard returned fire with his assault cannon, the throaty roar of the multibarrelled gun echoing in the confines of the tunnel. The young Terminator stopped firing after a second, and only the sounds of the chemically powered barrels rotating filled the tunnel. " Contact! Rear!" "Contact! Forward!" " Here they come!"
Fortress Base Command Center
Jarick listened to the report from the Tyrannid contact site. Twenty Terminators had entered the Tunnel and had not reported back yet. The support he had requested had finally arrived, another two squads of Tactical Marines, twenty more Terminators and 3 Dreadnoughts. They were preparing to enter the Tunnel system to find the initial party.
Terminator Force Gobern.
The Whoosh of a flamer echoed in the tunnel. Terminator Nugan fired a blast of cleansing flame into the charging mass of aliens, charring a half dozen to ash. At his side, Grollard kept the trigger down on his Assault cannon, a fire hose stream of explosive rounds blasting through the scuttling horrors as they came closer.
" Down to 100 Rounds! Grollard shouted.
" I've got reload!" A spindly Imperial Guard Private shouted. Shouldering his Lasrifle, he darted to the Kneeling Terminators side and unhooked one of the 5 Reload drums from his Backpack. As the Assault cannon ran dry, and Nugan opened fire with his flamer, the Guardsman lifted the bulky drum into place as Grollard ejected the spent one. With a swift, sure move, the Guardsman slipped the reload into place, hearing the sharp click that ensured a sure mate.
" Clear!"
"Thank you, little brother!"
Grollard resumed fire, short bursts as Nugan reloaded his flamer. Two Guardsmen knelt along side the Terminator, one covering him with his heavy bolter, the other aiding in the fitting of a fresh tank of flamer gel to the weapon.
" On you, Amrius!"
Ultramarine Terminator Amrius, at the left corner of the Diamond swung his stormbolter in a short arc, and blasted a leaping Termagaunt out of the air. Without pause he pivoted on one leg and grabbed a Termagaunt by the head and crushed its Skull in his powerfist. Next to him, a Guardsman fired a heavy Bolter, shattering the Chest of some unidentifiable creature in the darkness. Gobern risked a glimpse at his Auspex, It was alive with hostile symbols.
" Aye, we've opened the dam now!" Thragnar shouted. Gobren gritted his teeth, and tore a Genestealer apart in mid leap.
Relief Force Meridian
Dreadnought Meridian stepped out of the lifting cradle. He tested the air with his sensors, and activated his Long-range auditory receivers. " I hear heavy Bolt fire." Meridian said. " Force Meridian. Advance Pattern Ochre Six."
The Terminators led off, their Black and Red armor vanishing into the gloom as their lights pierced the depths of the tunnel. Dreadnoughts Damon, Orion and Lastly Meridian followed. "Meridian to Gobern, come in."
Terminator Force Gobern
A talon tore through the shoulder pad like a knife through paper. Gobern spun around with the blow, but Captain Seegam was already aware of the danger. Even as the four-armed horror hurtled towards him, the mild looking officer drew his bolt pistol and shot the creature down in a spray of blood and ichor. Gobren turned back in time to catch a Genestealer in the face with his elbow, but a second stealer slashed him through his side as he pivoted. The Guard Sergeant on his side shot the alien down in a welter of fluids and moved to the side of the massive Terminator.
" You're hit bad," he yelled above the din of battle. Gobren nodded, firing with the auxiliary Stormbolter mounted atop his left Lighting claw. The pain was not as bad as it could be, because of the massive amount of stimulants the suit had pumped into his blood, but it was still there.
"..to Gobren."
"Repeat!"
" Meridian to Gobern!"
" Gobren here, Ancient Brother Captain!"
" Gobren, I'm inbound on you with a relief force. What's your status.?"
" Heavy. Heavy attack, Low on ammunition, several wounds." Gobren gasped as he stepped back, Lighting claws burning through the air, and the flesh of the Homogaunt before him. " Captain, We need Support!"
A Imperial Guardsman ducked too slowly around the back of Terminator Kenson. A flesh Borer struck him in the face, and blew out the back of his head. The Dark Angel Terminator was hit a second later, a Flesh borer striking the rim of his chestplate and ricocheting up into his face. Had he been wearing his helmet, he would have lived. As it was, his head was reduced to a bloody mush. " Veteran Sergeant!, Oliver shouted, "Manus and Kenson are down!" Zrion turned to see the White armored body of his squadmate lying on the ground. A low yowl of guttural fury escaped his lips, and he stepped towards the rushing aliens, Storm bolter blazing " Dark Angel! Hold you Ground, Emperor DAMN YOU!"
Thragnar bellowed. The Huge Wolf Guard grabbed the Dark Angel and forcibly restrained him. The proximity of the enemy made further confrontation impossible as both Terminators were forced to keep their attention forward and their weapons flaring as they strove to keep the Genestealers away from them. And they could not stop them all. A claw punched through the Thigh plate on Sergeant Daruis`s Left Leg. The Ultramarine bellowed in shock and pain and brought his chain Fist down on the head of the Beast that assailed him. Next to him, Brother Creuis`s Assault cannon Ran dry with a dull click. The Imperial Guardsmen next to him rushed to aid, one firing his Lasrifle, the other to reload the gun. The ground shook and the awesome and terrifying shape of a Carnifex lunged out of the Murk. Grollad swung his assault cannon around and fired, a long burst that shattered the chest of the towering screamer Killer. Even as its body tumbled to the ground, a second Tyrannid Monstrosity surged into the light. A Centurion cannon projectile makes a peculiar and distinctive sound as it travels through the air. The Carnifex`s head exploded, ichor splattering the marines and Imperial guard as they fought for their lives. Dreadnought Damon advanced into the light, the Stormbolter mounted on his left Power fist blazing. Around him swarmed Two squads of Terminators. Hit on the flank, the Tyrannid force evaporated against the new force. As the last Alien fell, Gobren allowed himself to relax. He was dizzy from blood loss as well as the chemicals in his blood, Wearily the Terminator dropped to on knee.
"Veteran Sergeant are you alright?" It was Seegam. Blood caked on his hairline. The Captains glasses were cracked and fogged. But his expression was one of concern.
He's concerned for me, the Terminator realized. I must really be hurt. "Wolf Guard Thagnar!" Seegam shouted. " Veteran Sergeant Gobren is hurt!"
The Space Wolf limped over. His own helmet was cracked near the cheek, and one arm hung loosely at his side, but he got his arm around the tottering Judicator Terminator, and lowered him gently to the ground.
" How goes It, Judicator?" Thragnar inquired.
" I'm all right." Gobren managed. He could hardly feel the pain now, and realized that he was dying.
" I'll be ok for the next phase."
Thragnar smiled, his eyes giving the lie to the statement. The claw strike was deep, piercing the Bone Case, the liver, kidneys, and the Marines spine. Despite his massively altered physique. Gobren was bleeding out. A Grey Armored Judicator Apocathary rushed up, pushing Thragnar to the side. The Medic knelt alongside the fallen terminator, and looked at the wounds. " There is nothing I can do, Brother Veteran Sergeant." The Apocatheary said after a few minutes. " I cannot stop the bleeding." Gobren closed his eyes.
" It is over then," the dying marine said. " Call the Librarian" Doman lumbered up to the little group. The Fallen Terminator lay on his back, supported by the Space Wolf, with the Imperial Guardsmen standing around him.
" Librarian," Gobren managed to utter, his skin going pallid as his life drained out onto the soft porous rock of the cave. "I request The Rites of War."
Doman paused for a second, and then in a deep, growling voice he spoke.
"Judicator warrior, you have marched the surface of a thousand worlds, slain the enemies of the Imperium in numbers too great to mention. Now it is your time to go to the martial paradise, where the War God Raptor gather's his finest in perpetration for the Last battle of all time. Repeat after me."
Lips barely moving, the Terminator repeated the litany of death.
" Oh God of Battles, look down on me with favor. I have sung your cadence of blood, and my bright blade has claimed my honorable enemies in even battle. I swear my warrior's oath to your Throne. I have feared no Enemy, for the Raptor was my strength. I feared not Death, nor Daemon, Nor Man, For In your Strength I was safe, and your strength is eternal."
His faint voice died away, and the Veteran Sergeant closed his eyes, and died.
" Let his armor be taken to the Fortress and embalmed in the Hall of Heroes" Doman said. " Let all blows we strike from now 'til the Enemy lies bloody and dead at our feet, be for our fallen Brother."
Thragnar rose, threw back his head and howled. The other Wolf Guard echoed the cry, and then the Imperial Guardsmen threw back their heads and roared. The Unearthly roar echoed through the Cave.
" WARRIORS OF THE IMPERIUM!" Thragnar shouted, brandishing his force axe in his good hand. " LET NONE OF OUR ENEMIES SURVIVE THIS DAY!"
Space Hulk Fortress of Apathy
Veteran Sergeant Romanov typed as quickly on the keypad as he could with his normal Gauntlet. The Access code worked again, and the door slid open, admitting him to the bridge of the vessel. Judicator Forces had seized the bridge, Warp Engines, and Armory of the Battle Barge. Their orders were fulfilled. The rest of the hulk was unimportant, but this ship, the Magnificent, had to be recovered.
" Sergeant, Can you tell me why we're here?" Canoness Savitch inquired. The Commander of the Adeptus Soritas force stood next to what would have been the Astropath`s chair. At her question, the Terminator Sergeant turned in her direction and hefted his Stormbolter.
" You know of the history of the 11th Legion, do you not, Canoness?" Romanov inquired.
" No, Sergeant" the Canoness replied. " All their records have been wiped from Imperial databanks."
" I am not surprised at that." Romanov replied, he opened his mouth to say more, but then the unmistakable sound of bolter fire reached their ears.
"Squad Romanov! Report!" The Sergeant shouted into his mouthpiece, as he pulled on his helmet and ambled out the Bridge door, Canoness Savitch on his heels.
" Multiple contacts closing on Squad Aaron" the COMlink told him, "suspect Genestealer presence."
" Hold your positions!" Romanov ordered. " Signal the Ravens Fury, that we need immediate support!"
Ten meters ahead, the 4 members of Squad Romanov were holding a T-junction that led to the Bridge. As they neared the Terminators, Savitch heard the sharp bark of Stormbolters interspersed with the thunder of an assault cannon
" Squad Aaron, report!" Romanov bellowed.
" Holding for now," Came the reply, "They came through the roof plates, Yusen, and Keogh are dead, and Kimed lost a arm, hold sir."
A thundering burst of Stormbolter fire echoed over the COM link and Romanov gritted his teeth in anger. Then the voice of Veteran Sergeant Aaron filtered through back through the channel.
" We've been reinforced, sir, Imperial guardsmen, and 2 Immortal Sentry guns."
" Which makes?"
" Stormer and Conflagrator, Sir."
" See to your wounded, Sergeant." Romanov ordered, " We are under attack at the Bridge! For the Emperor!" Savitch knelt along with the rest of her squad in the hallway behind the Terminators as the held of the Charging Genestealers, a wary eye on the roof plates from where the four-armed horrors could emerge in ambush. The Canoness allowed herself to be distracted for a moment as she checked her sensorioum. It was blinking, indicating a message from Celestian Ramona, the leader of two Battle Squads detailed to hold the engine room.
" Ramona"
" Praise the Emperor, Canoness!,We are under attack! Hybrids and Pure Strain! They are.." here the conversation was cut off by a thundering barrage of gunfire, " .Encircling us, we need support!"
" Stand fast, Ramona, I will get you some support!" Savitch snapped. Flipping COM channels she called up the Strike Cruiser Ravens Fury, their support ship.
Engine Room
Three out of eight Sisters of Battle remained alive. They lay behind whatever consoles they could find for cover as the Genestealers closed in. the aliens were not rushing headlong, instead moving with a grace and skill that belied a higher intelligence. The air hissed and crackled, fluorescing for a second and then solidifying, bringing with it two squads of armored death.
" Terminators!"
Bearing the colors of Legion XIX . The Raven Guard, 7 Terminators, a Dreadnought, and a Librarian appeared between the Sisters, and the Genestealers. The Dreadnought's assault cannon thundered, and several Genestealers simply exploded under the hail of shells. Others charged, only to be cut down by the Terminators. Still more exploded as the Librarian, channeling the powers of the warp, cast Malefactor, and shattered their Carapace's.
On Planet. In the Presence of the Hive Tyrant
Dreadnought Meridian clenched his Powerfist around the Carnifex`s head, and Squeezed. The bony brain case shattered with a sound like a bolt pistol shot, and the Screamer Killer collapsed to the floor of the cave, lifeless. Meridian swiveled up his Scarcophagus to look up at the loathsome beast in the center of the Cave.
