In Orbit

Ulrich painfully wheeled himself into the command bridge. The chair he occupied could be motorised, or even pushed by a servant, but he felt powerless enough without giving up something else. The shattered bones of his ribcage flared each time he moved the wheels, but the cast around his chest kept them in place and the pain was bearable for now.

"Lord Ulrich. Welcome." The Captain stood and made to come over but Ulrich waved her back to her command chair.

"You're in command, I'm just here in case you need me to pull rank over the local forces. Give me an update."

"Tetran II has slaved their main scanning stations to us. We will intercept the invaders in 4 hours assuming they keep to their existing course. Current best guess is a Scythe class harvest ship and a pair of Jackal raiders as escorts."

"3 ships against a whole system?"

"That Scythe may be the size of a cruiser but it packs several times the punch and can shrug off the sustained firepower of a small fleet. The Jackals are less potent but any regular capital ship would struggle to get a good broadside off as they are so fast and hard to target. Under normal circumstances those three ships would be more than enough to take out the orbital defences of almost any unprepared world. And they are necrons. They don't need huge transport ships, they will just teleport in as many ground troops as they need."

"Are we their target?"

"Unknown, they were headed for Hive Primus on Tetran I but changed course to intercept us. Whether that makes us the target or just in the way..." She gave an equivocal gesture. "There's two light cruisers and three Cobra class destroyers that were attached to the Imperial Guard regiment currently in system. They are less than two hours out. All System Defence Vessels in orbit around any of the home planets are already in formation or arriving in the next 90 minutes. Those patrolling the nearest areas of the asteroid belt will probably make it before the necrons so that could boost our numbers by another 20%. The strategic reserve is activated, though the PDF crews are either raw recruits or part time reservists so don't expect them to do anything but point in more or less the right direction and fire shots that are moderately more likely to hit the necrons than any friendly ship."

"They all accept your authority?"

"So far. Their sensors are barely able to track the necrons so the fact the mechanicus are only broadcasting tracking data to us makes them dependant. And of course makes us even more of a target."

Ulrich wheeled himself in front of the main display. The Tetran cluster was a large blob, the cordon of defensive ships a comfortingly large green cloud of smaller ones. Still the three red intruder icons took his attention. He shivered and wondered how the insertion team was getting on.

Inside the pillar

The trek to the building had been long, but uneventful. Nothing more sinister than shadows had threatened the team. Beyond the deactivated monoliths there was no sign that the road had ever been used. It ended at the wall, which now they had reached it was disturbing in new ways. The dark stone of its manufacture was mirror smooth and met the ground at a right angle. Cormack had briefly been distracted measuring both in the hope of finding some sort of imperfection, but to the limits of his considerable instrumentation both registered as perfect. The road simply ran into a rectangular opening exactly the road's width and three times that high. This carried on perfectly uniformly for a few hundred metres. Every ten paces was a thin band that ran across the floor, up the walls and across the ceiling. The bands glowed a dim green and this was the only illumination. Kryn was bleakly amused to see even the imperturbable Space Marines were carefully making sure they did not step on the lines. Just as the cavern was becoming familiar it then ended at an opening that was a square three metres wide by three high.

Kryn stopped and turned full circle in confusion.

"So why have this tunnel if it just stops. it makes no sense."

"Xenos." hissed one of the Space Marines as if that covered everything she could want to know.

"You think there is a hidden portal?" Asked Tarik. He consulted his wrist slate. "We're about level with the surface here." He walked to the wall, and put his hand on it, then frowned and put a foot to it, gingerly transferring his weight until he was standing on the wall at right angles to what the others were considering to be the ground. He walked up then repeated the trick with the ceiling, looking up, or down depending on your perspective nearly 400 metres to where the rest of the group stared with horrified fascination.

"That is, odd." Stated Cormack, moving close to the wall with a set of small instruments, apparently unwilling to repeat Tarik's actions. "Please throw something to me. Preferably light and not valuable."

Tarik took a small flare from one of his utility pouches and dropped it. It fell as normal except that it landed on the ceiling. He picked it up and threw it towards Cormack. The flare slowed, then appeared to drift across the centre of the chamber before falling in a strange curve towards Cormack's outstretched hand.

