Leviticus sat in quiet meditation in Paschar's quarters. He could feel the vibrations of the marines as they approached the portal to the quarters. Paschar was resting fitfully, his mind still reeling from the loss. Leviticus sat with his sword across his lap and his bolt pistol close to hand. The portal opened to the harsh artificial light that passed for light on the ship. Within the light stood two fully armored marines, each one beckoned Leviticus to follow them. Following between his escorts, Leviticus realized that this ship was very small in comparison to some of the battle barges that Leviticus had served on during the Great Crusade.

Lord Leliel stood in the Observation deck when the three Fallen Angels approached. Apothecary Assiel, Epistolary Uwala and Techmarine Xaphan all stood behind Leliel in a half moon along with several other Fallen Angels. Leliel stood reminiscent in the furs of an animal that he had killed some time in the past. His black armor polished and the brass adornments glittering brightly in the light of the stars as well as the glow-globes within the room.

Leviticus had previously noticed that many of the Fallen had replaced their Mark Five Heresy Armor for newer suits of armor. Leviticus stood before them in nothing but his battle robes and his Mark Five armor, looking exactly like he did during the Great Crusade. His weapons were holstered but were cleaned and ready for fighting if needed.

Approaching Leliel, Leviticus grew very uneasy. Leliel wore no robes save the furs and his armor with the gilded brass suggested a very opulent life since leaving the Dark Angel Legion.

"Welcome aboard the Angels' Resurrection, Brother. I am Lord Leliel of the Dark Angels Legion."

"I am Sergeant Leviticus, also of the Dark Angels Legion."

"Ah, it makes sense for you to be a Sergeant. I've been told me of your handling of Brother Paschar in the Apothecarium. Good work, by the way. Those two were very close, almost like true brothers."

"They were, Lord Leliel."

"Yes. You are probably wondering why we showed up and brought you aboard our ship. To put it simply, we are searching out our true brothers. Those of us that were raised from mighty Terra are being asked to join in a quest to reclaim our heritage and place in the universe once more. We have been involved in many small skirmishes. Each brother lost is a brother that cannot be replaced. Therefore, we have taken up the search for our kindred brethren. Now that we found you, we must find others, but we also need to look out for ourselves. With no base of operations, we have to rely on our own resources to keep our operation alive. Agreed?"

"Agreed," replied Leviticus. There was something missing in that statement that Leviticus felt unnerving.

"Well, for now you are a guest on this vessel, but be warned. A time is coming soon where you will be needed to side with us in our upcoming operations. By that time, you will decide if you are to stay with us, or not."

"Yes, my Lord." No, I don't like this at all. There is a foulness here, a greater taint.

Uwala walked forward to stand beside Leliel. "My Lord, shall we proceed."

"Yes. Begin the examination."

"Yes, Lord. Sergeant, you are required to submit to a mind scan before you leave this room." The marines around the room snapped up their weapons to point them at Leviticus. "Before we proceed, you are to surrender your weapons." Another marine stepped forth to accept Leviticus's armament.

Leviticus's eyes narrowed as he studied the faces of the Librarian, Leliel and the marine. Slowly he with drew his bolt pistol from the holster at his side and handed butt-first to the black-clad marine. Leviticus drew out the sword and held in his upturned palms. Uwala and the marine stepped back. Uwala's eyebrow went up and the marine voiced his concerned. "Lord, I know this blade! It is the blade of the Traitor Omael!" The marine dropped all that he was carrying and grabbed his chainsword. "I swore vengeance on the brothers of Squad Omael. Traitors! Cowards!" The room filled with roaring of the Chainsword followed by a second chainsword.

Leviticus swept the blade around into a guard position and stood poised between two Fallen Angels that had once stood taciturn but were now enraged.

Leliel stood silent, an eyebrow raised. This is an interesting turn of events.

Uwala jumped forward, "Enough! It has already cost us two good Angels to bring Sergeant Leviticus to us. How many more must die!"

"I will not serve next to a traitor!" shouted one marine over the roar of his chainsword.

"Nor I!" shouted the second.

"Apparently, it will cost us one or two more before Leviticus can be brought fully in the fold." Leliel said calmly. Let's see how you new champion fares, Uwala. "Well? What are you waiting for Angels? Purge the traitor."

Leviticus moved in a blur. It pained him that he had removed his helmet for the examination. The other two marines were fully armored and ready for a fight. So be it.

Leviticus danced between the savage slashes coming from the pair of enraged Fallen Angels. Leviticus remained calm and parried the chainswords with the flat of his power sword. While the sword can cut through a chainsword with very little difficulty, the moment the chain was free it would launch itself directly out at whatever the sword was pointing, him. Using the flat of his blade would not unleash the energy contained within; thus was able to manipulate other objects.

Uwala looked on with a look of revulsion and horror. Why would Leliel sacrifice two more marines for this one? It did not make any sense. Leviticus was out numbered and overpowered. Without his helmet, Leviticus could not take advantage of the auto-senses his suit could provide. His suit was an antique. The Heresy Armor was prone to being underpowered when loaded with additional armor plating. Judging by Leviticus's movements, Uwala judged he had additional plating on his armor and sweat was quickly beading on his forehead. His suit's power source was turned up and not bleeding off heat fast enough. It didn't take a Librarian to figure that Leviticus would be exhausted far before the other two marines.