" You're next"
Across the Tunnel Doman Brought the full weight of his powers to bear on the hive Tyrant. Around him, the three surviving members Squad Zrion and the two remaining Wolf Guard stood resolute, defending the ancient Librarian. The Psychic duel raged, with the vast alien intelligence, trying to counter the already formidable powers of the Ancient Librarian, a task made doubly difficult by the fact that Captain Seegam`s Imperial Guard were shooting at the creature, forcing it to divert it's attention a minute fraction to defend its body. Around Meridian, The Ultramarine Terminators under Darius stood firm, cutting down the scuttling aliens that surged towards them. The other Terminator Squads were strung out, each group a fortress that the Tyranninds could not approach. Dreadnought Orion decided the battle. One of the Rare Judicator Dreadnoughts not afflicted by the affliction, he had been honored with the deathless armor after falling in battle at Treville. His weapon load out was as unique as the legion he served, twinned Excalibur Lascannons mounted over twinned heavy bolters on each arm. It was the Lascannons that he aimed, firing straight into the head of the Hive tyrant. The monster screamed as its face slagged under the intense heat of the laser beams. At the same time, Doman struck, his Psychic assault shearing straight through the weakened mental barriers of the monstrosity, and exploding its mind like a rotted fruit.
Fortress Base An Hour Later
The primarch walked into the command Center, heralded by the booming footsteps of Dreadnought Anton. As one the command staff stood and saluted. Krosfyah returned the salutes and strode to the holomaps.
" Situation, Captain?"
" Tyrannid Hive mind discovered under river So`r by Kill Team Gobren. Veteran Sergeant Gobren called for support, and then led a Strike force into the Cave system that the aliens were utilizing as a base. During the Battle that followed, Terminator Strike Force leader Gobren was killed, along with Judicator Terminators Nugan, Halsek, and Romias. Also lost were 10 Imperial Guardsmen from the 57th Elyria Guard, Deathwing Terminators Naaman, Manus, and Kyrion, Ultramarine Terminator Favius, and Wolf Guard Valgar, Argar and Halfors. The Hive Tyrant was killed by Ancient Libarian Doman`s Kill Team."
The Primarch sat heavily in his seat. He looked at Jarrick with haunted eyes.
" How many entered the Tyrannid Lair?"
" Initially, 20 Terminators, and 20 Imperial Guard. Ancient Doman led 20 more Terminators and two other dreadnoughts as the relief force."
" 40 Terminators." Krosfyah said quietly. " And we lost 11." The Primach closed his eyes for a moment and mumbled a prayer. Then he look Jarrick in the eye.
"Recover our Brothers. This very night they shall lie in the Hall of heroes, as all true warriors of Raptor do."
Captain Jarrick nodded.
" And what of the Operations to recover the Magnificent?" " The Battlebarge is secure, but three Squads of Deathwatch Marines are sweeping the craft now to ensure that no further GeneStrealer infestation remains. Our losses there were slight, only 8 Battlesisters."
Again the Primarch nodded.
" Very well then, Captain. Have the great Bell tolled in memory of our dead, and we shall honor our veterans in a feast tonight." " As you will, Primarch."
Fortress Base Dusk
Dressed in Flowing robes of black and Silver, each robe adorned with the symbol of their Battalion, and their Legion Sigil, The marines filed into the Kilometer long hall. The long tables were filled with food and drink, stewed meats, Piles of exotic vegetables, and bowls of steaming stew. From huge stone Drums servitors ladled quantities of rich fruit juice into tall stone tankards. Each marine that sat down accepted one of these tankards, holding it in his left hand, and not drinking. All turned to face the massive stone chair, where the Primarch would sit. Krosfyah appeared minutes later, taking his seat flanked by Apocathary Stryker and Canoness Savitch. Dressed like the others in Black Robes, the Primarch nonetheless wore power armor under his robes, in case he was stricken by the affliction. It was a concession he had only made at the urging of the Apocathary and one he disliked.
" Judicators" The Primarch called out. As one, 11,000 marines turned to look at their father.
" Let us partake, and remember our Dead."
"The honored Dead." The hall answered. So said they transferred their tankards to their right hands, and began to eat.
5th Battalion Table.
Librarian Clavius drained the tankard before him and took a Kilboar leg off the Platter before him. All around him, the marines were digging into the food, hardly making a sound, eating with dignity. Clavius Let his attention wander to the 6th Battalion Table, were Nobel Barov`s men were eating silently. He noted the presence of the Canoness at the table, her sisters eating alongside the Imperial Guards men from the 57th Elyria, and the Space Wolves, Dark Angels and Ultramarines there as well. Clavius knew well what was going through the mind of Barov. The tough, determined warrior had already buried his 9th Company since the Rediscovery, and now some of his best warriors were joining the hall of heroes. Again. A long time ago, Clavius remembered, he had been the Second in command of the 5th Battalion. They had been taken out of the Crusade force massing to threaten the Ork held Rellis System, and sent on a mission of escort. The New Word Bearer Legion, under Primarch Logar was moving into it's fortress on the planet Cohise. Cochise, was not pacified, and the attacks by "Purists" opposed to the creation of the Space Marine Legions were becoming a real problem. Logar, aware of the weakness of the new legion to attack, and its virtual inability to defend its massive, vulnerable geneseed Storage center had requested escort as the thousand vehicle convoy moved the precious genetic lineage to the impregnable Fortress in the hill beyond the capital. It was a request Primarch Krosfyah had heeded, assigning the entire 5th Battalion to the task.
****Flashback****
Cochise. Spaceport. 5th Battalion Command Vehicle
Battalion Master Lucius Kreig ran an impatient hand over his face. The column was being held up by the Word Bearers, who were engaged in one of their ever-lasting prayer sessions. The Judicator stood in the turret of the Predator itching to be done with this annoying mission. The Might of the 5th "Imperium`s Shield" Battalion Lay behind him. 800 armored vehicles, carrying 1000 marines sat at wait, engines idling, and commanders standing up in cupolas.
"What's taking them so long!" Kreig fumed to himself. The Word Bearer units were not even turning engines over, their crews gathered in the midst of the vehicles chanting their worship rites.
" Such Devotion to the Emperor should not be taken lightly, Lucius" The voice belonged to the Battalion Chief Librarian Argyle Sokonna. The White haired Librarian stood alongside Force of Will, his command Land Raider, which was parked next to Constant Vigilance, his command Predator.
" I take it not lightly, Argyle." Kreig replied. " But even you would admit that it is a bit extreme."
" There is no extreme in devotion" Sokonna replied. The Librarian grasped the handhold to pull himself up the hull of the Land Raider,
"Still, we have a schedule" Kreig replied. " We need to get clear of that Pass and into the open desert before nightfall. Ill not risk my tanks in that confined pass."
Sokonna smiled as he clambered onto the turret of the Land Raider Excalibur. " Then lets be going" he said. "Our charges are ready."
Thirty minutes later the lead vehicles of the 5th Battalion and the Word Bearer 7th Company departed the Spaceport perimeter. Led by three Word Bearer Razorbacks, the massive ponderous convoy rolled towards the hills at half speed. For the first hours, the ride was monotonous. Perched in the turret of the Predator, Kreig surveyed the surrounding countryside. Cochise was very different from Elysia, with an abundance of rock and scrub, but no beautiful scenery Like Caliban, the last Planet his Battalion had visited. 5 hours later, the convoy entered the mountain range. Kreig redeployed his forces, recalling his scouts and pressing on in one coherent mass. Gunners surveyed the ridgelines above them, and Each vehicle featured a squad of Jump Pack marines standing behind the turret, or in the case of the Rhino`s sitting locked onto the bare steel, eyes looking heaven ward. Eight hours passed, night fell, and the convoy pressed on. Up and down winding canyon passes, on tracks so narrow that twice the Massive Land Raiders had to stop so that marines could ascertain if they could pass safely, the convoy traveled toward their destination. 3 hours later, as they drove down a wide river gorge, the attack came.
Out of the Darkness, the bright red trails of missiles cored through the night. The ambushers had dug in ahead of the convoy and launched their Anti Armor missiles from cover. They did not aim for the massive tracked monstrosities carrying the Geneseed and equipment, but for the escorts. A half dozen Word Bearer Predators and Rhino's blew skyhigh, alerting their fellows, and effectively blocking the convoys path. From the ridgelines above, more missiles darted downward, striking through the thin overhead armor of the vehicles, and transforming proud armored vehicles into flaming charnel houses. The Rearmost company, the 10th halted and dismounted its troops. Led by Captain Frakes, the scouts melted into the darkness, away from their Rhinos to head for the source of the missile fire. Aboard Constant Vigilance, Kreig shouted orders. 1st Battalion was in the middle of the column, on the west bank of the river, and too bunched to be of much use. Swearing profusely, the Battalion master ordered his Terminators to dismount, and their Vehicles to get out of the cauldron, especially the Land Raiders, which had no means of defense against missiles fired down. But in the darkness and confusion with more and more antitank missiles exploding around them, the disciplined marines of the 5th were helpless. The Land Raiders of the 3rd Company, on the east bank of the river, formed a horseshoe and dismounted their Devastators. The Heavy weapon marines retreated to whatever cover they could find and began setting up. From the rear came a wave of jet bikes, meters over the ground, At first glance they appeared to be Eldar bikes, but then It became obvious that they were obsolete Imperial Guard models. Their Riders fired their onboard bolters and dropped explosives as they raced overhead at full speed. 7th and 8th companies, in their Rhinos were caught in the open. The Aim of these high-speed opponents was unerring and several squads were cut down as they disembarked their vehicles. Still more died in their Rhinos as melta bombs lit up the darkness. Return fire claimed 4 bikes who crashed in the midst of the vehicles, creating more carnage. Now heavy Bolter fire tore into the Jam packed vehicles and men. To their Credit, no one broke, but the 5th Battalion took horrible losses as they tried to get out of the trap they were in. Leaping down from the Turret of Constant Vigilance Kreig dashed over to a squad of tactical Marines. The Rhino carrying his Guard was gone, hit by two missiles, and blown sky high. One of the Tactical`s had a COM rig strapped to his backpack, and Kreig took the handset, and keyed in the frequency of the 5th Company. Nothing. The Battalion Master twisted the dial to the position for the 4th Company. Nothing. At that moment, Lucius Kreig realized that his battalion was in very very deep trouble.
" 10 Six to one Six, the General frequency crackled. " 10 six has many, gun positions on the west ridge. We are moving to attack. If any one can hear us, give us support. For the Emperor and Krosfyah!"
Kreig closed his eyes. He wanted to order the scouts to hold, but he knew that there was no way his trapped Battalion would survive if those guns were not knocked out. He looked at the helmeted visage of the marines next to him.
" Come with me." He ordered.
In isolated pockets, Judicator marines retreated from the site of the ambush, crossing the river and forming a shaky perimeter around the 3rd company. On the west bank, the 9th company and remnants of the 6th and 8th Companies formed a perimeter inside the ruins of their smashed armor. On the hill, 10th company fought a bloody and ultimately futile battle to reach the missile and bolter positions that had massacred their brethern. The Scouts died to the last man. The enemy attacked in force soon after dawn from the rear of the stalled convoy. The first attack ran into the guns of the last surviving Armor of the 7th, 6th and 8th Companies and was torn apart. In response, a heavy bombardment fell on the marines, tearing apart their makeshift holes, and killing many of the wounded who were unable to seek shelter. The enemy tried again around midmorning, from the north this time, but they hadn't counted on the 75 surviving Terminators of the 1st company under Chief Librarian Sokonna. In a bloody hour, the 1st lost 23 Marines, but over 1000 renegades died before their guns. As the day wore on, the 5th Battalion reorganized. Ammunition was redistributed, and the wounded seen to. There were still wounded beyond the reach of their Battlebrothers, and as the heat rose as the day grew longer, their cries for succor grew louder.
At the 3rd Battalion Position, Battalion Master Kreig turned his back on the sound of the cries. It hurt him to have his wounded marines lying in plain sight, and yet he was not even able to bring them liquid to quench their thirsts. Flies and other filth tormented their open wounds, and the for those lucky enough to have wargear next to them, relief came only from a bolter shell.
" Why haven't they shelled the Crawlers"
Kreig turned to the dark haired young Librarian next to him. Clavius was an exceptional marine, the Protégé of the Chief Libarian, and a decorated veteran, yet his face was marked with the deep strain of the situation. " Explain, Librarian"
"Master Kreig, the Purists claim that we are abominations, created from the manipulation of genestock. They should then have attacked the Crawlers, which we cannot defend, but they instead have chosen to strike at us, launching futile assaults that whittle away their numbers, and give us time to be relieved."
"You think they're after the Geneseed." Kreig stated.
"Yes."
The Battalion Master nodded. " Then they shall not have it."
Captain Jasner, the Commander of the 3rd Company joined the small gathering. Wounded the night before, the Captain wore a crude sling around the stump of his left hand.
" Master Kreig, we are down to less than 1000 rounds of bolter shells, and quarter loads for the Missile launchers and Heavy Bolters."
" What about the Armor?" Kreig inquired.
" Almost 75% is destroyed or disabled." The Captain replied. Kreig felt his stomach flip-flop. 600 vehicles lost, it was a tragedy that his men might never recover from.