"Not that sort of light, but thank you."

"There are various markings and texture changes here and on the, well let's call them walls. Could well be some sort of portal."

"So 4 separate files of troops can march out in then fill up the staging roads." Menalis stated. Then grudgingly added. "Efficient."

"As far as I can tell it is not gravitational plating. The necrons have simply altered the direction of gravity to suit their needs." Cormack added as Tarik walked quickly back to join them. "It seems excessive when they could just have built 3 other tunnels."

"You have the readings you need." Tarik made it clear in tone that it was a statement not a question as he walked through the doorway beneath another helix in circle symbol and into the first of what seemed an almost infinite number of chambers.

Each chamber was the size of a shuttle bay and lined with pods. Each pod a dark metallic cage with a transparent front containing the silent metal carcass of a Necron warrior. They lined the walls stretching up until lost in the gloom. Tracks between the pods suggested some automated way of lowering them to the ground. Until that time their undying cargo grinned fixedly into the uncaring dark. Each chamber had four exits, set at right angles, and through each exit could be seen yet more chambers. Most were identical. A few held different necron forms. Others held vehicles though it was not always clear how those vehicles would exit the chambers. Perhaps the complex had been built up around them and they were now trapped or maybe the ancient techno sorcery of the Xenos would allow them to be teleported from their hibernation. They kept in a mostly straight line, Occasionally moving a chamber across at Syrano's direction as he focused on following the psychic spoor left by the tagged Necron.

The human contingent of the recon force was beginning to become inured to the danger that surrounded, so when there was movement their reactions were dulled. A tomb spyder, drifted into a chamber through one portal as the humans entered through another. The Stormtroopers were well trained and quickly formed a battle line aiming at the alien monstrosity. But by the time they had done this 4 of the Space Marines had subjected it to a withering hail of bolter shells as Gottries ran towards it, power fists sparking. The alien machine appeared confused. Its multiple limbs snapping out even as bolt rounds sheared several of them. A weapon's mount gave green sparks as a well-aimed shot jammed it as it tried to track from those firing to the apparently more pressing threat of the enraged Gottries. Before the Spyder could do any more a power fist smashed through its sensor cluster, a second grabbed one of the remaining limbs and used it to lever the whole creature into a spin that smashed it against the nearest wall. The front of the cases shuddered, but whatever the material was that they were constructed from was sturdier than the metal creature that had been tending to them.

At this point the Stormtroopers were ready to add their firepower but it was unnecessary. The carcass of the machine, no longer able to levitate itself twitched on the floor, its remaining limbs incapable of moving or attacking. Gottries nonetheless methodically removed each, throwing the remnants into the next chamber.

"I think it might be dead now." Menalis broadcast to his brother in arms when he continued stamping on the broken remnants. "I admire your caution but we do need to keep moving."

Gottries span round and stared as if looking for mockery. But only saw an unmoving visor. Eyes glowing red as the power armour's systems scanned for other threats in spectra beyond the human normal. He grunted in acknowledgement then, giving the sensor cluster one final kick he fell back into formation.

"Clear." He voxed and the Marines began to move off, assuming the humans would follow. They did but only for two more chambers before Menalis raised a clenched fist and they all froze in place. Kryn turned up the gain on her helmets audio feeds. First she heard nothing but a deep mechanical hum, but then she could pick what had alerted the Marines, footsteps. Lots of the them, marching in time.

The dark technoscorcery of the Necrons was undoubtedly capable of picking up vox transmissions so Menalis gave a quick series of gestures as he and the other Astartes flattened themselves either side of one of the entrances. 5 troopers went right, another 5 left including the trooper with the grenade launcher to prevent any attempt to flank the group or, if possible, set up a crossfire. The remaining two troopers set up covering the rear. One with a sniper rifle that he stowed in favour of a laspistol. The close quarters likely to make the unwieldy long weapon a liability. Kryn slipped her bolt pistol out of its holster and gave a nod to Tarik who had a blade ready in one hand, pistol in the other. Given the firepower the Astartes possessed, if it came down to their pistols making the difference they were in a lot of trouble.

