Leviticus and Paschar were released from the Apothecarium a couple days later. Though ordered to light duty, there was nothing more Assiel could do for them. Leviticus and Vehuiah were together trying to improve Vehuiah's leadership skills. Gurid was testing out his new bionics, getting the feel of them before the mission ahead. Xaphan was pleased with his artisanship of the bionics and took time to watch Gurid practice. Nakriel had recovered consciousness and now he was undergoing structured therapy to rebuild his strength for combat.
With the loss of the Librarian, the dynamics of the ship was changing rapidly. Leliel was hardly seen walking the ship anymore. Taken to staying near the command deck, all orders were passed on through Jehuel or a member of his squad on a piece of parchment. The four members of Vehuiah's fire team – Chaioth, Barkiel, Tual and Esme were finally brought into the squad. The schism that kept the men separated healed as they were finally called battle brothers of the squad. Nakriel was returned to duty by the order of Lord Leliel, but Leviticus and Assiel both kept him resting as much as possible.
It took the Angelus Conturbo two weeks to get to Lucaris III, the system was nearly void of any activity. An astropathic message kept repeating that an area of the planet was quarantined and all vessels should stay clear of the area or facing being quarantined themselves.
The warning was only partially heeded. Knowing that the PDF was not prepared to handle something on this large of scale by themselves, there were numerous craft attempting landings or escapes. The PDF responded by setting up an automated defense grid manned by every available servitor that was shooting down anything that got inside their range.
Both Thunderhawk gunships left the decks of the ship and made their way down to the surface. They were going to land outside the perimeter of the quarantine zone and then penetrate on foot.
'Alright, we are up against time on this one. We will follow Lord Leliel the whole way. As it stands, we will punch through the perimeter in one of the dense forest cut by the zone. From there we will push through on a direct path to the center of the quarantine zone. We have some sensor augur reading taken from before we left the ship. That will be out main point of the search. There are also other teams converging on the target. We are to do whatever is necessary to get to our objective. The Planetary Defense Force will be a minor annoyance, but that is all. Let's get in, get the object so we can get paid and move on to a more glorious endeavor.' Jehuel announced to all the marines in the Thunderhawk.
Leviticus was slightly annoyed at being again removed from the chain of command, but he put that out of his mind as he worked to get his men back into combat form. Now, all ten marines of Squad Leviticus sat beside him waiting to disembark on the mission. Nakriel was not ready, but Leliel wanted every marine available to complete this mission. Leviticus remained silent while Jehuel continued to brief the men as to the mission. As Jehuel finished and resumed his position for landing, Sergeant broke into the Litany of Battle.
'As I stand before my foe, I shall know no fear for there is no need. With my bolter, I shall kill the enemy where he cowers. With my sword, I shall smite down the enemy where he stands. With my armor, I shall be protected from the enemy and all his foul deeds. I shall stand as a Dark Angel, an Angel of Death.'
The rest of the squad picked up the litany and continued the Litany of battles fought. They concluded when the ramp of the Thunderhawk opened to the light of the world. Both squads filed out side by side, but there was crispness to the moves of Squad Leviticus. Squad Jehuel quickly placed some distance between their brethren. The men spread out into wedge formations and made their way across the landscape toward the second Thunderhawk.
Behind in the Thunderhawk, Assiel and Xaphan watched the two squads go. Xaphan turned to the Apothecary, 'I can't remember the last time I heard the Litanies of battle recited.'
'I have. Our Brother Sergeant there said it a lot while he was recovering from the wounds given by the Deathwing. I believe he will pass through the crucible before we see him again.'
'That can't bode well for many of our brethren.'
'No, it will not. I am sure that before this mission is complete. I will have to administer to casualties caused by him.'
'Then we better prepare for a number of exfiltrations.'
'Indeed Brother Xaphan. Indeed.'
Lord Leliel waited for the two Tactical squads to arrive before taking up position at the front of the formation. His squad of five bodyguards arrayed around him. The remaining five men broke off to make a small five-man Devastator squad. Finally mustered, the small strike force of marines turned toward the forest and began their march to find and retrieve the Xenos creation.
Troopers Perspicax and Helice were moving through the undergrowth patrolling the line. Both men carried their sniper rifles at the ready in case there were any mercenaries in the area. The quarantine zone was now in place and the bulk of the local populace was being evacuated from the regional capital. Many others were fleeing on foot through the Jungles and out of the zone by any means at their disposal. The rest of the platoon was scattered very thinly along this stretched of jungle in an attempt to stop the refugees from any contagions. However, the PDF's resources are scarce and only one regiment could be mustered to secure the area after the unusual object fell from the skies. Initial reports were sketchy but from the information that was gathered before communication was lost, the object was organic in origin.