" Our only chance," Kreig said after a moment, " is to suppress the enemy guns that have us Pinned here. Clavius, I want you to take 2 companies worth of men, the fittest and least wounded, and assault the gun positions on the West and East Ridges. I will hold them here."
"Sir how will we get them up there?" Clavius inquired.
" You're a librarian," Kreig responded. "Teleport them"
At Midnight, 220 Marines gathered around Clavius and Sokonna. The Chief Librarian would bear the brunt of the effort, teleporting 160 of the Marines, including 40 Terminators. Clavius would lift the rest. The Force was piecemeal, with whatever forces could make it to the main position unwounded going. The rest would hold the valley and the geneseed convoy.
Kreig found Sokonna conversing with his Second near the armored husk of a destroyed Predator. On seeing his commander approach the codicer bowed and Left to tend to whatever he had been bid by the chief Librarian. As he approached, the Battalion Master noted a rivulet of blood running under the left breastplate of the Librarian's Iron Armor.
" You're wounded Argyle" Kreig said. " Have you seen the Apocathary?"
" It's just a scratch" Sokonna waved of the Battalion Masters concern.
" I've had worse wounds sharpening my knives"
"Are you sure you can handle the Teleport operation?" Kreig asked. " I will not be alone, Lucius" Sokonna Replied, clapping a hand on the Battalion Masters shoulderpad. " I will have five Codicers assisting me. Worry about Clavius, he has the hardest Job."
The two senior officers walked over to the assembled men. Clavius looked up from where he was checking his bolter.
" We're ready, sir" The Librarian reported. " Captain Jasen`s Devastators will remain to support your force here in the Valley. Veteran Sergeant Goric will lead one force to the East Ridge. I will lead the other to the West Ridge."
Kreig took the Bolter from Clavius and handed him his assault Bolter. The Black Enameled Double Barreled weapon glistened in the starlight, as the Librarian took the weapon.
" May it serve you well, Librarian"
Chief Librarian Sokonna began the Teleportation rite, joined by his codiciers and Clavius. Chanting, they drew on the powers of the warp, Enveloping their troops in shimmering warp energies. Then in a flash, they were gone.
West Ridge
The West Ridge Gun positions were laid bare by the desperate fury of the Judicator attack. In the first seconds, the men manning the bolter and missile pits were cut down by bolter fire, and then Clavius led his unit in a sweep of the Ridgeline.
A screaming man leapt out of a pit, a rusty sword in his hand. Clavius avoided the swipe easily,and rammed his Force Sword through the mans throat. Pivoting, and swaying he fired the Assault bolter into a foxhole, spraying the occupants all over the place in a messy display of blood and gore.
" Veteran Sergeant Goric, Report!"
" Light resistance!" came the scratchy reply, " Advancing!"
A Lasgun beam spranged off his chest plate and the Librarian Jumped into the hole with the gunner. One swing knocked the weapon away, and Clavius grabbed the man by the collar and looked deep into his eyes. A Plethora of feelings swarmed over the Librarian, assaulting his senses. For an instant he could taste the man's fear, and then with a mental blow he knocked the man unconscious. Rising, the Librarian surveyed the ridge. Only Judicators stood.
" Veteran Sergeant Goric?"
"East Ridge secured."
It was only then that the roar of Bolter fire reached Clavius`s ears.
Valley Floor
Kreig roared in rage and backhanded a solider away from him. The Man flew into the side of a wrecked Land Raider and crumpled to the ground his neck at an odd angle. The Battalion Master ducked and turned, Master Crafted Axe blurring as it hacked through the torso's of three men. Around him Marines battled in desperate hand to hand combat against overwhelming numbers. Kreig dropped to one knee, avoiding a swing from a bayoneted Las rifle, and grabbed the solider around the torso and squeezed. The man's Rib cage popped under the force of the powerglove, and the Marine commander hurled the broken body away. A Lascannon bolt tore through his left shoulder. Kreig turned lifting the powerglove and firing the auxillary stormbolter at the gunner, knocking him back dead in a spray of blood and grey matter. To his left a Techmarine collapsed to his knees, his face a ruined mess from a Lascannon hit. Even in death, his servo arm squeezed around the head of one of his opponents, crushing it. Next to him a Devastator Sergeant battered a sword-wielding opponent with his empty bolter. Behind him, a wounded terminator ripped his lighting claws through the mob around him, even as Bolter rounds ricocheted of his armor. The attack had caught the defending marines unprepared. The bulk of their strength was away dealing with the emplaced guns and only the wounded and infirm remained in the valley. Still they fought like Judicators, because that was their way. Kreig`s Power axe tore through the torso of another victim and the Marine bounded onto the front of a smashed Predator. He recognized the vehicle as Fearless Dignity, a Predator of the 6th company. In the glow of a Land Raiders Lights, he saw Librarian Sokonna summon the powers of the Warp in the powerful battle incantation.
" Judicators!" Kreig shouted, "Down!"
Obeying the voice of their master, the 5th Batallion Marines dropped to the ground, as a glowing ball of thundering light erupted around Sokonna. Tendrils of Light, forked Lightening danced over the battlefield. Bodies exploded as the arcane power lanced through them. The incantation reaped a horrible toll on the field, but it only killed those standing. Such was the nature of Hellfire. Every Marine immediately leapt to his feet, Hellfire was a powerful incantation, but a very dangerous on to the caster. Sokonna was now exposed to the hostile intents of the surviving renegades, and every Judicator standing rushed to his aid. Kreig leapt from the Turret of the Predator to the Hull of a land Raider. He was still sixty meters away when six figures emerged from the darkness into the light. Having seen the figures before years earlier, the Battalion master was able to recognize them immediately. Five humanoids on flat discs. And a great, hulking figure. A Tzeentch Lord of Change. Kreig opened fire, his Storm Bolter Shells missing, and then striking and tearing through the disk that supported the lead humanoid. In slow motion, the Disc rider pitched forward into the dirt. A Techmarine vaporized the second Disc rider with a shot from a Land Raider's Lascannons. The third fell to a Devastators heavy bolter, and then the fourth was in range of the Librarian who had by now struggled to his knees. Sokonna blocked the disc rider's first attack with his Force sword and slashed at the daemon as it slid past. The blessed sword tore through the back of the Man thing, and Sokonna came around to meet the Lord of Change. Perhaps it was the strain of his wound coupled with the stress of summoning Hellfire, but the Chief Librarian was slow. His force sword blurred as it slashed towards the Greater Daemon, but the Daemons own blade was already piercing out of the Librarian's back. Kreig screamed in rage as he saw his friend fall. Heedless of the folly of facing a creature so powerful as a Greater Chaos Daemon, His Stormbolter thundered and little impact points fountained out of the daemons body as it turned its attention to the Marine before it. Shouting now, Kreig leapt into the air bringing his axe around in a slash towards the daemons head. Burning pain erupted in his Torso, and Kreig looked down. The Daemon had countered his slash and driven his other taloned hand through the Marines chest. The Lord of Change Laughed softly and twisted his hand, digging the claws into the humans innards. With a supreme effort Kreig continued the blow. The axe struck the daemon in the side of the face, and sunk into the flesh. The daemon shook its head as if annoyed. Then it bellowed, and Kreig looked down to see the Librarians force sword buried in its chest. The daemon dropped its hand and Kreig slid off, landing next to his friend with a thump. The monster stood over the two Marines and roared. Then there was a low crack, and a coherent beam of light transfixed the Daemon like a fly hit by a needle. The creature shattered apart in a hurricane of noise and light. Kreig closed his eyes, and relaxed. His Body felt light and weightless, and all the pain had stopped. The Battalions master surrendered to the tiredness, allowing it to take him.
When Librarian Clavius and the 190 survivors of his force reached the valley floor, it was populated only by the dead and grievously wounded. Argyle Sokonna and Lucius Kreig were among the ranks of the former.
It took the better part of the day to tally the lost, recover their bodies and clear the valley of the wreckage. When that was done, the pathetic remnants of the convoy resumed its Journey. All that remained was 20 vehicles and 190 men from a force of 800 vehicles and 1000 men. They arrived at the fortress and delivered their Precious cargo a day later.
Word Bearer Geneseed Repository Fortress Jebezicis Cochis
Captain Amaris stood on the Battlements of the fortress as the lead Crawler rolled into the gates of the Fortress. Immediately Techmarines and thralls surrounded the massive vehicles. Several of the marines on watch duty moved to aid the Judicator Vehicles.
" Brother Captain?" the Veteran Sergeant by his side inquired. " Wasn't the escort supposed to be a full Battalion?"
3 minutes later Amaris stepped up to the lead Land Raider. The vehicle bore the scars of battle, dents and blast scoring testimony to the ferocity of the battle it had been in. The Ramp came down, and a tall, White haired Marine in Librarians armor walked off. Unconsciously, Amaris saluted.
" What is your Status, honored Librarian?"
"Over 80% of my force has been wiped out." The Judicator replied. " We were ambushed and forced to fight our way here. Both my Chief Librarian and my Battalion Master are dead. The attackers were destroyed, and we have pinpointed their base."
" I will muster our forces immediately, Brother Librarian." Amaris said, turning to shout to the Veteran Sergeant who doubled as his aide. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.
" No, Word Bearer." The Judicator Librarian said. " We need your assistance in recovering the gene seed of our dead battle brothers, and tending to the wounded." The Judicator Psyker looked off into the desert. " I need to communicate with my Battalion Flagship"
Hours later, the Battle Cruisers Victrix Regina and Victrix Imperial commenced a bombardment of a section of the foothills eighty kilometers from the ambush site. After an hour, Thunderhawk Gunships bearing the 24 Dreadnoughts of the Battalion and an abbreviated company of survivors under Acting Battalion Master Clavius landed at the site for a sweep. They found nothing alive.
Three months later Rellis IX
The Victory was complete. In the frozen North, Roubute Gulliman and his Ultramarines had routed the Orks from the Ice caves and glaciers at less than 23% casualties. In the tropic south, the Armor oriented Judicators had crushed the Ork Forces and pursued them into the waiting guns of the Word Bearers, who had advanced methodically from the east, and the Lunar Wolves, who had stuck from the West. The Four Primarchs were all standing around the Rhino that had carried their Father, their Emperor into battle. Despite the mastery of warfare that all possessed, they looked up to the figure in the White and sliver Terminator armor. The Emperor was deep in discussion with his generals when the roar of an unstealth modified Thunderhawk echoed over the battle field.
Gulliman looked up at the descending speck.
" Its one of yours, Janus."
" Looks like my errant troops have returned" Krosfyah said with a wry smile as the tiny shape grew into the 5th Battalion command ship, Wings or the Empire. The Thunderhawk touched down fifty meters away.
" Father, with your leave, I will go receive the report from Battalion Master Kreig." Krosfyah said.
" I'll join you," Horus said. " I would like to hear how a entire Battalion got lost." The four Primarchs walked over, followed by the Emperor, and his guard. They met the passengers from the Thunderhawk halfway. Clavius saluted and opened his mouth to make his report but he couldn't find words. He tried a second time, and finally managed to speak.
" Lord Logar, your Geneseed has been safely delivered. My lord Primarch.forgive me, but I bring no good news. Battalion Master Kreig is dead. He died during the ambush of the Word Bearer Geneseed convoy. We lost over 95 percent of the 5th Battalion in that ambush, both armor and Marines."
Dread silence dropped over the battlefield. Those too far to hear too their que from those around them. Primarch Krosfyah said nothing for a very long while. Then he nodded slowly.
" How did they Die?"
Clavius gave the only answer he could. The only answer that made sense in the madness of what had just happened.
" They died as Judicators"
***End Flashback***
"Battalion Master Clavius?"
The Grating voice of a Dreadnought brought the Librarian back to the present. He turned to see Dreadnought Meridian standing next to him.
" Yes, Revered Ancient?"
" The Canoness wishes to take a tour of the Hall of heroes. May I accompany her?"
"As you wish, ancient Brother Captain, but please, remember the hour, and the ceremony at midnight"
" As you command, Battalion Master"
As the Dreadnought strode off, Clavius contemplated the request. While Meridian had survived the ambush with him, he had been transferred to the 6th battalion soon after. Why then had he asked him for permission to leave the Banquet? The Chief Librarian put it down to forgetfulness' in the Dreadnought's advanced age, and returned to his meal.
Upper Bastions of the Fortress Base. Hall of Heroes.
Quietly, reverently the two figures made their way through the wide marble hallway. Canoness Savitch walked a pace in front of the dreadnought as they passed the rows of Sarcophagi that held the remains of the Judicators most honored heroes.
" There are 508 marines in these tombs." Meridian told her, his voice modulated to barely a whisper. " Most died in honorable battle, some were betrayed by the people they sought to protect, but all died in the service of the Emperor. Take that one," and he swung his powerfist in an approximation of a pointing hand.
" That one belongs to Captain Banniker, the first commander of the 1st Battalion Terminator Company. He fell while I was still a scout, battling Orks in the Midras Bastion.Next to him lies Chief Librarian Callistus, who was killed fighting Eldar on Armageddon."
