Chapter Two: Old Friend, New Enemy.
---Defense Station Ring of the Emperor---
The massive orbital defense fortress stood against the blackness of space as an Imperial Battle Cruiser orbited the docking bay. A Thunderhawk gunship from the Battle Cruiser, docked in the Fortress's landing bays. On the platform beside the gunship stood Captain LeDie and ten Black Templar space marines along with the several staff and servitors that were working on the docked Fury space fighters. On the side of the gunship bore the red "I" which marked an Inquisitor's ship. The front steel plated ramp opened with a hissing noise. Once the ramp was fully down a group of Ultramarines stepped out with honors mounted on their bulky power armor. Behind the Ultramarines stood Inquisitor Lysander, a young Imperial noble who was now commander of the 12th Steel Legion Regiment.
His good friend Demoritus helped him gain this power by placing all the winning of the 19th SLS on him. Lysander had promised that he would help win the war in the Omega Sector. By gaining this power he had one more step to complete this task. He thought for a moment before he walked out of the dark loading compartment of the Gunship. It had been four years since he last saw his good friend and hasn't heard from him either. He had no idea if Demoritus was dead, but a promise was a promise. He would send as much equipment to the war as needed.
Lysander walked out onto the steel plated grid of the docking bay. Standing before him was his old guards, the Ultramarines and before him was his new the Black Templar. Lysander walked up to Captain LeDie, who was at attention in front of the Gunship. Lysander placed his white Gloved hand on the Captain's shoulder and looked at the staff of crew around him.
"I'm now taking command of this station. All orders are to come from my staff and me. My first order of business is to make this station is part of the supply transport's holding bay. Supplies to this sector are moving very slowly do to ork raids. With this station as a safe guard we can assure that tanks and infantry will make it to the front lines. I will also have the 9th Imperial Fleet to guard the station and the convoy of supply ships."
LeDie bowed and replied, "Yes my Lord. We will see to it that this station is brought into the war and we will do all we can to make the war for the Steel Legion easier."
Lysander waved for the Black Templar to board his gunship. His previous guards stepped off the ramp in into a second gunship that was down the docking bay. He turned around and walked back up the gunship's ramp as it closed and returned to his seat. Looking out the side window he saw as the gunship departed from the orbital fortress and was returning to his Imperial Battle Cruiser. The stars stuck out from the blackness of space. He thought of the time him and Demoritus spent together.
The gunship neared the Imperial Battle Cruiser when the space around it started to warp. The cruiser was sucked into the warp alone with the gunship. As it traveled Lysander's mind started to break down. He couldnt stop the sharp needle like pain probing his mind. His skin felt like it was in flames and his insides were bursting. Blood ran down his eyes, noise, and ears. He drooled thick dark red blood as he tightened his fist so hard that his hands begain to bleed. His eyes filled with blood, turning them red. He could no longer hear the screams and yells of his fellow Black Templar guards. A voice crept into his mind it was like a high pitched woman's voice and a low tone man's voice at once at it spoke into his aching brain.
"Lysander. Lysander. Lysander." It echoed in his mind. "You are a lie Lysander. You will fall do to your friendship, but we can help you Lysander. We can give you the power you need to defeat your enemies and make you the Lord Inquisitor."
Lysander stood up. His knees were bent and his body hunched over. He cryed out in pain as his body begain the break.
"Yes! Yes I'll take your help! Just please stop the pain!" He cryed as blood ran down his face.
"Then your soul will be empowered by chaos and we will destroy the false Emperor of man."
Lysander awoke on the steel grid plates of the gunship. His marines were charred, bloody corpses as they fused to the metal walls. His body still felt like it was on fire, but at the same time it felt cool. He stood up with no pain. He felt his face, no blood. Was it, no it wasnt. The marines were did. He thought of what had just happened, but all came to his mind was how much he wanted to kill Demoritus.
The words kept repeating in his mid, "Kill Demoritus, make him suffer."
Lysander peered out to were his cruiser once was, but nothing but space. Even the stars were different. He asked himself were did he go, but he knew the answer and was now afraid of what he had just done to himself. A sharp pain went through his mind.
"I will take over know human. Tzeenth wishes to make this place a living hell from the inside out and I will use you to do it." He said in a dark voice.