With the loss of contact came fear and that fear fed a bunch of religious zealots into declaring their own intention of purging anything coming out of the quarantine zone. Still others were hiring mercenaries to go in and investigate what had landed and see if there was a way they could profit from the crashed object. A number of fights had broken out all along the line as mercenaries clashed with the containment forces. The level of violence has been strong enough that a call to the Imperial Guard had been sent out for additional assistance.
'Third platoon should be over the next rise.' Perspicax noted as he checked a tiny map of the area. 'I can use a break.'
'Aye, so could I,' replied the deep booming voice of Helice. 'We had to have been on patrol for at least four hours.'
'Five.'
Behind them, they heard a noise. Turning around, they noticed a small group of people dressed in rags break from cover and run attempting to cross the river valley marking the border of the zone.
'Aw, FRAG! Hey, get back here!' cursed Perspicax as he broke into a run attempting to head off the refugees. Helice unhooked the handset for the vox-caster on his back and began to call in the sighting and request additional assistance.
Perspicax was running as fast as he could but the dense brush was slowing him down and the refugees had a small lead ahead of him. 'For the Emperor's sake, STOP!' The refugees had made it to the water and were fording across when Perspicax tripped on vine and fell flat into the mud.
Perspicax looked up and through the bushes at the fleeing refugees when the leading refugee smacked into a black form standing motionless in the woods in front of them. 'What the frag is that?' Retrieving his sniper rifle from a thorny bush, Perspicax brought the scope up to his shooting eye and looked out across the river. What he saw both scared and awed him.
A black space marine stood at the edge of the wood line, adorned with and animal pelt over his shoulder plates. He was armed with a chain axe and a plasma pistol. The refugee who had run into the marine stood up groggily. Not sure what he had run into, he looked up in time to see the chain axe chew through him.
The marine let out a roar before charging down after the rest of the group of refugees. Three other marines materialized out of the woods and joined in on the slaughter.
Leviticus looked on in disgust as Leliel and his command squad reveled in the slaughter of refugees. Sure, they disobeyed the law but they did not deserve death. Leviticus looked up to see Sergeant Aegisthus plant an armored foot on a refugee and slowly chopped him up in sections.
'Brother Sergeant Leviticus, do not greave at their savagery.' Paschar noted quietly. 'We have more important things to worry about.' Pointing out across the valley, Paschar noted a squad of infantry positioning themselves across the valley.
'Defensive fire only.' Leviticus voxed over the link to the marines in his squad.
Lieutenant Salebra followed up his men into firing positions. His vox operator kept a vigil not more than an arms length away.
'Tertiary Prime to Circuitio, requesting a sit-rep.'
'Circuitio to Tertiary Prime, refugees murdered by mercenary Astartes element. Please Advise.' Replied Helice.
Marines! What in the name of the Emperor, are marines doing here? 'Circuitio, has your position been compromised?'
'Negative, Tertiary Prime. Though we are currently separated.'
Perspicax could not stop staring at the barbaric display unfolding before him. He had vomited earlier at the site of the butchery. He was starting to shake, whether by fear or anger he did not know. To top it all off, he needed to visit the latrine.
The sound of weapons fire ended the stupor. Perspicax noticed that third platoon had arrived and was taking fire from the marines. Suddenly calm, Perspicax lined up a shot and lightly pulled the trigger. The recoil bumped his shoulder and his contribution to the fight was rewarded as the marine that had taken great pleasure in cutting up a refugee was pitched backward into the brush. Perspicax looked for his next shot.
A pair of heavy bolters opened up on the marines. However, without their tripods, they were bucking wildly. Behind them, a lone mortar team were finishing their setup and dialing in their first round.
The infantry squads had deployed to maximize the amount of fire on the marines. PDF soldiers were firing their lasguns as fast as they would recharge. The volume of fire would have overwhelmed any normal foe. However, this was not a normal foe.
Leliel waded through the light show unperturbed by the fact that each little flash of light was a charged lance of energy meant to kill him. He calmly returned fire with his plasma pistol killing soldiers with each shot. The thick brush preventing him from charging up the hill, but that didn't stop him from striding forward calmly. Enjoying each scream of death and the feel of war, he was enjoying himself.
His gaze settled on the Lieutenant and his vox operator. Within his helmet, he grinned as he drew his plasma pistol up for shot to fry the Lieutenants head. His hand jerked as he pulled the trigger and the bright ball of plasma drifted off target to explode in the trees.