" Who is that one?" The Canoness inquired, pointing to a massive Buttress like tomb topped with a praying angel. " That marks the worst chapter in our Legion history." The Dreadnought replied. " Within that tomb lie the remains of 1st Battalion Master Laurent Greig, His Wife, their 4 Children, and our Primarchs only Progeny."
Savitch said nothing, looking back at the intricate architecture of the tomb. There was gold inlaid with the stone, and the angel's eyes were made of the richest Fernisian Pearls. Obvious care and love had gone into the constriction of the monument.
" How did they die?" The Canoness inquired.
"They were murdered." Meridian replied. The dreadnought continued walking, passing beyond the great double doors, and out onto the ramparts of the fortress. The Canoness followed silently.
Primarchs Quarters
Wearily Krosfyah lay back on the plied cushions. Sleeping in armor was irksome, but he understood the need for the drugs that were being pumped into his bloodstream to counteract the effect of the affliction. If he was lucky, he would be able to spend another year out of the Terminator armor. Turning his thoughts from such morbid regions, the Primarch closed his eyes. Sleep was a necessary event for him, one he made sure not to miss. It helped him think, and eased the pain in his head considerably. Sleep also made it easy for his father to reach him, if he needed to.
Dreamscape
He stood in the courtyard of the old castle, in full armor, and his helmet at his side. Thunderblade hung poised and ready at his hip, and the Lightening claws on his left hand hummed softly, in their scabbards. He looked up at the clear blue sky. It was good to be home. The Primarch walked around the flowerbeds and ornamental pools, chuckling at the leaping fish as they jumped out of the water that sustained them to get at the food that they craved, low flying bugs. It was times like this that made him forget his role, and what he did, and had done for as long as he remembered. He was a Judicator, a Justice Bringer. That was how the people of Elysia saw him, from the very first day he walked into the throne room and beheaded that spineless worm.What had his name been again?.Henrik, yes, Henrik, eldest son of Duke Karel Krosfyah, who had betrayed his father and his people to Rolan Maleve for Blood Rubies and other trivial Baubles. Since then the Elysians had always called him that, Justice Bringer Justice from the Black axe. Krosfyah felt more than heard the presence behind him, and he whirled, jumping back 4 feet, Thunderblade flying from its hip storage and leaping into his left hand of its own accord, as the Lighting Claws snapped down and out with a hiss and crackle of plasma energy. The Figure before him was his height, but clad in radically different Terminator Armor. While Krosfyah`s was Black and Red, the newcomer wore Armor of Red and Brass worked in intricate patterns and designs. His left arm bore a powerfist with auxiliary Stormbolter on the back. But it was the weapons in his hands that aided in identification, for this warrior wielded a Chain Sword in the left hand and a Chain Axe in the right.
"Angron" Krosfyah hissed the name like a curse.
"Judicator" the Daemon Primarch replied, holstering his weapons, the Axe across his back and the sword at his hip. Then he removed his helmet, letting Krosfyah look upon him as he remembered the World Eater Primarch to be, Dark Visaged, and black haired, with piercing, haunted eyes.
" I have come to talk, Krosfyah."
"Speak your Peice, Angron," Krosfyah snarled, " Though I know you are not one of many words."
" Your anger is great, Judicator." The Dameon Prince replied." I have taken a great risk to seek you out in this way. The help of Brother Magnus was most invaluable."
"You and Magnus are not my brothers!" Krosfyah raged, " You betrayed our father! You killed our Brother!"
"Horus killed Sanguinus" Angron replied. "I will not absolve myself of blame for what happened, but I never lifted a blade against one of my brothers. Can your Father say the same!"
"Do you dare justify what you and the others did!" Krosfyah snarled, reaching for the axe at his side. " You and that Bastard Perturabo.." "It always comes back to Perturabo, doesn't it." Angron said, his voice gentle as the wind. " Your hatred for him is so awesome that you just class us all with him, now that we too have fallen in your acclaim." Krosfyah took a step back as the import of his brothers words hit home. He dropped his hand from his axe, and looked dully at Angron.
" Say your Piece, Angron" The Judicator said warily.
" Janus, I was a fool. I let Horus convince me that the only way to save the Imperium was to kill my father. I let my hatred for what he did to me all those years earlier, saving me from a death with my comrades in arms that I thought I deserved, make the foul betrayal I was committing more platable. All it earned me was the loss of my brothers in arms, and eventually my legion." The Daemon paused for a second. " And now Abbadon and that dammed sword stand ready to march to the gates of Terra, and all I can think of doing is finding some way to rectify my error."
"The Despoiler moves?" Krosfyah uttered, " How?, When?"
" He moves within a Twelvemonth from the Eye. The First wave will be cultists, Red Corsairs, The Black Legion and the Iron Warriors. The Second wave will come a month later. It's supposed to be my legion, Magnus, and Alpharius, but I have claimed that my forces are too weak to be in the main force. So Kharn will lead his Battalion in my place."
" I will muster my forces." Krosfyah said. "We will meet the Despoiler and stop him cold."
" Do not be over Zealous." Angron cautioned. "Abaddons forces number in the millions. Their only weakness is that many are possessed cultists, and a Deep strike against the Temple on Broales VI will render them helpless and vulnerable to your forces."
"You council me against overzealousness?" Krosfyah replied with a ghost of a smile, " But I will take your council." The Judicator stopped. "Why are you doing this?"
Angron considered his reply for a second. "Horus I would have never considered betraying, no matter how wrong he was. Abbadon; no. I will never allow him to destroy the imperium I helped forge. He is not my commander, or my brother. He is a Captain, nothing more." The Primarch stopped talking for a second, reverting to his daemon form.
" And, Brother Janus, I just wish to die for something."
Krosfyah came awake with a start and the familiar dizziness that followed a psychic communication. His first thought was to rouse the legion to full readiness, but then he reconsidered. He would plan. He would plot. He would consult his father. He would knit together an Imperium that would stand in the face of the Despoiler and drive him back to the Eye, never to return.
" I swear on the graves of my family and brothers, that Abbadon, he who calls himself the Despoiler will never destroy the Imperium. As long as I draw breath, He will never set foot on Holy Terra. This I swear, by the claw of Raptor."
In the darkness his eyes glowed deep green
"The Coming of the Despoiler"
Space Hulk Fortress of Apathy Main Hull section
How do marines wear this? Canoness Savitch wondered for the hundredth time that hour. The modified Corvus armor she and her sisters were clad in was woefully heavy, and very claustrophobic. Still it offered better protection for this type of disdainful mission, than their normal battle armor. A company of the Sisters of the Jeweled Amethyst and 5 Squads of Terminators from the 11th Battalion had been sent aboard the millennia old Space hulk as it approached Elysia Ultimus. Normally the Judicators were not above blowing the Hulks apart from the Planet, or aboard the massive Battle cruisers, but they had a particular interest in the center ship of the eight that made up the Hulk. That vessel, an ancient Magnificent class Battle barge, had caught the attention of the Judicator codiciers who had gone over the vidscreen data from the remote stations that had observed the Hulk's reentrance to real space. Savitch consulted the Auspex built into her left gauntlet. No life signs within 500 meters. Turning slightly, she signaled the two squads behind her forward. With a measured tread the sisters set off down the corridor. They had passed through connections through two of the ships so far and if the Judicator Tech Marine was right. " Squad Romanov, Overwatch" The Canoness turned to see the huge black and red armored figures of Terminator squad Romanov on the left arm of the T Junction. Veteran Sergeant Romanov nodded in acknowledgement of the Canoness and saluted. " Canoness, Sisters"
"Veteran Sergeant, Marines"
" Any hostile contact?"
"No Canoness. And this is the hatchway that leads to the Objective vessel."
Savitch nodded, the beak of her helmet bobbing up and down in a parody of an Elysian Avian hunter she had once seen.
" Inform Celestian Brody and Fraekes to consolidate on our Position. Squad's Damov and Antonius will remain here as well." Savitch ordered. Behind her she could hear Celestian Greta relaying her orders. She turned back to Romanov.
" Sergeant, Breach the Airlock."
Romanov tossed his stormbolter to his second, and strode over to the airlock. He looked at it for a moment, and then consulted his Sensorial panel. Then he input a code into the lock panel. Romanov stepped away from the Airlock as it hissed open, reclaiming his Stormbolter.
" It still Works" the Terminator muttered. Activating his suit lights, he illuminated the entrance. Savitch watched as the massive Terminator paused for a second to unsafe his Stormbolter, and then entered the next section of the hulk.
Fortress Base. Command Center.
Primarch Krosfyah paced the length of the floor, his strides eating up the distance. The Command staff ignored him, so used they were to his odd behavior during missions he was not involved in. They were all apprehensive, with nearly the whole 6th Battalion out sweeping for the Remnants of the Tyrannid forces, the Fleet out pursuing a Red Corsair Battle Group that had penetrated the System, and the Operation aboard the Space Hulk. Along the back wall stood Veteran Sergeant Trask and the rest of the Primarch`s Bodyguard. Silent as always, they stood guard over their charge like wolves over their cubs. The Primarch stopped walking for a second, and rubbed his hand over his face. " Captain Jarrick"
" Aye Primarch!"
"You will maintain overwatch of our operations. I am going to rest. If there is a serious problem, you will summon me immediately"
" Aye Primarch!"
"Carry on"
The Primarch strode out, followed by his guard. Jarrick turned back to his console.
" Thought he'd never leave." The Captain muttered with a smile, then grew serious.
" Contact the Ravens Fire, and have five squads ready to cover the incursion force if they need extraction."
" As you command, Captain"
Tyrannid Hunter Team Gobern
Musile Swamp
Veteran Sergeant Gobren hadn't moved for almost two hours. The Terminator Sergeant stood in waist deep sludge frozen in pose, staring at the narrow entrance of a Burrow fifty meters away. First inspection appeared to be a normal Swampbor den, but something wasn't right. Swampbor were massive omnivores, and their dens were always marked by a distinctive scent. Not the scent of Death he had first smelled. Around the Veteran Sergeant. The twenty members of his Kill team were somewhere near, under cover. Like him, they were waiting. Kill Team Gobern comprised a Terminator Squad, one tactical Squad, and a scratch team of Devastators. Their support, a Land Raider and a Razorback were somewhere to the rear, in the Trees that Bordered the swamp. Gobern was firing before he consciously saw what he was aiming at. Hellfire Shells from his Stormbolter cored supersonic trails through the humid air before smashing through the chitinous armor on the head of a Genestealer. Gobren Kept firing as a low whoosh echoed through the swamp, followed by a low boom as a Krak Missile detonated in the mouth of the Den. The red Fireball, obliterated the hollow from the Swamp, and blew an eight- meter crater in the bank. On his left, 5 Tactical marines dashed forward, Hellfire Boltguns pouring suppressive fire into the crater.
"Squad Gobren, advance!"
Under the watchful eye of Sergeant Klaus, the Devastator commander, The Terminators slogged forward. Gobren checked his sensorium. Still blank. Out of the depths of the Crater boiled a swarm of hellspawned creatures. Termagaunts! His mind told him, but the Veteran Sergeant was firing before he recognized the creatures before him. Explosive shells blew Tyrannids apart, their filthy carcasses staining the already brown swamp water a putrid purple. The Two heavy Bolters opened up, a line of green tracers transfixing the insect like horde from opposite sides. The Tacticals were falling back, but the aliens were too fast. Razor sharp claws scythed left, and A Tactical marine fell, sliced apart at the waist. A second Marine went down under a Homagaunt, firing his Bolter up through the chest of the creature as he squirmed to avoid the talons. Gobren saw the Squad Sergeant ram his powerglove through the head of a screaming Genestealer, and pivot, firing his bolter at a.
"SCREAMER KILLER!!"
The towering horror of the Carnifex erupted out of the crater. A deafening, blood-chilling roar echoed over the swamp, and the abomination hacked its way through the Tactical Squad Sergeant. Heavy bolter shells spanged off its bone armor, and for the first time in an eon, the Veteran Sergeant knew fear. And welcomed it.
"Lighting Justice! Come forward to Support!" The team Leader ordered, as he stepped forward, Power sword lifted. With a Deep roar of its own, Land Raider Dominator Lighting Justice Crashed through the Trees. The Ponderous turret rotated left, and the Mighty Dominator Battlecannon added its own eloquent statement to the debate of arms. The Carnifex disintegrated, hurling parts of its self in all directions. " Battle's Fury, bring the Apocathary to the Front." Gobern ordered as he and the rest of his squad reached the crater. It had no bottom, only a yawning void big enough for a Carnifex to pass. He switched channels,
" Command, Kill Team Gobren has contact. We have marines down, repeat, Marines Down."
Fortress Base Command Center
Jarrick Stood up from his seat and pressed the headset to his ears. Around him junior Marines worked the Eon old communications equipment.
" How many Marines Down, Gobren?" He asked.
"4 from Squad Tellicus" the Veteran Sergeant replied. " The Apocathary is with the last one now."
" What hit you?"
Kill Team Gobren
"Carnifex, and Troops." Gobern replied, making the signal for the Land Raider to pull back to cover the position. " Hold Command" The apocathary, in his blue and white armor walked over, his gauntlets were splattered with the blood of the marine he was been working on.
