AN: Well it's certainly been a long time since I've posted everything and I really don't have an excuse other than lacking the desire and motivation to write, as well as uni currently taking up my brain power and energy. Rest assured though that I have not and will not abandon any of my fics, it's just they may not be updated often as things take precedence. But enough of that, here's another chapter with a few hints at our Marine's identity, some obvious while others not. And hopefully you all enjoy. Thank you for staying with me, it means a lot.
The servos in his joints whirred quietly while dashing down the hallway, the size of his form making noise that suited someone a tenth of his mass. He reached an intersection and held one of the knives in a reversed grip while hugging the wall, peering down the hallways to his left and right. He couldn't see anything just yet, but the auspex in his helmet notified him of a faint heat source could be detected around the corner.
Quickly sidestepping into that hallway, he bolted towards the end where it split off into a T section. He looked down at the heat signature and noticed it was blood, human blood. His head jerked upon hearing a foreign tongue, it was guttural with some clicks and soft roars and he heard metal plates clinking together.
He closed his eyes and breathed, trying to place himself in a mind map. There he was, at the T section on the right-hand side of the wall, leaning against it. The clicks came from his right, so they must be down that hallway. The foreign tongue was faint, but not too faint, suggesting that they were speaking quietly. He placed them at least twenty metres away from him, maybe even more. He thought for a moment, he could clear one hundred metres in less than ten seconds, and if he pushed himself to the extreme, he might cross those twenty metres in less than two.
He took a deep breath and mapped out the encounter in his head. He would have to think on the fly, and silently he switched his helmet's visor to detect heat signatures. Taking one final breath he stepped around the corner and broke out into a powerful sprint.
He could see them now. Three beings who were similar to him in height where standing in the hallway, blood splattered on the wall as a corpse lied at their feet. There was a slight distortion around their bodies that puzzled him, but he reasoned it must have something to do with stealth tech.
One second
He could now see that they only had partially noticed him. He was thankful for the silence of his power armour to not give away his position, for it was a boon in situations like these where getting the upper hand would prove to be beneficial.
With his auspex highlighting heat signatures he attempted to make out what weapons they had. He could see a faint outline of what seemed to be a one-handed gun strapped to their thigh, he had no idea what its use was, however. In their hands he could see a two-pronged sword blazing with heat, most likely an energy weapon of sorts.
'I will have to ensure that does not come close to me.'
Two seconds
Within arm's reach, he led himself by the dagger in his hand, blade pointing towards the first enemy. He played it safe and impaled the first by the chest, the tip poking out from its back. His momentum carried forward and he spun himself around to prevent himself from moving any further, using the leverage of that action to dislocate his blade.
He turned to the one on his left, seeing the blazing blue energy weapon slowly coming up for a strike. He pondered to if these creatures weren't any faster than humans, or if their surprised dulled their reactions. It was of little consequence as he slammed his fist into what he assumed was its face, completely smashing the bone structure within its skull.
He spun around to the third and deflected a weak strike with his pauldron, the energy sword skipping off the ablative surface. He turned that spin into an upward thrust, burying the blade underneath the chest plate and into their chest cavity. Taking a moment to ensure his quarry had died, he withdrew the blade and took another moment to analyse the situation.
'Three down… a number left to go. It'd be prudent for me to access Security.' He looked from side to side again and tried to mind map where he was. He remembered the basic layout of the base, and there were lines on the ground to correspond to certain places such as Armoury, Command and Control, Infirmary. Prudently, they had the wisdom to not make their destinations obvious to anyone beside base personnel.
'If yellow is C&C, green is Infirmary, blue is Security… Red is Armoury.' It seemed rather simple to him once he thought about it, but he supposed that if you're fighting an alien species, sometimes the simplest things can be the hardest to understand. He surmised that his weapons wouldn't go to the Armoury as that would make little sense, they'd most likely be locked away securely in Security. He looked to where the blue line went and began following it, his loping pace eating up metres within seconds.
