Private Uther was holding his bolter very tightly as the drop pod descended into the atmosphere. He knew no fear, but he reckoned it was close enough. It was a rough descent indeed. Strafing anti-aircraft fire from below knocked out a gunship to his right and knocked the blood angels drop pod off course. He hoped they could meet up once we landed safely, but he would do his duty regardless.
"One minute to impact" Apothecary Turalyon said next to him
"Right listen up" Sergeant Gaius rang out.
"I am aware this, for most of you, is your first taste in combat. Just stay together in formation, do what I tell you when I tell you and we'll get through this. Understand this too, those bastards know we're coming and have betrayed the imperium and humanity. They will show no mercy so shoot them before they shoot you."
"When we land we'll come under fire immediately so spread out in trident formation along the top of the bunker. I go with private Janus on the centre flank, Private Uther and Apothecary Turalyon go on the left flank. Private Fillus and private Ganus go on the right flank"
"15 seconds to land" Private Fillus said
"FOR THE EMPEROR! WE WILL KNOW NO FEAR" Sergeant Gaius bellowed
"WE WILL KNOW NO FEAR" Private Uriel bellowed with the others.
Bang
The drop pod hit the ground with a massive thump. Uther's harness sprang off and a second later he was on his feet, bolter in hand. The doors had burst open upon impact and private Ganus was first out like the eager war dog he was in training. But barely had he exited than he had his head blown off by a bolter round. "TAKE COVER! TORTOISE FORMATION. Sergant Gaius ordered. They scattered to the rocks to the sides for cover. "Assume Trident attack formation!" Sergeant bellowed. As they did, he roared " Uther and Turalyon, go! Everyone else, provide covering fire!"
He and the Apothecary advanced quickly to the outlying rock pile near the outside of the communication station.
"Sir we can't raise the other squads" Private Uther said "What? Why?" Sergeant Gaius barked. "It seems the vox is working just channels are disabled" Uther replied "Damn, alright just stick the plan. We'll have to hope the others will meet us at the objective" Gaius growled
Just as Uther heard that two large beings that looked like they had once been world eaters space marines charged at him with blood red skin, skulls hanging from his armour and horns from their open heads. One seemed to have a wider mouth with extra rows of teeth. Monsters…
He shouted and fired at them in shock. He managed to take one's head off but the other was too quick and rushed towards the apothecary. He dropped his bolter and got his Chainsword up just in time. "DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPEROR. BLOOD FOR THE WARMASTER!" The foul thing screamed in Apothecary Turalyon's face as their blades locked.
Before he could deal with that another one charged Uther and the other two world eater things were taking on Sergeant Gaius and the Privates Janus and Fillus. "FIGHT FOR THE EMPEROR. FIGHT FOR MACRAGGE" Sergeant Gaius shouted as he grappled with the world eater who almost took his head off. Uther locked chainswords with this world eater whos eyes were popping, mad and skin had big red veins running though it. Kaboom! A mortar round had blown up not twenty metres from them and they all fell off balance. Uther fell to the ground in pain but nothing appeared to be broken, Janus was in pieces, blown up by the shell near him.. Uther's right hand then reached for his chainsword but a heavy foot stamped down on his wrist. "NOT QUICK ENOUGH BOY!" said the grinning mad world eater he had been duelling with a second ago. He lashed out with his left fist in a wild haymaker but his opponent just spat blood and laughed. He struck Uther across the mouth with a massive uppercut. Then pulled up his Chainsword and revved it at Uther. "CURSE YOU VILE TRAITORS. YOU MAY KILL ME BUT THE FLEET WILL TEAR YOU APART" Uther spat in defiance.
"SPIRIT IN YOU I'LL GIVE YOU THAT! THATS WHAT YOU THINK BOY? THEY'LL END US? YOU BLIND LOYALIST DOGS ARE IN FOR A NASTY SURPRISE TODAY! WE'VE GOT MORE FRIENDS THAN YOU THINK. SHAME YOU'LL NOT BE AROUND TO SEE OUR PLAN?"
BANG
The traitor's head exploded is a shower of gore and bone.
"I've always said I hated long speeches" Apothecary Turalyon said drily.
He lent a hand to Uther to stand. He grabbed it gratefully.
"Not bad for your first go. We'll make an Ultramarine out of you yet" Sergeant Gaius said, smiling at him.
"It looks like they've had facial surgery or something. I've only seen stuff like this on Psykers when they succumbed to the warp.." Apothocary Turalyon remarked disgustedly.