" Battle Brother Kobin will live if we get him to the Fortress immediately." He reported. Gobren nodded, and reopened the channel.
"Command, request immediate medevac for wounded marine, and support for further operations against the enemy."
" Confirmed, Gobren" came the immediate reply. " Medevac ThunderHawk Future Strike is on its way, ETA, 8 Minutes.
The Terminators loaded the wounded marine into the back of the Razorback Battle's Fury, along with the remains of his squadmates. With the Apocathary perched on the gun turret, and Terminator Borales for security, the vehicle peeled off, heading for the landing zone. After it had disappeared from sight, Gobern reorganized his forces. Sergeant Klaus`s Devastators he ordered to dig in around the Land Raider as Security, while his squad retreated to the oversized vehicle to rearm. Twice the size of the ordinary Land Raider, the Dominator boasted carrying capacity equivalent to a Thunderhawk gunship, plus the fearsome stopping power of the Dominator Battlecannon. For its assignment to a Tyrannid Hunter Team, most of its troop lockers were taken up by Hellfire ammunition for the team's guns. Still, each Terminator had an individual wall locker where he kept all the weapons he would need for a variety of missions.
" We're going in?"
The question came from Grollad, the youngest of the Squad. Gobren nodded, and turned to the rest of his men.
" Nugan, you've got the flamer and your Storm bolter. Grollad, You take the Assault Cannon and a Powerfist. Marelk, you can take your Thunderhammer."
"What about you and Borales?"
" Borales can have a Stormbolter and his Power Axe. I'm going with my Lighting Claws"
A roaring from outside signaled the arrival of the Reinforcements. Gobern walked out of the Land Raiders Bay to see a Pair of Black Thunder Hawks hovering in the small clearing. One disgorged a variety of marines, the other Imperial Guard and Adeptus Soritas forces. The Lead marine, a Tall Space Wolf Guard with the name Thagnar on his shoulder pad walked over and thumped Gobern on the shoulderpad ecstatically.
" Emperor be with you, Clawed one! Heard you needed some help!" " Who do you have?"
" My Wolf Guard Squad, a Ultramarine Terminator Squad, Some Deathwing Pansies" At this the Space Wolf Laughed uproariously,
" 5 Devastators from the Blood Angels, and a Tactical Squad from the Storm Giants."
Gobern nodded and smiled. " Suit up then, because the Terminators are going down the hole." As the Space Wolf walked off to prepare himself and his squad, Gobern walked over to the hasty Perimeter being set up by the Imperial Guard and the Sisters of Battle. The Tall Celestian saw him coming and offered him a salute, which he returned, while removing his helmet.
" Veteran Sergeant,"
" Celestian, Who`s in charge of this unit?"
"That would be me," a Bespectacled Imperial Guard officer said from where he was sighting a Heavy bolter. " Captain Oliver Seegam, 57th Elyria Guard."
Gobern smiled to put the captain at ease, and then began to give him orders. The officer nodded and passed the instructions on to his subordinates and then turned to Gobren.
" Veteran Sergeant, if you would permit me, I would like to join you in the cleansing."
Gobren looked at the Captain for a second, and then nodded his assent. " Get your men together and meet us at the entrance in 5 minutes."
5 minutes later the team was assembled. 20 Terminators, and 20 Imperial Guardsmen. Gobern looked around, and Put on his helmet. The rest of his men followed suit. Thragnar smiled a little before motioning for his squad to do the same. The Ultramarine Sergeant Darius did the same. Gobren turned to the white armored figure of the Deathwing Terminator. He stared back, bald unhelmed head gleaming in the soft sunlight.
" Brother Dark Angel, please put on your helmet." Gobern asked, his tone low and Courteous. " I fear no alien!" the Deathwing sergeant replied. " I will not cower behind Ceramite whilst I smite the foes of the Emperor."
Gobren took a deep breath, and turned away from the Dark Angel Terminator. With his left hand he made the signal, and his men walked forward and dropped into the hole. The bottom was 20 feet below, and the suits shock absorbers accepted the force of the landing easily. Gobren flipped on the Photon lights of his suit, and made a half circle. He was in a Y shaped tunnel, hollowed out of the soft rock under the swamp. He consulted his Auspex. Nothing.
"Brother Thragnar, you and Squad Darius proceed down the left passage.
Captain Seegam, your Troopers will stay with Squad Zrion and us. Keep in contact at all times. For the Emperor!"
The Force moved out, stepping slowly and carefully, weapons ready, and eyes peeled for the tell tale shapes of Tyrannid beasts lying in ambush.
An hour later the tunnel abruptly re-entered a main cave. Seconds later the other two squads rejoined them. "No sign of the Enemy" Darius reported.
"We have heard them, though," Thragnar joined in, " Low inhuman growls through the rock. They are here."
" Veteran Sergeant" Gobern turned to see Captain Seegam standing next to him. " These rocks are wet. I believe we are under a river."
" It must be beneath the So`or" Gobren replied. " Good Work Captain. I believe we have here more than a simple group of hiding Beasts."
" So what do we have," Darius inquired.
" We might have found the missing hivemind" Gobern replied. " Spore pods did come down in this area, but we never did find out if the hive mind could have been on one."
"So what do we do?" Seegam asked.
" We cleanse the Aliens!" Zrion interjected. " Why do we waste time in this prattle?"
"Be Quiet, Angel" Thragnar growled, " No one seeks to die here for your Glory. We must have a plan." Zrion bristled at the Space Wolves rebuke and took a step forward.
" Terminator Sergeant Zrion!" Gobern`s voice cracked like a whip in their communicators. " Stand down. You will not dishonor My Primarch or Russ, or the Lion, by fighting needlessly in this battle situation."
Zrion glowered mightily, but stepped away from the Space Wolf. Gobern dropped down on one knee and looked around.
" We need support. Our communicators cannot reach the surface from under water, so someone will have to go back to the hole and tell the rest of the force to call for reinforcements."
" If this is the Base of the Hivemind, undoubtedly the aliens have let us get this far." Darius pointed out. " They know we are here." " They are biding their time, waiting for us to split up."
Thragnar joined in. " If we sent the Imperial Guardsmen, they would be slaughtered before they could travel 100 meters."
" Then what do we do. We do not have the ordnance to sustain a long combat in this place." Zrion said.
" Then we must make it a short one." Gobern said, " Squad Gobern, fall back Pattern Gamma 5."
As the Judicators deployed, Thragnar followed suit. " Wolves, Pattern Gamma 4"
With the Guardsmen in the Center of a Diamond formation of Terminators, the Imperial force slowly began the Long retreat to the entrance.
Where however, silence had governed their entrance, as they slowly walked towards the Entrance, the guttural calls of the stalking aliens began to filter to them. They began to see flashes on their Auspexes as aliens darted in and out of sensor range. Grimly the force retreated as fast as it could.
The first attack came from ranged weapons. Flesh borers whined through the darkness to impact harmlessly on the Thick armor of the Terminators. Grollard returned fire with his assault cannon, the throaty roar of the multibarrelled gun echoing in the confines of the tunnel. The young Terminator stopped firing after a second, and only the sounds of the chemically powered barrels rotating filled the tunnel. " Contact! Rear!" "Contact! Forward!" " Here they come!"
Fortress Base Command Center
Jarick listened to the report from the Tyrannid contact site. Twenty Terminators had entered the Tunnel and had not reported back yet. The support he had requested had finally arrived, another two squads of Tactical Marines, twenty more Terminators and 3 Dreadnoughts. They were preparing to enter the Tunnel system to find the initial party.
Terminator Force Gobern.
The Whoosh of a flamer echoed in the tunnel. Terminator Nugan fired a blast of cleansing flame into the charging mass of aliens, charring a half dozen to ash. At his side, Grollard kept the trigger down on his Assault cannon, a fire hose stream of explosive rounds blasting through the scuttling horrors as they came closer.
" Down to 100 Rounds! Grollard shouted.
" I've got reload!" A spindly Imperial Guard Private shouted. Shouldering his Lasrifle, he darted to the Kneeling Terminators side and unhooked one of the 5 Reload drums from his Backpack. As the Assault cannon ran dry, and Nugan opened fire with his flamer, the Guardsman lifted the bulky drum into place as Grollard ejected the spent one. With a swift, sure move, the Guardsman slipped the reload into place, hearing the sharp click that ensured a sure mate.
" Clear!"
"Thank you, little brother!"
Grollard resumed fire, short bursts as Nugan reloaded his flamer. Two Guardsmen knelt along side the Terminator, one covering him with his heavy bolter, the other aiding in the fitting of a fresh tank of flamer gel to the weapon.
" On you, Amrius!"
Ultramarine Terminator Amrius, at the left corner of the Diamond swung his stormbolter in a short arc, and blasted a leaping Termagaunt out of the air. Without pause he pivoted on one leg and grabbed a Termagaunt by the head and crushed its Skull in his powerfist. Next to him, a Guardsman fired a heavy Bolter, shattering the Chest of some unidentifiable creature in the darkness. Gobern risked a glimpse at his Auspex, It was alive with hostile symbols.
" Aye, we've opened the dam now!" Thragnar shouted. Gobren gritted his teeth, and tore a Genestealer apart in mid leap.
Relief Force Meridian
Dreadnought Meridian stepped out of the lifting cradle. He tested the air with his sensors, and activated his Long-range auditory receivers. " I hear heavy Bolt fire." Meridian said. " Force Meridian. Advance Pattern Ochre Six."
The Terminators led off, their Black and Red armor vanishing into the gloom as their lights pierced the depths of the tunnel. Dreadnoughts Damon, Orion and Lastly Meridian followed. "Meridian to Gobern, come in."
Terminator Force Gobern
A talon tore through the shoulder pad like a knife through paper. Gobern spun around with the blow, but Captain Seegam was already aware of the danger. Even as the four-armed horror hurtled towards him, the mild looking officer drew his bolt pistol and shot the creature down in a spray of blood and ichor. Gobren turned back in time to catch a Genestealer in the face with his elbow, but a second stealer slashed him through his side as he pivoted. The Guard Sergeant on his side shot the alien down in a welter of fluids and moved to the side of the massive Terminator.
" You're hit bad," he yelled above the din of battle. Gobren nodded, firing with the auxiliary Stormbolter mounted atop his left Lighting claw. The pain was not as bad as it could be, because of the massive amount of stimulants the suit had pumped into his blood, but it was still there.
"..to Gobren."
"Repeat!"
" Meridian to Gobern!"
" Gobren here, Ancient Brother Captain!"
" Gobren, I'm inbound on you with a relief force. What's your status.?"
" Heavy. Heavy attack, Low on ammunition, several wounds." Gobren gasped as he stepped back, Lighting claws burning through the air, and the flesh of the Homogaunt before him. " Captain, We need Support!"
A Imperial Guardsman ducked too slowly around the back of Terminator Kenson. A flesh Borer struck him in the face, and blew out the back of his head. The Dark Angel Terminator was hit a second later, a Flesh borer striking the rim of his chestplate and ricocheting up into his face. Had he been wearing his helmet, he would have lived. As it was, his head was reduced to a bloody mush. " Veteran Sergeant!, Oliver shouted, "Manus and Kenson are down!" Zrion turned to see the White armored body of his squadmate lying on the ground. A low yowl of guttural fury escaped his lips, and he stepped towards the rushing aliens, Storm bolter blazing " Dark Angel! Hold you Ground, Emperor DAMN YOU!"
Thragnar bellowed. The Huge Wolf Guard grabbed the Dark Angel and forcibly restrained him. The proximity of the enemy made further confrontation impossible as both Terminators were forced to keep their attention forward and their weapons flaring as they strove to keep the Genestealers away from them. And they could not stop them all. A claw punched through the Thigh plate on Sergeant Daruis`s Left Leg. The Ultramarine bellowed in shock and pain and brought his chain Fist down on the head of the Beast that assailed him. Next to him, Brother Creuis`s Assault cannon Ran dry with a dull click. The Imperial Guardsmen next to him rushed to aid, one firing his Lasrifle, the other to reload the gun. The ground shook and the awesome and terrifying shape of a Carnifex lunged out of the Murk. Grollad swung his assault cannon around and fired, a long burst that shattered the chest of the towering screamer Killer. Even as its body tumbled to the ground, a second Tyrannid Monstrosity surged into the light. A Centurion cannon projectile makes a peculiar and distinctive sound as it travels through the air. The Carnifex`s head exploded, ichor splattering the marines and Imperial guard as they fought for their lives. Dreadnought Damon advanced into the light, the Stormbolter mounted on his left Power fist blazing. Around him swarmed Two squads of Terminators. Hit on the flank, the Tyrannid force evaporated against the new force. As the last Alien fell, Gobren allowed himself to relax. He was dizzy from blood loss as well as the chemicals in his blood, Wearily the Terminator dropped to on knee.
"Veteran Sergeant are you alright?" It was Seegam. Blood caked on his hairline. The Captains glasses were cracked and fogged. But his expression was one of concern.