Taking a few more steps forward, Leliel saw another target to hit and brought the pistol around for a snap shot. Too late did he recognize the brilliance of the plasma coils going critical. The heat was intense only for a moment as the pistol disintegrated taking his hand with it.
Perspicax smiled again at the measure of justice dispensed on the fur-covered monster. His muddy position had continued to go unnoticed by both sides. He had a narrow escape with one of the marines as he pushed through the brush. The marine was so intent on closing the gap with the third platoon that he failed to see the sniper at his feet.
Now his only problem was not to be hit by all the las rounds flying all around him.
He managed to get back into visual contact with Helice and he was doing his best to shift the fire away from him on the vox-caster. His only fear was that third platoon had deployed a mortar and it was nearly ready to fire.
Leviticus knelt calmly in the shadows of the trees, this fight should not be happening. They were given a mission that was more important, not tearing up the locals. His squad apparently shared his views and patiently watched the battle with their weapons resting loosely in their hands. The PDF force had not noticed them and presented their flank to the Leviticus's squad. They could be rolled up with very little effort. The Devastator squad that was following up Leliel's was also waiting to see how their more reckless brethren faired. On the far left, Jehuel's squad had been rendered useless by the terrain. The heavy bolter in his squad would get a clear shot occasionally and would let out a quick burst of fire.
Perspicax heard the whump before he felt the mud hit him. 'Oh FRAG!' He leapt to his feet and ran back toward Helice passing one of the black armored marines that had been tied up in the vines. The marine had overcome his shock when the next mortar shell landed.
Perspicax heard the shell incoming and dropped to the ground. The concussion knocked the breath out of his lungs and he took a little shrapnel in his rear end and legs. After a few more seconds, he made a quick painful dash to the cover of the lines and his partner Helice. The great bear of a man had dropped the vox-caster and in his hands was a smoking sniper rifle. Looking back Perspicax saw the tangled marine laying on his back tangled in the shrubs gripping his neck.
Now outside the kill zone, the two snipers took up their duties in earnest. Helice took out his spotting scope to scan the battlefield. A glitter of light caught his eye and he looked into the face of marine still sitting in the wood line. 'Holy Frag! There are more of them in the wood line! '
Perspicax looked through his scope and found a marine sitting in the wood line. He lined up for another shot through the eye lens as Helice called in the discovery to Salebra. The shot was smooth and true until the detonation of a mortar shell threw the round off.
Tual rolled back suddenly and all the marines snapped their bolters up to firing position. The marine quickly got back on his feet and readied himself. Leviticus had to commit now.
'Intimidate, do not maim, or kill! Ready! Advance!' Leviticus ordered his squad.
As one, they all rose and marched forward, their bolters spitting flames. Keeping in line, the entire squad marched forward out of the woods and into the flank of one of the infantry squads. The infantry squad quickly fell into a rout after being caught in crossfire.
With their flank folding, the Lieutenant withdrew his forces from the battle under the continued fire of the mortar shells and heavy bolters. As they fell silent, the marines held the valley and Leviticus established a defensive perimeter along the line of withdrawal.
'Leviticus, what was that?' shouted Leliel.
'They are not the objective, only a distraction. We are supposed to make the village before nightfall and the target site tomorrow morning.'
'Don't you dare quote me about what our mission is. Did it ever occur to you that they can identify us and then we'll have the Chapter coming down on us?'
'Yes it did occur to me,'
'Apparently not, take up rearguard and leave none alive that you encounter.'
'Yes, sir.'
Perspicax and Helice listened and overheard the entire conversation from their firing position. Helice was quietly relaying the information to Salebra. Apparently, there is one village on the marine's vector of advance. As the marines began their advance through the woods, the two snipers slipped over to where third platoon had taken refuge to tend their wounded and regroup.
Leliel picked up the pace to make up time, but still the going was slower than planned. The marines closed up their formation to travel more easily through the brush. Night had fallen on the planet and the marines were not where they were supposed to be. Through all the crunching of the underbrush, Leviticus sensed that the PDF troops will be back to take a measure of revenge from the Angels. Nothing called a normal human to incredible acts of bravery like that of fighting for your friend. The Sergeant had seen it all too often.
The call for blood was still up in Leliel, he wanted to shed more. He had forgotten the thrill of battle and the power of removing life from one's opponent. Leliel had spent too much time with politics. He had forgotten his nature. He was a Space Marine, designed to kill with the utmost efficiency and ease. His chain axe continued to idle in his hand even some hours after the battle in the valley. He had lost some of his best marines there. How did he lose marines while the upstart Sergeant Leviticus keeps all of his men after facing off against the Deathwing? He should be dead. I guess I will have to correct the Deathwing's mistake before too long.