He had passed multiple humans while running to his destination, what he could see of them before running past seemed to be staring in horror, the colour drained from their faces. He kept his eyes wide open and listened intently. But despite his best efforts, he collided with one of the aliens as he rounded the final corner.
With his weight and sheer speed, he practically trampled the xenos, but he still stumbled quite a bit and had to roll to slow himself down. When he stopped at a kneeling stance, he could see another one of the foul vermin coming at him, out of stealth.
He stood up and hurled the blade with all of his strength, the weapon whistling like a bullet as it bored itself into the face of the creature. He looked around, it was quiet. There was no other movement but… wait.
BadumbadumBadumbadumBadumbadum
He heard a beating of a human heart… multiple. He stood up and removed the knife from the foul xeno and went to the door that led to Security, the blue line stopping just short of the door.
He attempted to peer into the room through the windows, but they were blacked out. Seeing no other way, he mag-clamped his knife to his thigh and surveyed the door. It was built as two separate parts that would close together, much like an elevator door. Taking a stance, he forced his fingers through the crack in the middle and heaved.
There was stout resistance to his movement initially due to the poor leverage, but he managed to crack it open just a bit, allowing for more efficient use of his strength. He pushed the doors up against the recesses in the wall and took stock of the room.
He switched between visions in his helmet, seeing multiple spectrums before finally being able to see past metal. He saw multiple humans huddled behind a large barricade, metal rods in their hands that he surmised were guns. Not seeing anything that would cause him harm he turned his eyes to look around, before finally seeing his own weapon. It was locked behind a heavy door in a safe, but that wouldn't stop him.
He stepped towards it and ripped the door off its hinges easily, seeing his Bolter and residual ammunition leaning against the back of the safe. He breathed a sigh of relief and reached to grab both the Bolter and ammunition. He looked over it intensely to see if anything had been tampered, but from what he could see all it had gone through was being handled by someone other than him.
He placed his hand around the pistol grip and looked at the little screen on the back of the body, little red numbers and letters telling him information as it accepted genetic print. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he loaded a magazine and pulled back the toggle that actuated the mechanism. The weapon made a dull cathunk as it prepared its deadly payload.
He noticed a terminal showing a map of the base and multiple security cameras. He grabbed what looked like a communicator and interfaced it through his helmet, the frequency appearing as a three-digit code in his visor. He mentally activated the frequency. "Marlow it's me." He rumbled through the radio.
"Oh thank fuck you're still alive!" She came through a bit desperate and stressed.
"What's going on, are you hurt?" He asked, slightly concerned for her wellbeing.
"N-no. I'd barricaded and locked the door. I've been looking on the cameras and what I'm seeing is making me feel sick." She said queasily.
"Wait… You still have access to the security cameras through your datapad don't you? Can you guide me to any survivors and warriors who are fighting these foul xenos?" He asked.
"I-I mean yes I can… I can even see you right now on the cameras. Hang on… Lemme see… There! There is a squad pinned down by a group of intruders not too far from you."
"Good, see if you can send me the information and attempt to raise a call with the Base's Commander. We are going to need to mount a cohesive counter attack to push them back."
"What are you going to do? You are only one man." She said quietly.
"If all it took was one abomination to slay me in battle, I did not deserve the title of Adeptus Astartes. Do not worry about me, see if you can get evacuation efforts started. We need to remove any innocents from this base or this situation, get them holed up in someplace safe." He suggested.
"T-there is a large bunker building that is part of the main base, I can perhaps lead them there."
"Good, start that now, I will work my way through the resistant groups and find a way to you." He finished, ending the communication. Having done so he looked up to see the red lights turn blue and an announcement coming over the speakerphones.
"Please all civilian and non-combat personnel make your way to bunkers 3, 5 and 9. I repeat, all civilian and non-combat personnel make your way to bunkers 3, 5 and 9, this is not a drill."