He's concerned for me, the Terminator realized. I must really be hurt. "Wolf Guard Thagnar!" Seegam shouted. " Veteran Sergeant Gobren is hurt!"
The Space Wolf limped over. His own helmet was cracked near the cheek, and one arm hung loosely at his side, but he got his arm around the tottering Judicator Terminator, and lowered him gently to the ground.
" How goes It, Judicator?" Thragnar inquired.
" I'm all right." Gobren managed. He could hardly feel the pain now, and realized that he was dying.
" I'll be ok for the next phase."
Thragnar smiled, his eyes giving the lie to the statement. The claw strike was deep, piercing the Bone Case, the liver, kidneys, and the Marines spine. Despite his massively altered physique. Gobren was bleeding out. A Grey Armored Judicator Apocathary rushed up, pushing Thragnar to the side. The Medic knelt alongside the fallen terminator, and looked at the wounds. " There is nothing I can do, Brother Veteran Sergeant." The Apocatheary said after a few minutes. " I cannot stop the bleeding." Gobren closed his eyes.
" It is over then," the dying marine said. " Call the Librarian" Doman lumbered up to the little group. The Fallen Terminator lay on his back, supported by the Space Wolf, with the Imperial Guardsmen standing around him.
" Librarian," Gobren managed to utter, his skin going pallid as his life drained out onto the soft porous rock of the cave. "I request The Rites of War."
Doman paused for a second, and then in a deep, growling voice he spoke.
"Judicator warrior, you have marched the surface of a thousand worlds, slain the enemies of the Imperium in numbers too great to mention. Now it is your time to go to the martial paradise, where the War God Raptor gather's his finest in perpetration for the Last battle of all time. Repeat after me."
Lips barely moving, the Terminator repeated the litany of death.
" Oh God of Battles, look down on me with favor. I have sung your cadence of blood, and my bright blade has claimed my honorable enemies in even battle. I swear my warrior's oath to your Throne. I have feared no Enemy, for the Raptor was my strength. I feared not Death, nor Daemon, Nor Man, For In your Strength I was safe, and your strength is eternal."
His faint voice died away, and the Veteran Sergeant closed his eyes, and died.
" Let his armor be taken to the Fortress and embalmed in the Hall of Heroes" Doman said. " Let all blows we strike from now 'til the Enemy lies bloody and dead at our feet, be for our fallen Brother."
Thragnar rose, threw back his head and howled. The other Wolf Guard echoed the cry, and then the Imperial Guardsmen threw back their heads and roared. The Unearthly roar echoed through the Cave.
" WARRIORS OF THE IMPERIUM!" Thragnar shouted, brandishing his force axe in his good hand. " LET NONE OF OUR ENEMIES SURVIVE THIS DAY!"
Space Hulk Fortress of Apathy
Veteran Sergeant Romanov typed as quickly on the keypad as he could with his normal Gauntlet. The Access code worked again, and the door slid open, admitting him to the bridge of the vessel. Judicator Forces had seized the bridge, Warp Engines, and Armory of the Battle Barge. Their orders were fulfilled. The rest of the hulk was unimportant, but this ship, the Magnificent, had to be recovered.
" Sergeant, Can you tell me why we're here?" Canoness Savitch inquired. The Commander of the Adeptus Soritas force stood next to what would have been the Astropath`s chair. At her question, the Terminator Sergeant turned in her direction and hefted his Stormbolter.
" You know of the history of the 11th Legion, do you not, Canoness?" Romanov inquired.
" No, Sergeant" the Canoness replied. " All their records have been wiped from Imperial databanks."
" I am not surprised at that." Romanov replied, he opened his mouth to say more, but then the unmistakable sound of bolter fire reached their ears.
"Squad Romanov! Report!" The Sergeant shouted into his mouthpiece, as he pulled on his helmet and ambled out the Bridge door, Canoness Savitch on his heels.
" Multiple contacts closing on Squad Aaron" the COMlink told him, "suspect Genestealer presence."
" Hold your positions!" Romanov ordered. " Signal the Ravens Fury, that we need immediate support!"
Ten meters ahead, the 4 members of Squad Romanov were holding a T-junction that led to the Bridge. As they neared the Terminators, Savitch heard the sharp bark of Stormbolters interspersed with the thunder of an assault cannon
" Squad Aaron, report!" Romanov bellowed.
" Holding for now," Came the reply, "They came through the roof plates, Yusen, and Keogh are dead, and Kimed lost a arm, hold sir."
A thundering burst of Stormbolter fire echoed over the COM link and Romanov gritted his teeth in anger. Then the voice of Veteran Sergeant Aaron filtered through back through the channel.
" We've been reinforced, sir, Imperial guardsmen, and 2 Immortal Sentry guns."
" Which makes?"
" Stormer and Conflagrator, Sir."
" See to your wounded, Sergeant." Romanov ordered, " We are under attack at the Bridge! For the Emperor!" Savitch knelt along with the rest of her squad in the hallway behind the Terminators as the held of the Charging Genestealers, a wary eye on the roof plates from where the four-armed horrors could emerge in ambush. The Canoness allowed herself to be distracted for a moment as she checked her sensorioum. It was blinking, indicating a message from Celestian Ramona, the leader of two Battle Squads detailed to hold the engine room.
" Ramona"
" Praise the Emperor, Canoness!,We are under attack! Hybrids and Pure Strain! They are.." here the conversation was cut off by a thundering barrage of gunfire, " .Encircling us, we need support!"
" Stand fast, Ramona, I will get you some support!" Savitch snapped. Flipping COM channels she called up the Strike Cruiser Ravens Fury, their support ship.
Engine Room
Three out of eight Sisters of Battle remained alive. They lay behind whatever consoles they could find for cover as the Genestealers closed in. the aliens were not rushing headlong, instead moving with a grace and skill that belied a higher intelligence. The air hissed and crackled, fluorescing for a second and then solidifying, bringing with it two squads of armored death.
" Terminators!"
Bearing the colors of Legion XIX . The Raven Guard, 7 Terminators, a Dreadnought, and a Librarian appeared between the Sisters, and the Genestealers. The Dreadnought's assault cannon thundered, and several Genestealers simply exploded under the hail of shells. Others charged, only to be cut down by the Terminators. Still more exploded as the Librarian, channeling the powers of the warp, cast Malefactor, and shattered their Carapace's.
On Planet. In the Presence of the Hive Tyrant
Dreadnought Meridian clenched his Powerfist around the Carnifex`s head, and Squeezed. The bony brain case shattered with a sound like a bolt pistol shot, and the Screamer Killer collapsed to the floor of the cave, lifeless. Meridian swiveled up his Scarcophagus to look up at the loathsome beast in the center of the Cave.
" You're next"
Across the Tunnel Doman Brought the full weight of his powers to bear on the hive Tyrant. Around him, the three surviving members Squad Zrion and the two remaining Wolf Guard stood resolute, defending the ancient Librarian. The Psychic duel raged, with the vast alien intelligence, trying to counter the already formidable powers of the Ancient Librarian, a task made doubly difficult by the fact that Captain Seegam`s Imperial Guard were shooting at the creature, forcing it to divert it's attention a minute fraction to defend its body. Around Meridian, The Ultramarine Terminators under Darius stood firm, cutting down the scuttling aliens that surged towards them. The other Terminator Squads were strung out, each group a fortress that the Tyranninds could not approach. Dreadnought Orion decided the battle. One of the Rare Judicator Dreadnoughts not afflicted by the affliction, he had been honored with the deathless armor after falling in battle at Treville. His weapon load out was as unique as the legion he served, twinned Excalibur Lascannons mounted over twinned heavy bolters on each arm. It was the Lascannons that he aimed, firing straight into the head of the Hive tyrant. The monster screamed as its face slagged under the intense heat of the laser beams. At the same time, Doman struck, his Psychic assault shearing straight through the weakened mental barriers of the monstrosity, and exploding its mind like a rotted fruit.
Fortress Base An Hour Later
The primarch walked into the command Center, heralded by the booming footsteps of Dreadnought Anton. As one the command staff stood and saluted. Krosfyah returned the salutes and strode to the holomaps.
" Situation, Captain?"
" Tyrannid Hive mind discovered under river So`r by Kill Team Gobren. Veteran Sergeant Gobren called for support, and then led a Strike force into the Cave system that the aliens were utilizing as a base. During the Battle that followed, Terminator Strike Force leader Gobren was killed, along with Judicator Terminators Nugan, Halsek, and Romias. Also lost were 10 Imperial Guardsmen from the 57th Elyria Guard, Deathwing Terminators Naaman, Manus, and Kyrion, Ultramarine Terminator Favius, and Wolf Guard Valgar, Argar and Halfors. The Hive Tyrant was killed by Ancient Libarian Doman`s Kill Team."
The Primarch sat heavily in his seat. He looked at Jarrick with haunted eyes.
" How many entered the Tyrannid Lair?"
" Initially, 20 Terminators, and 20 Imperial Guard. Ancient Doman led 20 more Terminators and two other dreadnoughts as the relief force."
" 40 Terminators." Krosfyah said quietly. " And we lost 11." The Primach closed his eyes for a moment and mumbled a prayer. Then he look Jarrick in the eye.
"Recover our Brothers. This very night they shall lie in the Hall of heroes, as all true warriors of Raptor do."
Captain Jarrick nodded.
" And what of the Operations to recover the Magnificent?" " The Battlebarge is secure, but three Squads of Deathwatch Marines are sweeping the craft now to ensure that no further GeneStrealer infestation remains. Our losses there were slight, only 8 Battlesisters."
Again the Primarch nodded.
" Very well then, Captain. Have the great Bell tolled in memory of our dead, and we shall honor our veterans in a feast tonight." " As you will, Primarch."
Fortress Base Dusk
Dressed in Flowing robes of black and Silver, each robe adorned with the symbol of their Battalion, and their Legion Sigil, The marines filed into the Kilometer long hall. The long tables were filled with food and drink, stewed meats, Piles of exotic vegetables, and bowls of steaming stew. From huge stone Drums servitors ladled quantities of rich fruit juice into tall stone tankards. Each marine that sat down accepted one of these tankards, holding it in his left hand, and not drinking. All turned to face the massive stone chair, where the Primarch would sit. Krosfyah appeared minutes later, taking his seat flanked by Apocathary Stryker and Canoness Savitch. Dressed like the others in Black Robes, the Primarch nonetheless wore power armor under his robes, in case he was stricken by the affliction. It was a concession he had only made at the urging of the Apocathary and one he disliked.
" Judicators" The Primarch called out. As one, 11,000 marines turned to look at their father.
" Let us partake, and remember our Dead."
"The honored Dead." The hall answered. So said they transferred their tankards to their right hands, and began to eat.
5th Battalion Table.
Librarian Clavius drained the tankard before him and took a Kilboar leg off the Platter before him. All around him, the marines were digging into the food, hardly making a sound, eating with dignity. Clavius Let his attention wander to the 6th Battalion Table, were Nobel Barov`s men were eating silently. He noted the presence of the Canoness at the table, her sisters eating alongside the Imperial Guards men from the 57th Elyria, and the Space Wolves, Dark Angels and Ultramarines there as well. Clavius knew well what was going through the mind of Barov. The tough, determined warrior had already buried his 9th Company since the Rediscovery, and now some of his best warriors were joining the hall of heroes. Again. A long time ago, Clavius remembered, he had been the Second in command of the 5th Battalion. They had been taken out of the Crusade force massing to threaten the Ork held Rellis System, and sent on a mission of escort. The New Word Bearer Legion, under Primarch Logar was moving into it's fortress on the planet Cohise. Cochise, was not pacified, and the attacks by "Purists" opposed to the creation of the Space Marine Legions were becoming a real problem. Logar, aware of the weakness of the new legion to attack, and its virtual inability to defend its massive, vulnerable geneseed Storage center had requested escort as the thousand vehicle convoy moved the precious genetic lineage to the impregnable Fortress in the hill beyond the capital. It was a request Primarch Krosfyah had heeded, assigning the entire 5th Battalion to the task.
****Flashback****
Cochise. Spaceport. 5th Battalion Command Vehicle
Battalion Master Lucius Kreig ran an impatient hand over his face. The column was being held up by the Word Bearers, who were engaged in one of their ever-lasting prayer sessions. The Judicator stood in the turret of the Predator itching to be done with this annoying mission. The Might of the 5th "Imperium`s Shield" Battalion Lay behind him. 800 armored vehicles, carrying 1000 marines sat at wait, engines idling, and commanders standing up in cupolas.
"What's taking them so long!" Kreig fumed to himself. The Word Bearer units were not even turning engines over, their crews gathered in the midst of the vehicles chanting their worship rites.
" Such Devotion to the Emperor should not be taken lightly, Lucius" The voice belonged to the Battalion Chief Librarian Argyle Sokonna. The White haired Librarian stood alongside Force of Will, his command Land Raider, which was parked next to Constant Vigilance, his command Predator.
" I take it not lightly, Argyle." Kreig replied. " But even you would admit that it is a bit extreme."