Uther looked around. Though the battle raged elsewhere it had gone quiet in their little killing field. Private Fillus's body lay with his head removed. "World Eater tore his head off with his teeth. Good thing I'd killed mine so I could remove his head too. Put that in a med bag for study, Apothecary, when we get back. The fleet need to know what they're facing here"
"What the hell are we facing sir?" Uther said
"Traitors and monsters of former brothers, the rest I don't know. But what matters is we complete our mission. If we meet at the rendezvous point we can still link up with the others and knock out their communications. Come on it's half a kilometer away to the north, up that hill" Sergeant Gaius replied
"What about the nasty surprise he roared about? Should we not warn the fleet too?" Uther suggested
"Huh. Good thinking, but we need more information. It could just be they have more troops than we suspect, or it could be something worse. If we can take one alive you can ask him at chainsword point!" Sergeant Gaius grunted
"Sir at least we should ask for reinforcements? Our squad has been cut in half and we can't locate the others. For all we know the blood angels drop pod killed all of them" Uther asked
Apothecary Turalyon, whilst extracting gene seed, spoke up unexpectedly "The lad has a point. There's no shame in asking for reinforcements sir? It's not like we were short on troops in the fleet?"
"NO. We were commanded by the Sigillite himself and I will not shame our legions honour in asking for reinforcements when we don't even know how many we have left. They already look upon us as being unable to be unshackled from our Primarch's hip. Besides, the written teachings of our Primarchs says we should be resourceful with our forces. Let us find out the state of our allied troops first, then I shall make a decision about reinforcements." Sergeant Gaius replied tersely.
Private Uther thought Sergeant Gaius was being too blasé about the situation and they needed to think outside our legion's teachings here, but a look when he attempted to speak from the sergeant shut him up.
He thought *Maybe I'm overthinking this, after all it is my first battle. It'll be fine, they just got the drop on us is all*
"Right then if there are no more questions about my orders, we shall prepare to move out. I am assuming you have done the Geneseed extraction Turalyon?" Sergeant Gaius asked irritably
"Yes sir" Turalyon agreed
"Can you raise the Blood Angels or the Iron Warriors Private?" Gaius asked
"I can't get a signal on the Blood Angels frequency. The Iron Warriors neither" Uther replied
"Damn. We'll have to go to the rendezvous point. It's where they're most likely to be if they still live. Move out!" Gaius ordered
Just as they were moving, Uther's helm earpiece internally beeped in comms success.
"The vox is working finally it seems" said Uther. " I'm getting a signal from the Iron warriors. Patching it through now"
"To all Loyalist forces. This is Corporal Maraad of the Iron Warriors. WE ARE BETRAYED. Astor is.." it suddenly cut off.
"To the Rendevous point on the double!" bellowed Sergeant Gaius
Meanwhile somewhere southeast of the base the Blood Angels drop pod lay buried crookedly in the ground.
Sergeant Danvers recovered himself. He still must do his role in this mission. The Sigillite had commanded it after all.
"BLOOD ANGELS! SOUND OFF IF YOURE ALIVE!" He bellowed.
"Decius here"
"Corporal Barnes here"
"Private Arneus here. LETS KILL THESE TRAITOR BASTARDS COME ON!" Arneus snarled licking blood off his lips then smiled. Odd but probably nothing.
"Private Biteus? Private Biteus are you.."
*No. He's not. Look at the metal spike from his torso* thought Sergeant Danvers
"Shit. Fare thee well Brother. Now get out the harnesses and form up outside" Danvers commanded
KABOOM!
The shell seemed to explode outside and bullets started to patter off the side of the drop pod
"OUT! GET OUT AND INTO COVER MARINES!" roared Danvers
They scrambled out the pod and took cover behind a rock just in time as another rocket blew the pod to smithereens.
Sons of Horus Marines were charging forth towards them as the fire came from the Comms installation walls.
Arneus growled and roared "Come then dogs. My chainsword is thirsty for your blood!"
Arneus bared his teeth in a savage grin to the was concerned but tried to keep his nerves.
*It's nothing. You're just seeing things and having battle nerves. We all get bloodlust in battle. It's not the change. Even you're getting it* He could feel his fangs growing a touch. *Just keep it contained, that's the key* Danvers thought and grinned back at him.
"Right hold steady Sons of Baal. Here they come. Bolters till 10 meters. Then blades! For Sanguinius and the Emperor!" Danvers shouted
"For Sanguinius and the emperor!" the rest of the squad cried
Bolters barked as they fired at the two squads in green charging at them. One went down by his aim, two went down by Decius's bolter and two more went down from the rest. *What was wrong with them? Did they have no tactical sense? They seem charging with a fury, almost possessed with it* Danvers thought
But five more were still there when they pulled their chainswords out.
Private Decius, Corperal Barnus and Danvers readied for combat, but Arneus charged right in, bellowing "DIE SHITS OF HORUS!"
"NO ARNEUS WAIT" Danvers called but it was too late.