He set off in a loping sprint, his body moving smoothly in the direction that would lead him to survivors and marines. He heard gunfire from far down the corridor and increased his speed, nearly becoming a blur from passing civilians and their evacuating escorts. He came across a closed door at the end of a hallway he turned down to, and didn't slow down at all.
He collided hard with the door, bursting it open and bringing his gun to bear. Immediately identifying a xeno and blew its torso off with a well-aimed shot. He twisted, feeling something breach his underlay and looked down to see one of them having gotten a small blade into his armour. He sneered with indifference and elbowed the alien in the face before blowing it apart much like the first one.
He let out a small grunt of pain and removed the intruding blade, seeing the plasma nature of it and letting out an annoying huff before chucking the inferior weapon to the floor. His auspex revealed minor damage to his suit and only a slight graze to his body. It still slightly pained him, and he could've honestly gone without it, but he gritted his teeth and bolted down to the end of the hallway.
Finally he was met with an ongoing battle. He could see multiple xenos hiding behind walls in a four way intersection, while a blockade of marines attempted to keep them from moving forward.
One of the aliens noticed him and warned his teammates, who all turned around to look at him. A Captain amongst the marines took the initiative and rushed to a set of controls on their side of the wall, closing the bulkhead and separating them from the aliens and Lamenter. He rushed back behind a barricade and pointed his rifle at the door.
All he could hear was the breathing of his fellow marines, that rapid and shallow breathing that came only from when fear was truly present in a human being. The fear of being killed, the fear of an unknown assailant, the fear of not knowing if you can fight back.
He strained all of his senses to get whatever information he could from the other side of the bulkhead. All he saw was a large yellow creature turning down a hallway and using the Covenant's confusion to seal the hallway shut… He let out a shaky breath and wiped his face, his rifle trained forward.
Silence…
Suddenly he heard a heavy thumpthumpthump on the other side, followed by roars that were typical of Sangheli, before being followed up with more thunderous shots that bounced around and reverberated even through the thickness of the bulkhead.
Then… silence.
BANG BANG BANG
He nearly jumped out of his skin as something heavy knocked on the door. He looked to the rest of the marines who nodded and went to the door control panel and opened up the hall again. He was greeted with the Imperial Aquila staring him in the face, causing him to look up at those red eye lenses. He let out a strangled gasp of surprise and tumbled back, falling down onto the floor and finally able to take him in his glory.
His mustard yellow armour had become singed from multiple plasma projectiles, and small slices and knicks could be seen all over the armour, indicating melee combat against opponents with energy swords. His shadow cast itself upon the Captain, further bringing fear to his form.
There was a moment of silence as the other marines all aimed their weapons at him, all waiting for the order to shoot. Beyond his large frame they saw the bodies of six more Sangheli, all torn apart in various ways.
"Can you walk?" The voice crackled from the vox in the… thing's helmet.
"Y-yes I can." Stammered the Captain as he shakily stood up.
"Good, now take your men and go find other civilians, or link up with other squads, we need a cohesive effort if we are to win today."
"W-who are you to order me around?" The Captain blustered, redness coming to his cheeks.
The Astartes reacted by grabbing the Captain by the front of his shirt and bringing him face to face. "A man that cares more about the people than you do, now move!" He bellowed, dropping the man.
He scrambled to his feet and grabbed his rifle, taking one last look at the Astarte before taking his squad and disappearing down the left hallway, leaving the Lamenter alone.
"Aaaawubadugh." He heard a roar from behind and turned around to see a larger than average specimen charge at him with a fully sized plasma sword.
He uttered a curse under his breath before having to take multiple steps back to avoid those deadly swings. He p down towards the counter of his boltgun and saw a forebodingly red zero, scrubbing the idea of firing at the xenos from his mind.
He grabbed the blade that was mag-clamped to his thigh and studied his opponent, noticing the long length of the plasma blade and the gold plating of the creature's armour. 'This must be a commander of sorts.'