Leviticus was feeling the fatigue creep into his muscles. He had not seen war for a long time and his musculature was not as refined as his opponents were. They moved with far more grace than he did in his armor, suggesting the improvements made by the Machine Lords on Mars. He finally saw an opening in the near berserk rage of his opponents. One marine came in with a thrust to his chest. While it tugged on his robe and shredding a section, Leviticus spun around the back of the over-balanced marine and took a level swing at the second marine blocked by the first. He instinctly brought his blade up into a block before remembering the weapon he faced. The chainsword came apart as the power sword sliced through not only the sword but cleaved the marine's shoulder guard and helmet. Tungsten teeth shot out of the broken chainsword. One section chewed into the armor of Fallen Angel watching the battle while the second section shot straight up to embed itself in the massively thick transparisteel dome.

The other marine had recovered his balance and noticed the rolling black helmet leaving a wet red trail on the deck plating. His anger brought his hand to his bolt pistol. Leviticus turned in time to see the bolt pistol being leveled at his head. Dropping, Leviticus felt the crack as a bolt round passed near his head and punched into his backpack. The force of which broke the backpack away from Leviticus just before the round exploded harmlessly. The sudden increase in weight helped Leviticus to fall into a combat roll. Using that momentum, he planted a foot and lurched upward with a massive swing that took the hand and bolt pistol off the marine just below the elbow. The Marine roared in pained but it was silenced as Leviticus finished the swing by running the blade of the sword through the marine.

Sparks leapt from the severed power conduits on the marine's front, but the Marine was not to be denied his vengeance. He brought his chainsword around to split Leviticus from head to toe.

Suddenly defenseless, Leviticus grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the chainsword. His other hand withdrew to his belt where his combat knife lay sheathed. Grabbing it with the blade down, he withdrew it across his chest before turning the point into the joint of his opponents shoulder. Stretched as it was, the joint parted beneath the point of the knife and the armored marine again roared in pain. His arm went slack beneath Leviticus's grip and he immediately went to withdraw his sword. It was lodged firm enough that instead of pulling free, Leviticus pulled the marine toward him. The marine lashed out with a heavy head butt that sent Leviticus reeling.

The marine stood next to the body of his headless comrade. Reaching down to his dead brothers sidearm. He raised a second bolt pistol at Leviticus.

Uwala had seen enough, projecting an invisible lance of energy. The armed marine screamed in pain before dropping to the deck in a heap.

Leviticus shook his head clear and approached the marine crumpled on the deck. He looked like a pin cushion with both Leviticus's knife and sword embedded in the marine. Picking up the dropped chainsword, Leviticus kicked the bolt pistol away before examining the marine. He wasn't moving. "Apothecary! This Angel may need you ministrations."

Assiel approached the form on the deck and engaged his Narthecium on his wrist. Plugging into the other marine's suit brought up the vital signs of the prostrate marine. The response was disheartening. With a prayer, he triggered an impulse into the autonomic functions of the marine's armor. Within moments, the vital signs on the Narthecium disappeared. The Emperor's Mercy had been administered; a pulse of energy throughout the marine's neural network that disrupts all bodily functions causing death. While not as noble as the bolt through the head, the procedure helps preserve the Progenoid gland in the neck if it had not been removed previously. "Take this man to the Apothecarium, now."

Leviticus did not know if that order was meant for him and quickly stooped down to gather up the dead marine. Another black clad marine came to collect the second corpse and followed Leviticus the Apothecary.

Leliel stood with a snarl on his face. Uwala smiled on the inside.

Leviticus withdrew his weapons from the corpse. He had delivered the body and prepared to leave.

"Wait just a second, Sergeant. There still is the manner of your evaluation. You have been away from Legion too long. You will need a complete medical workup. Remove your armor."

Standing before the Apothecary, Leviticus was poked and prodded by Assiel until he felt like the marine he had just killed. Satisfied that the Apothecary had performed every test he needed to determine the condition of Leviticus he returned him back to his armor. Coming out of the examination bay, Leviticus saw the Techmarine stooped over his armor.

"Mark Five armor, straight from the old Legion armory. In good field condition too." remarked the Techmarine. "Well it's good to see that you can take care of something other than other marines. Well, you managed to irreparably damage one suit of armor with your sword. Another damaged by plasma fire and the other two have puncture holes. The good thing is I can fix the last two. In fact, the armor belonging to Paschar's brother can be ready in very little time."

"I'm not tracking Brother Xaphan," queried Leviticus.

"While your armor is still serviceable, it will not suffice in our next mission."

"Next mission?"

"We are made for war. In addition, we need resources to continue to operate. Surely, you know that, being a Sergeant and all." Xaphan commented nonchalantly. "We are getting ready to depart for another sector. Lord Leliel has plotted a course to a way station. There we can hire out our unique services in return for supplies."