He leaped into the air and met the group and chopped down one with his sword before they could turn. He moved quicker than Danvers thought possible and struck down another. Then he was gored by one of the remaining three with a deep cut that should've severely wounded him, but seemed to have no effect despite the cut being visible. "DIE!" then rushed the one to his left. The shock worn off; the rest of the squad moved. The other Son of Horus moved to cut him down but Danvers and the rest were on him. Decius lopped off his head
Arneus after the last one went down bit down on his opponent's neck with his fangs. To all the rest's shock, he guzzled it down like an animal.
"What on Baal?" Corporal Barnus said
Decius just stood there in shock
Danvers shed a tear and then rallied himself. "BACK EVERYONE BACK. BOLTERS READY"
What?" Decius said
"A precaution. Be ready. Trust me!" Danvers urged. They did so.
He strode forward slowly. "Arneus! ARNEUS! Fight it Arneus. It's us your brothers, not the enemy"
He dropped his meal and snarled at Danvers, chainsword revving
*I have to try, for the soldier he was* Danvers thought
Producing his own chainsword, Danvers implored again
"NO Arneus fight it! We are your Broth..." He was pounced on by Arneus, who had moved at blinding speed. They clashed with their chainsword, sparks flying "He's lost. By Sanguinius, kill him if you value your skins!" Danvers roared. Arneus punched him with his free hand and knocked Danvers to the ground
Shook out of their paralysis, both Decius and Corporal Barnes shot wounding shots at him, both seemingly shrugged off as Arneus chopped Barnes's arm, then head off, all the while drinking the blood splattered across him. Decius drew his chainsword and duelled him, Arneus having amazing strength drove Decius's sword back towards his throat...
There was a slicing of meat sound.
Arneus' s head fell to the floor. Danvers panting, was the culprit.
Whirling on him after a moment, Decius snarled at Danvers. "Blood of Baal, what was that sergeant? You are going to tell me right now because you know, don't you? TELL me now"
The look from Sergeant Danvers face would chill an ork's blood. But he said after a moment, "Forgive me my Primarch but he has to know"
"KNOW WHAT?" Decius roared
"The change. The curse of our gene seed. It is only known to a few but I saw it before. Why do you think I was suddenly transferred here, and always asked you all to keep your temper in battle, ESPECIALLY YOU? It was to prevent this, this ..abhorrence" Danvers managed
Slowly Danvers explained how on Murder, his company were fighting a battalion of arachnids when it happened. "Brother Kalgan, always such an aggressive brother in battle, but handy in a scrape. He was his usual bullish self at first, so we thought nothing of it when he became eager for blood. He gored so many arachnids, he broke the back of the assault in our area! We cheered him on as well, damn it. It was only when he turned round and we saw his face we knew something was wrong. It ...wasn't him. It was like a beast with fangs, but with Kalgan's features pulled over in a mask. the thing he had become went through eight of us before our Lieutenant managed to put him down with his blade. This of course was reported to Sanguinius who swore us to silence, even to our fellow brothers. He said to us he would find a cure. He ordered us split up to further hide it. So, I was given command of your squad. I owed you the truth, though lad and I did not have the callousness to lie to you about it. Sanguinius can punish me for breaking my oath if he wants, I would understand, I made my decision and must live with the consequences. Hope that you are never put in such a position Decius!" Danvers finished. he had to spit out the words they were so hard to say, his grief fresh after reliving it all today in Arneus.
"I'm… I'm sorry Sergeant. All that time in training, you kept telling me to restrain myself in battle. I thought you were just being a boring old arse" Private Decius answered, still in shock at what he had heard.
Sergeant Danvers glanced at him with an eyebrow raised, hiding his amusement behind a serious face. "Obviously I was wrong, sir, but I see why now you did that..." Decius continued.
Not quite hiding a smile at Decius, Danvers went on. The smile fading as he remembered "He confessed before we went down in private that he'd been hearing voices in his head but that everyone with his "gifts" was on board. He said he had it under control though. I never should have believed him, by Baal I shouldn't have let him come with us! But I wanted us to be together as a unit. I didn't want to fail the mission by having a light squad. I wanted the Traitors to face the might of the Blood Angels! In my arrogance I was wrong..."
"It's not your fault sir. There's no way you could've known." Decius said kindly
"I SHOULD'VE known. I..." Before he could finish his painful rant, suddenly a vox message crackled in their helmets.
"To all Loyalist forces. This is Corporal Maraad of the Iron Warriors. WE ARE BETRAYED. Astor is..." it suddenly cut off.
"Shit. We need to rendevous with the others quickly" Sergeant Danvers said with urgence in his voice.
"Where in Baal are they know? We've been knocked well off our planned landing zone?" asked Decius
Sounds of bolt fire came from near the Comms Station main ramp to the entrance.
"There! Quick its not far. about 500 metres or so. Hurry!" Danvers said