" There is no extreme in devotion" Sokonna replied. The Librarian grasped the handhold to pull himself up the hull of the Land Raider,
"Still, we have a schedule" Kreig replied. " We need to get clear of that Pass and into the open desert before nightfall. Ill not risk my tanks in that confined pass."
Sokonna smiled as he clambered onto the turret of the Land Raider Excalibur. " Then lets be going" he said. "Our charges are ready."
Thirty minutes later the lead vehicles of the 5th Battalion and the Word Bearer 7th Company departed the Spaceport perimeter. Led by three Word Bearer Razorbacks, the massive ponderous convoy rolled towards the hills at half speed. For the first hours, the ride was monotonous. Perched in the turret of the Predator, Kreig surveyed the surrounding countryside. Cochise was very different from Elysia, with an abundance of rock and scrub, but no beautiful scenery Like Caliban, the last Planet his Battalion had visited. 5 hours later, the convoy entered the mountain range. Kreig redeployed his forces, recalling his scouts and pressing on in one coherent mass. Gunners surveyed the ridgelines above them, and Each vehicle featured a squad of Jump Pack marines standing behind the turret, or in the case of the Rhino`s sitting locked onto the bare steel, eyes looking heaven ward. Eight hours passed, night fell, and the convoy pressed on. Up and down winding canyon passes, on tracks so narrow that twice the Massive Land Raiders had to stop so that marines could ascertain if they could pass safely, the convoy traveled toward their destination. 3 hours later, as they drove down a wide river gorge, the attack came.
Out of the Darkness, the bright red trails of missiles cored through the night. The ambushers had dug in ahead of the convoy and launched their Anti Armor missiles from cover. They did not aim for the massive tracked monstrosities carrying the Geneseed and equipment, but for the escorts. A half dozen Word Bearer Predators and Rhino's blew skyhigh, alerting their fellows, and effectively blocking the convoys path. From the ridgelines above, more missiles darted downward, striking through the thin overhead armor of the vehicles, and transforming proud armored vehicles into flaming charnel houses. The Rearmost company, the 10th halted and dismounted its troops. Led by Captain Frakes, the scouts melted into the darkness, away from their Rhinos to head for the source of the missile fire. Aboard Constant Vigilance, Kreig shouted orders. 1st Battalion was in the middle of the column, on the west bank of the river, and too bunched to be of much use. Swearing profusely, the Battalion master ordered his Terminators to dismount, and their Vehicles to get out of the cauldron, especially the Land Raiders, which had no means of defense against missiles fired down. But in the darkness and confusion with more and more antitank missiles exploding around them, the disciplined marines of the 5th were helpless. The Land Raiders of the 3rd Company, on the east bank of the river, formed a horseshoe and dismounted their Devastators. The Heavy weapon marines retreated to whatever cover they could find and began setting up. From the rear came a wave of jet bikes, meters over the ground, At first glance they appeared to be Eldar bikes, but then It became obvious that they were obsolete Imperial Guard models. Their Riders fired their onboard bolters and dropped explosives as they raced overhead at full speed. 7th and 8th companies, in their Rhinos were caught in the open. The Aim of these high-speed opponents was unerring and several squads were cut down as they disembarked their vehicles. Still more died in their Rhinos as melta bombs lit up the darkness. Return fire claimed 4 bikes who crashed in the midst of the vehicles, creating more carnage. Now heavy Bolter fire tore into the Jam packed vehicles and men. To their Credit, no one broke, but the 5th Battalion took horrible losses as they tried to get out of the trap they were in. Leaping down from the Turret of Constant Vigilance Kreig dashed over to a squad of tactical Marines. The Rhino carrying his Guard was gone, hit by two missiles, and blown sky high. One of the Tactical`s had a COM rig strapped to his backpack, and Kreig took the handset, and keyed in the frequency of the 5th Company. Nothing. The Battalion Master twisted the dial to the position for the 4th Company. Nothing. At that moment, Lucius Kreig realized that his battalion was in very very deep trouble.
" 10 Six to one Six, the General frequency crackled. " 10 six has many, gun positions on the west ridge. We are moving to attack. If any one can hear us, give us support. For the Emperor and Krosfyah!"
Kreig closed his eyes. He wanted to order the scouts to hold, but he knew that there was no way his trapped Battalion would survive if those guns were not knocked out. He looked at the helmeted visage of the marines next to him.
" Come with me." He ordered.
In isolated pockets, Judicator marines retreated from the site of the ambush, crossing the river and forming a shaky perimeter around the 3rd company. On the west bank, the 9th company and remnants of the 6th and 8th Companies formed a perimeter inside the ruins of their smashed armor. On the hill, 10th company fought a bloody and ultimately futile battle to reach the missile and bolter positions that had massacred their brethern. The Scouts died to the last man. The enemy attacked in force soon after dawn from the rear of the stalled convoy. The first attack ran into the guns of the last surviving Armor of the 7th, 6th and 8th Companies and was torn apart. In response, a heavy bombardment fell on the marines, tearing apart their makeshift holes, and killing many of the wounded who were unable to seek shelter. The enemy tried again around midmorning, from the north this time, but they hadn't counted on the 75 surviving Terminators of the 1st company under Chief Librarian Sokonna. In a bloody hour, the 1st lost 23 Marines, but over 1000 renegades died before their guns. As the day wore on, the 5th Battalion reorganized. Ammunition was redistributed, and the wounded seen to. There were still wounded beyond the reach of their Battlebrothers, and as the heat rose as the day grew longer, their cries for succor grew louder.
At the 3rd Battalion Position, Battalion Master Kreig turned his back on the sound of the cries. It hurt him to have his wounded marines lying in plain sight, and yet he was not even able to bring them liquid to quench their thirsts. Flies and other filth tormented their open wounds, and the for those lucky enough to have wargear next to them, relief came only from a bolter shell.
" Why haven't they shelled the Crawlers"
Kreig turned to the dark haired young Librarian next to him. Clavius was an exceptional marine, the Protégé of the Chief Libarian, and a decorated veteran, yet his face was marked with the deep strain of the situation. " Explain, Librarian"
"Master Kreig, the Purists claim that we are abominations, created from the manipulation of genestock. They should then have attacked the Crawlers, which we cannot defend, but they instead have chosen to strike at us, launching futile assaults that whittle away their numbers, and give us time to be relieved."
"You think they're after the Geneseed." Kreig stated.
"Yes."
The Battalion Master nodded. " Then they shall not have it."
Captain Jasner, the Commander of the 3rd Company joined the small gathering. Wounded the night before, the Captain wore a crude sling around the stump of his left hand.
" Master Kreig, we are down to less than 1000 rounds of bolter shells, and quarter loads for the Missile launchers and Heavy Bolters."
" What about the Armor?" Kreig inquired.
" Almost 75% is destroyed or disabled." The Captain replied. Kreig felt his stomach flip-flop. 600 vehicles lost, it was a tragedy that his men might never recover from.
" Our only chance," Kreig said after a moment, " is to suppress the enemy guns that have us Pinned here. Clavius, I want you to take 2 companies worth of men, the fittest and least wounded, and assault the gun positions on the West and East Ridges. I will hold them here."
"Sir how will we get them up there?" Clavius inquired.
" You're a librarian," Kreig responded. "Teleport them"
At Midnight, 220 Marines gathered around Clavius and Sokonna. The Chief Librarian would bear the brunt of the effort, teleporting 160 of the Marines, including 40 Terminators. Clavius would lift the rest. The Force was piecemeal, with whatever forces could make it to the main position unwounded going. The rest would hold the valley and the geneseed convoy.
Kreig found Sokonna conversing with his Second near the armored husk of a destroyed Predator. On seeing his commander approach the codicer bowed and Left to tend to whatever he had been bid by the chief Librarian. As he approached, the Battalion Master noted a rivulet of blood running under the left breastplate of the Librarian's Iron Armor.
" You're wounded Argyle" Kreig said. " Have you seen the Apocathary?"
" It's just a scratch" Sokonna waved of the Battalion Masters concern.
" I've had worse wounds sharpening my knives"
"Are you sure you can handle the Teleport operation?" Kreig asked. " I will not be alone, Lucius" Sokonna Replied, clapping a hand on the Battalion Masters shoulderpad. " I will have five Codicers assisting me. Worry about Clavius, he has the hardest Job."
The two senior officers walked over to the assembled men. Clavius looked up from where he was checking his bolter.
" We're ready, sir" The Librarian reported. " Captain Jasen`s Devastators will remain to support your force here in the Valley. Veteran Sergeant Goric will lead one force to the East Ridge. I will lead the other to the West Ridge."
Kreig took the Bolter from Clavius and handed him his assault Bolter. The Black Enameled Double Barreled weapon glistened in the starlight, as the Librarian took the weapon.
" May it serve you well, Librarian"
Chief Librarian Sokonna began the Teleportation rite, joined by his codiciers and Clavius. Chanting, they drew on the powers of the warp, Enveloping their troops in shimmering warp energies. Then in a flash, they were gone.
West Ridge
The West Ridge Gun positions were laid bare by the desperate fury of the Judicator attack. In the first seconds, the men manning the bolter and missile pits were cut down by bolter fire, and then Clavius led his unit in a sweep of the Ridgeline.
A screaming man leapt out of a pit, a rusty sword in his hand. Clavius avoided the swipe easily,and rammed his Force Sword through the mans throat. Pivoting, and swaying he fired the Assault bolter into a foxhole, spraying the occupants all over the place in a messy display of blood and gore.
" Veteran Sergeant Goric, Report!"
" Light resistance!" came the scratchy reply, " Advancing!"
A Lasgun beam spranged off his chest plate and the Librarian Jumped into the hole with the gunner. One swing knocked the weapon away, and Clavius grabbed the man by the collar and looked deep into his eyes. A Plethora of feelings swarmed over the Librarian, assaulting his senses. For an instant he could taste the man's fear, and then with a mental blow he knocked the man unconscious. Rising, the Librarian surveyed the ridge. Only Judicators stood.
" Veteran Sergeant Goric?"
"East Ridge secured."
It was only then that the roar of Bolter fire reached Clavius`s ears.
Valley Floor
Kreig roared in rage and backhanded a solider away from him. The Man flew into the side of a wrecked Land Raider and crumpled to the ground his neck at an odd angle. The Battalion Master ducked and turned, Master Crafted Axe blurring as it hacked through the torso's of three men. Around him Marines battled in desperate hand to hand combat against overwhelming numbers. Kreig dropped to one knee, avoiding a swing from a bayoneted Las rifle, and grabbed the solider around the torso and squeezed. The man's Rib cage popped under the force of the powerglove, and the Marine commander hurled the broken body away. A Lascannon bolt tore through his left shoulder. Kreig turned lifting the powerglove and firing the auxillary stormbolter at the gunner, knocking him back dead in a spray of blood and grey matter. To his left a Techmarine collapsed to his knees, his face a ruined mess from a Lascannon hit. Even in death, his servo arm squeezed around the head of one of his opponents, crushing it. Next to him a Devastator Sergeant battered a sword-wielding opponent with his empty bolter. Behind him, a wounded terminator ripped his lighting claws through the mob around him, even as Bolter rounds ricocheted of his armor. The attack had caught the defending marines unprepared. The bulk of their strength was away dealing with the emplaced guns and only the wounded and infirm remained in the valley. Still they fought like Judicators, because that was their way. Kreig`s Power axe tore through the torso of another victim and the Marine bounded onto the front of a smashed Predator. He recognized the vehicle as Fearless Dignity, a Predator of the 6th company. In the glow of a Land Raiders Lights, he saw Librarian Sokonna summon the powers of the Warp in the powerful battle incantation.
" Judicators!" Kreig shouted, "Down!"