"Isn't that running the risk of our being discovered and reported?"

"No, Lord Leliel has some special arrangements in place as well as a few human couriers aboard ship. Now, back to the matter at hand, report to me at 1700 for your new armor. I think you will come to prefer the Mark Seven over the Mark Five. It was recently repainted and the artificer work should meet your approval judging by the adornment on this suit."

"And my weapons?"

"You certainly earned the right to keep the sword but we don't have the bolter rounds that match your bolt pistol. You will be issued a newer model that we can support."

"I'd like to keep the old one if you don't mind."

"Sure, since these weapons were manufactured on Caliban. The secret of their particular manufacture is lost."

"All the more reason to hold on to them I guess. It's not like we have a fragment of the past like the Chapter Dark Angels."

"Perhaps. We will need to prepare you in any regards. After you are brought up to our standard, you will begin to drill with the rest of the marines on board."

"How many are aboard?"

"All told, 34 now. We seem to lose them faster than we can get them. When Leliel first took over this ship, he had a visitor aboard and we just seem to be in the right place at the right time to gather marines. We were nearly a company in our own right. Since the visitor departed a couple years back, our run of luck seemed to have dwindled considerably. Now get a tunic on and meet me in the Armory on Deck 15." Xaphan turned and left the Apothecarium.

Leviticus also made his way out of the Apothecarium. Brother Paschar had been summoned to take Leviticus over to one of the now vacated quarters. Paschar brought Leviticus's travel bag and allowed Leviticus to change into a lightweight tunic until he was given the new armor. Saying his prayers, the chronometer on the wall revealed that he needed to depart toward the armory. Opening the portal revealed Epistolary Uwala.

"Brother Librarian, I did not hear you announce your presence."

"I just arrived. Where are you off to?"

"I am ordered to report to Techmarine Xaphan to receive some new armor and weapons."

"Ah, let's not keep him waiting. He gets rather grumpy when his orders are not followed precisely. I guess that's why he is a Techmarine."

Leviticus turned and followed in step just behind the armored librarian. Uwala gladly took the lead down the corridor and in the conversation. "What is your impression of this group of marines?"

"I don't trust them. I cannot trust anything. It seems to cause me problems."

Uwala chuckled, "Interesting. That aside what are your impressions of Leliel?"

"He appears to have lost his way. How is it that he has come to lead?"

"It's quite simple really, he was a Grand Master in the Legion and he has a large enough number of marines willing to follow and protect him."

"But he appears to have disgraced the honor of Grand Master and has taken to the life of a mercenary. He does not appear to care about the marines under him or the Imperium of Man."

"As to the latter, he feels betrayed by the Emperor and the Lion. The Lion for letting him sit on Caliban instead of leading marines into battle as he had done throughout the great Crusade. He feels that the Emperor betrayed him by leaving him with the Lion instead of taking Leliel with him. He was always one to be at the front of any battle and it has gotten him very far. Being stuck in the rear has turned him very bitter. I have sensed the tendrils of Chaos around him, but he hasn't yet succumbed to the temptation."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Two things; first, Leliel considers me a rival and you my newest champion. It's never deep in his mind. Second, I saw how you fought on the observation deck. By all rights, you should be dead. Yet, you are alive and they are dead. That tells me that there is something within you capable of toppling Leliel from his seat of power and bringing order back to this group of Dark Angels."

"Why don't you lead Brother-Librarian?"

"I can not lead. I still respect the edict set forth by the Emperor to his legions; that all Librarians are a supporting element to the Marines of the Legions. We chronicle the accomplishments of others and maintain the records of the Legion or group in this case. I can lead for a mission, but I cannot and will not lead continuously. That was not the Lion's way or the Dark Angels' way."

"I see, but why me? I am only a Sergeant, one that was promoted only upon the death of my former Sergeant. I never even went through the solemn Rites of Promotion. I am nothing more than a simple marine."

"There you are wrong. I can administer the rites, though we lack a chaplain. But, don't you think for one minute that you are nothing more than a simple marine. You have not truly fallen. You are still loyal. I can see your thoughts and you harbor no anger for the Dark Angel Chapters. You fought with great sadness on your heart on Caliban. You still believe in the Great Crusade. You have far more honor and purity of soul around you than any other marine does on this vessel. I know very well the exploits of Omael when he was alive. He served nobly and without resentment for being left on Caliban. He trained many marines and still much of his training is taught to our Chapter brethren. As a member of his squad, you got the best training of all. You lived on his orders and he ordered you to serve with honor, pride and humility. Were I not a member of the Arcanus Librarium, I would be envious of you and your posting."

Leviticus stood pondering everything the Librarian had just told him. Finally, he came to a conclusion. "Alright, I understand we are on our way to a star base to acquire supplies and render our services as disgusting mercenaries."

"Correct."

"I'll keep an eye on Brother Leliel and those close to him. If they stray too far from the Emperor's edict, then justice will be brought upon them."

"That's all I'm asking for."

"Emperor, what have I gotten myself into?" Leviticus asked as he walked into the Armory. Uwala walked back to his sanctum with a smile on his face.