The beast sent another wide swing that he barely caught with the knife, holding it staunchly against the Xenos' surprising strength. He pushed hard against the creature with all of his might, attempting to put the creature on their back foot.
He grunted with the strength, the creature splitting its four jaws in a sort of snarl as it struggled against the mass of the Astartes. It broke off contact and rolled away before charging again, this time leading with an inline thrust. The Marine attempted to deflect the blow but only partially, the sword burying itself deep off centre from the middle of his torso.
He let out a loud grunt of pain as his auspex began to show information such as where his armour was breached and where his body was injured. The Belisarian Furnace organ sparked to life and he felt fire course through his body, forcing his body to react on instinct. He slammed his fist into the chest of the Xenos and sent them flying down the hallway.
Gasping he clutched at the intruding blade and slid it out, his enhanced physiology quickly clotting up the blood and preventing it from spewing any further, but it did little to help the burning sensation. He could hear his hearts pumping in quick unison, drawing his focus back to him while he looked up. He couldn't see that Xenos anywhere, but he could see evidence of fluids splattering the hall floor.
He snarled before feeling a rising sensation in his throat, forcing him to tear off his helmet and cough up copious amounts of blood on the floor. He stared in morbid curiosity as he saw how rapidly the cells clotted together. He remembered the Xenos and grunted, slamming his fist into the ground to vent his frustration before standing back up, heaving a pained sigh.
He reached down and grabbed his helmet, sliding it on to see an incoming communique. Mentally he accepted as he meticulously inspected the information coming from his auspex. His suit was breached but luckily the last moment deflection ensured that it didn't sever any power cables nor severely damage any organs, however he would not be fighting in any extreme conditions any time soon.
He let out a deep sigh and leant against the wall, catching his breath for a bit. "Marlow? Receiving." He spoke into his vox.
Sure enough, a line opened to her tablet. "Yes, is everything okay?"
"I've just met some surviving marines and sent them on to either evacuate civilians or link up with others… Tell me what is happening."
"The base is on full alert and the Base Commander has set up multiple squads to go and secure everybody else."
"And what of you? Are you still in that room?"
"Yes, I've barricaded it and the mother is still with me. Where are you exactly?"
"I'm not exactly sure… But I had a run in with what I presume to be their commander. Gold plated armour and wielded a full sized plasma sword."
"That would make them a… Zealot… Or at least what remained of Zealots when we were at war with the Covenant."
"You say that as if that's no longer the case."
"I mean yes, we've had an armistice with the Covenant for a very long time, around 40 years to be exact."
"Peace… with Xenos? Such a thing can be attained?"
"Well it wasn't easily attained. It took constant efforts from our Spartans and other elements of the UNSC before we could even make headway. But sure enough, after a couple of decades we were able to come to an armistice and have cooperated with each other."
The Lamenter stayed quiet, pondering a possible reality in his own universe where they could co-exist with the Xenos who weren't utterly driven to wipe the entire human race into oblivion.
"-llo… Hello? Hello are you there?" Marlow's voice dragged him back to present and realising that she had been trying to get his attention.
"Hmm? Yes? What is it?" He responded.
"I was wondering what your next course of action is."
"Well what is the current situation of the base?" He inquired, getting off the wall and reloading his boltgun instinctively.
"Well there doesn't appear to be any more fighting going on, however people are still trapped inside their rooms and not every marine squad has been accounted for."
"Give me the coordinates of their last known position and I'll go find them. Also send me the locations of those who are locked in their rooms or unaccounted for, I'll find them."
"You do realise how big of a job you have in front of you?" She asked incredulously.
"I have enhanced senses and a supreme physiology; it will not take me long." He reassured her.
"Alright, sending data to your pad now."
He saw information scroll past the screen in his auspex and nodded. "I will be in touch with you shortly." He said before turning off the communication and heading around the corner.