Obeying the voice of their master, the 5th Batallion Marines dropped to the ground, as a glowing ball of thundering light erupted around Sokonna. Tendrils of Light, forked Lightening danced over the battlefield. Bodies exploded as the arcane power lanced through them. The incantation reaped a horrible toll on the field, but it only killed those standing. Such was the nature of Hellfire. Every Marine immediately leapt to his feet, Hellfire was a powerful incantation, but a very dangerous on to the caster. Sokonna was now exposed to the hostile intents of the surviving renegades, and every Judicator standing rushed to his aid. Kreig leapt from the Turret of the Predator to the Hull of a land Raider. He was still sixty meters away when six figures emerged from the darkness into the light. Having seen the figures before years earlier, the Battalion master was able to recognize them immediately. Five humanoids on flat discs. And a great, hulking figure. A Tzeentch Lord of Change. Kreig opened fire, his Storm Bolter Shells missing, and then striking and tearing through the disk that supported the lead humanoid. In slow motion, the Disc rider pitched forward into the dirt. A Techmarine vaporized the second Disc rider with a shot from a Land Raider's Lascannons. The third fell to a Devastators heavy bolter, and then the fourth was in range of the Librarian who had by now struggled to his knees. Sokonna blocked the disc rider's first attack with his Force sword and slashed at the daemon as it slid past. The blessed sword tore through the back of the Man thing, and Sokonna came around to meet the Lord of Change. Perhaps it was the strain of his wound coupled with the stress of summoning Hellfire, but the Chief Librarian was slow. His force sword blurred as it slashed towards the Greater Daemon, but the Daemons own blade was already piercing out of the Librarian's back. Kreig screamed in rage as he saw his friend fall. Heedless of the folly of facing a creature so powerful as a Greater Chaos Daemon, His Stormbolter thundered and little impact points fountained out of the daemons body as it turned its attention to the Marine before it. Shouting now, Kreig leapt into the air bringing his axe around in a slash towards the daemons head. Burning pain erupted in his Torso, and Kreig looked down. The Daemon had countered his slash and driven his other taloned hand through the Marines chest. The Lord of Change Laughed softly and twisted his hand, digging the claws into the humans innards. With a supreme effort Kreig continued the blow. The axe struck the daemon in the side of the face, and sunk into the flesh. The daemon shook its head as if annoyed. Then it bellowed, and Kreig looked down to see the Librarians force sword buried in its chest. The daemon dropped its hand and Kreig slid off, landing next to his friend with a thump. The monster stood over the two Marines and roared. Then there was a low crack, and a coherent beam of light transfixed the Daemon like a fly hit by a needle. The creature shattered apart in a hurricane of noise and light. Kreig closed his eyes, and relaxed. His Body felt light and weightless, and all the pain had stopped. The Battalions master surrendered to the tiredness, allowing it to take him.
When Librarian Clavius and the 190 survivors of his force reached the valley floor, it was populated only by the dead and grievously wounded. Argyle Sokonna and Lucius Kreig were among the ranks of the former.
It took the better part of the day to tally the lost, recover their bodies and clear the valley of the wreckage. When that was done, the pathetic remnants of the convoy resumed its Journey. All that remained was 20 vehicles and 190 men from a force of 800 vehicles and 1000 men. They arrived at the fortress and delivered their Precious cargo a day later.
Word Bearer Geneseed Repository Fortress Jebezicis Cochis
Captain Amaris stood on the Battlements of the fortress as the lead Crawler rolled into the gates of the Fortress. Immediately Techmarines and thralls surrounded the massive vehicles. Several of the marines on watch duty moved to aid the Judicator Vehicles.
" Brother Captain?" the Veteran Sergeant by his side inquired. " Wasn't the escort supposed to be a full Battalion?"
3 minutes later Amaris stepped up to the lead Land Raider. The vehicle bore the scars of battle, dents and blast scoring testimony to the ferocity of the battle it had been in. The Ramp came down, and a tall, White haired Marine in Librarians armor walked off. Unconsciously, Amaris saluted.
" What is your Status, honored Librarian?"
"Over 80% of my force has been wiped out." The Judicator replied. " We were ambushed and forced to fight our way here. Both my Chief Librarian and my Battalion Master are dead. The attackers were destroyed, and we have pinpointed their base."
" I will muster our forces immediately, Brother Librarian." Amaris said, turning to shout to the Veteran Sergeant who doubled as his aide. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.
" No, Word Bearer." The Judicator Librarian said. " We need your assistance in recovering the gene seed of our dead battle brothers, and tending to the wounded." The Judicator Psyker looked off into the desert. " I need to communicate with my Battalion Flagship"
Hours later, the Battle Cruisers Victrix Regina and Victrix Imperial commenced a bombardment of a section of the foothills eighty kilometers from the ambush site. After an hour, Thunderhawk Gunships bearing the 24 Dreadnoughts of the Battalion and an abbreviated company of survivors under Acting Battalion Master Clavius landed at the site for a sweep. They found nothing alive.
Three months later Rellis IX
The Victory was complete. In the frozen North, Roubute Gulliman and his Ultramarines had routed the Orks from the Ice caves and glaciers at less than 23% casualties. In the tropic south, the Armor oriented Judicators had crushed the Ork Forces and pursued them into the waiting guns of the Word Bearers, who had advanced methodically from the east, and the Lunar Wolves, who had stuck from the West. The Four Primarchs were all standing around the Rhino that had carried their Father, their Emperor into battle. Despite the mastery of warfare that all possessed, they looked up to the figure in the White and sliver Terminator armor. The Emperor was deep in discussion with his generals when the roar of an unstealth modified Thunderhawk echoed over the battle field.
Gulliman looked up at the descending speck.
" Its one of yours, Janus."
" Looks like my errant troops have returned" Krosfyah said with a wry smile as the tiny shape grew into the 5th Battalion command ship, Wings or the Empire. The Thunderhawk touched down fifty meters away.
" Father, with your leave, I will go receive the report from Battalion Master Kreig." Krosfyah said.
" I'll join you," Horus said. " I would like to hear how a entire Battalion got lost." The four Primarchs walked over, followed by the Emperor, and his guard. They met the passengers from the Thunderhawk halfway. Clavius saluted and opened his mouth to make his report but he couldn't find words. He tried a second time, and finally managed to speak.
" Lord Logar, your Geneseed has been safely delivered. My lord Primarch.forgive me, but I bring no good news. Battalion Master Kreig is dead. He died during the ambush of the Word Bearer Geneseed convoy. We lost over 95 percent of the 5th Battalion in that ambush, both armor and Marines."
Dread silence dropped over the battlefield. Those too far to hear too their que from those around them. Primarch Krosfyah said nothing for a very long while. Then he nodded slowly.
" How did they Die?"
Clavius gave the only answer he could. The only answer that made sense in the madness of what had just happened.
" They died as Judicators"
***End Flashback***
"Battalion Master Clavius?"
The Grating voice of a Dreadnought brought the Librarian back to the present. He turned to see Dreadnought Meridian standing next to him.
" Yes, Revered Ancient?"
" The Canoness wishes to take a tour of the Hall of heroes. May I accompany her?"
"As you wish, ancient Brother Captain, but please, remember the hour, and the ceremony at midnight"
" As you command, Battalion Master"
As the Dreadnought strode off, Clavius contemplated the request. While Meridian had survived the ambush with him, he had been transferred to the 6th battalion soon after. Why then had he asked him for permission to leave the Banquet? The Chief Librarian put it down to forgetfulness' in the Dreadnought's advanced age, and returned to his meal.
Upper Bastions of the Fortress Base. Hall of Heroes.
Quietly, reverently the two figures made their way through the wide marble hallway. Canoness Savitch walked a pace in front of the dreadnought as they passed the rows of Sarcophagi that held the remains of the Judicators most honored heroes.
" There are 508 marines in these tombs." Meridian told her, his voice modulated to barely a whisper. " Most died in honorable battle, some were betrayed by the people they sought to protect, but all died in the service of the Emperor. Take that one," and he swung his powerfist in an approximation of a pointing hand.
" That one belongs to Captain Banniker, the first commander of the 1st Battalion Terminator Company. He fell while I was still a scout, battling Orks in the Midras Bastion.Next to him lies Chief Librarian Callistus, who was killed fighting Eldar on Armageddon."
" Who is that one?" The Canoness inquired, pointing to a massive Buttress like tomb topped with a praying angel. " That marks the worst chapter in our Legion history." The Dreadnought replied. " Within that tomb lie the remains of 1st Battalion Master Laurent Greig, His Wife, their 4 Children, and our Primarchs only Progeny."
Savitch said nothing, looking back at the intricate architecture of the tomb. There was gold inlaid with the stone, and the angel's eyes were made of the richest Fernisian Pearls. Obvious care and love had gone into the constriction of the monument.
" How did they die?" The Canoness inquired.
"They were murdered." Meridian replied. The dreadnought continued walking, passing beyond the great double doors, and out onto the ramparts of the fortress. The Canoness followed silently.
Primarchs Quarters
Wearily Krosfyah lay back on the plied cushions. Sleeping in armor was irksome, but he understood the need for the drugs that were being pumped into his bloodstream to counteract the effect of the affliction. If he was lucky, he would be able to spend another year out of the Terminator armor. Turning his thoughts from such morbid regions, the Primarch closed his eyes. Sleep was a necessary event for him, one he made sure not to miss. It helped him think, and eased the pain in his head considerably. Sleep also made it easy for his father to reach him, if he needed to.
Dreamscape
He stood in the courtyard of the old castle, in full armor, and his helmet at his side. Thunderblade hung poised and ready at his hip, and the Lightening claws on his left hand hummed softly, in their scabbards. He looked up at the clear blue sky. It was good to be home. The Primarch walked around the flowerbeds and ornamental pools, chuckling at the leaping fish as they jumped out of the water that sustained them to get at the food that they craved, low flying bugs. It was times like this that made him forget his role, and what he did, and had done for as long as he remembered. He was a Judicator, a Justice Bringer. That was how the people of Elysia saw him, from the very first day he walked into the throne room and beheaded that spineless worm.What had his name been again?.Henrik, yes, Henrik, eldest son of Duke Karel Krosfyah, who had betrayed his father and his people to Rolan Maleve for Blood Rubies and other trivial Baubles. Since then the Elysians had always called him that, Justice Bringer Justice from the Black axe. Krosfyah felt more than heard the presence behind him, and he whirled, jumping back 4 feet, Thunderblade flying from its hip storage and leaping into his left hand of its own accord, as the Lighting Claws snapped down and out with a hiss and crackle of plasma energy. The Figure before him was his height, but clad in radically different Terminator Armor. While Krosfyah`s was Black and Red, the newcomer wore Armor of Red and Brass worked in intricate patterns and designs. His left arm bore a powerfist with auxiliary Stormbolter on the back. But it was the weapons in his hands that aided in identification, for this warrior wielded a Chain Sword in the left hand and a Chain Axe in the right.
"Angron" Krosfyah hissed the name like a curse.
"Judicator" the Daemon Primarch replied, holstering his weapons, the Axe across his back and the sword at his hip. Then he removed his helmet, letting Krosfyah look upon him as he remembered the World Eater Primarch to be, Dark Visaged, and black haired, with piercing, haunted eyes.
" I have come to talk, Krosfyah."
"Speak your Peice, Angron," Krosfyah snarled, " Though I know you are not one of many words."
" Your anger is great, Judicator." The Dameon Prince replied." I have taken a great risk to seek you out in this way. The help of Brother Magnus was most invaluable."
"You and Magnus are not my brothers!" Krosfyah raged, " You betrayed our father! You killed our Brother!"
"Horus killed Sanguinus" Angron replied. "I will not absolve myself of blame for what happened, but I never lifted a blade against one of my brothers. Can your Father say the same!"
"Do you dare justify what you and the others did!" Krosfyah snarled, reaching for the axe at his side. " You and that Bastard Perturabo.." "It always comes back to Perturabo, doesn't it." Angron said, his voice gentle as the wind. " Your hatred for him is so awesome that you just class us all with him, now that we too have fallen in your acclaim." Krosfyah took a step back as the import of his brothers words hit home. He dropped his hand from his axe, and looked dully at Angron.
" Say your Piece, Angron" The Judicator said warily.
" Janus, I was a fool. I let Horus convince me that the only way to save the Imperium was to kill my father. I let my hatred for what he did to me all those years earlier, saving me from a death with my comrades in arms that I thought I deserved, make the foul betrayal I was committing more platable. All it earned me was the loss of my brothers in arms, and eventually my legion." The Daemon paused for a second. " And now Abbadon and that dammed sword stand ready to march to the gates of Terra, and all I can think of doing is finding some way to rectify my error."
"The Despoiler moves?" Krosfyah uttered, " How?, When?"
" He moves within a Twelvemonth from the Eye. The First wave will be cultists, Red Corsairs, The Black Legion and the Iron Warriors. The Second wave will come a month later. It's supposed to be my legion, Magnus, and Alpharius, but I have claimed that my forces are too weak to be in the main force. So Kharn will lead his Battalion in my place."
" I will muster my forces." Krosfyah said. "We will meet the Despoiler and stop him cold."
" Do not be over Zealous." Angron cautioned. "Abaddons forces number in the millions. Their only weakness is that many are possessed cultists, and a Deep strike against the Temple on Broales VI will render them helpless and vulnerable to your forces."
"You council me against overzealousness?" Krosfyah replied with a ghost of a smile, " But I will take your council." The Judicator stopped. "Why are you doing this?"
Angron considered his reply for a second. "Horus I would have never considered betraying, no matter how wrong he was. Abbadon; no. I will never allow him to destroy the imperium I helped forge. He is not my commander, or my brother. He is a Captain, nothing more." The Primarch stopped talking for a second, reverting to his daemon form.
" And, Brother Janus, I just wish to die for something."
Krosfyah came awake with a start and the familiar dizziness that followed a psychic communication. His first thought was to rouse the legion to full readiness, but then he reconsidered. He would plan. He would plot. He would consult his father. He would knit together an Imperium that would stand in the face of the Despoiler and drive him back to the Eye, never to return.
" I swear on the graves of my family and brothers, that Abbadon, he who calls himself the Despoiler will never destroy the Imperium. As long as I draw breath, He will never set foot on Holy Terra. This I swear, by the claw of Raptor."
In the darkness his eyes glowed deep green