The footsteps were now clearly audible. The strides in such unison Kryn could not tell how many there were. The Marines waited, apparently nervelessly, as the march grew closer. The first pair or necron warriors just appeared at the entrance and the Astartes blurred into life. Gottries grabbed one, powerfist pulsing as it smashed through the torso. Syrano slashed down with some sort of psychic blade that carved through the other like it was made of paper. The other three moved out of cover, fired off a clip each then dived back as the first few blasts of gauss fire began. Two more grey skeletons reached the entrance and were just as quickly dispatched as the first two while Baelin, Menalis and Xistos changed clips. The two that followed swung their gauss rifles, the under-slung blades making them formidable close combat weapons under normal circumstances. Gottries grabbed the first as it came down smashing it back into the owners face with brute strength then picking up the struggling alien and throwing it bodily into the next rank. Syrano cut his opponent in two ducking under the clumsy attack and kicking the remnants through the entrance where they would get in the way of the advancing necrons.

Tarik ducked in front of Syrano, fired a shot through the eye socket of the nearest walking necron and surveyed the carnage. A file of necron warriors was marching into the far end of the next chamber. A shambolic pile of damaged and downed necrons was at the other end. Some apparently down for good, others twitching as bolter damage healed and broken limbs straightened. While a few of the new arrivals were making something akin to a firing line it was more due to them walking around their fallen comrades than any attempt to bring their superior numbers to bare in a tactical fashion. Tarik's analysis took a fraction of a second and then he ducked back out of the entrance chased by accurate but late blasts from gauss rifles.

"Squad 1 grenades, squad 2, pincer and hit them with a cross fire on my mark." Tarik yelled into his vox. He looked at Menalis who gave a nod.

"Mark!"

Syrano and Gottries charged out of cover, jumping over the pile of bodies and smashing into the front line. Their three companions stepped out behind them and laid down withering fire. The rapid stream of bolts somehow missing the fast moving Astartes and connecting with necrons who were attempting to fire. There were a few desultory return shots but the necrons seemed confused at the close packed combat, trying to avoid shooting their fellows.

Grenades dropped down the file of necrons the explosions sending the metal warriors flying in all directions. While dented and battered few were put out of the fight. Even those who lost limbs quickly tried to rise but hellgun blasts started cutting down any that attempted to get to their feet. Within seconds all that was left were a handful of standing warriors in close combat with Gottries and Syrano. The rest of the task force brought their weapons to bear, but as the necrons before them were unwilling to fire without a clear shot. The necron rifles' swung, the underslung blades keening through the air, but the two Marines were faster, stronger and never where the attacks were aimed. Blade and powerfist whittled down the survivors. Even as they fell the other 3 members of the Deathwatch squad were advancing with blades drawn ensuring downed necrons stayed down, removing heads or any vital looking exposed machinery. Kryn and Tarik moved to over watch positions as the stormtroopers joined the dispatch. Xistos took the head of another necron, then dropped to a knee.

"Memoriae Zanthas, Honour Sergeant, 4th Platoon. Thou art avenged tenfold. Rest easy brother." he then stood and resumed his grim business.

Tarik looked puzzled and waved Cormack over.

"Shouldn't they have phased out by now?"

"Typically they will teleport away if a force suffers more than 50% losses. Perhaps us being inside an active facility has altered their parameters."

"Even so..." Tarik paused to slash a blade through the arm of a Necron that was slowly crawling towards its rifle, the xenos' progress already hampered as both legs and half the torso had been ripped away. "...usually they don't leave the remains to pick over."

Cormack took a small sampling bottle from under his robe and swept in a few fragments of the silvery metal that made up the Necron bodies.

"Are we clear?" Tarik voxed looking over the pile of downed bodies.

"You can never be sure, but at least for now it seems so." Replied Syrano.

"OK move out."

Tarik made a swift gesture that only Menalis caught. The Astartes moved to the back of the group.

"I'll take the rearguard."

Without acknowledgement the other four continued their earlier rapid advance and the stormtroopers fell in behind them. Tarik dawdled to a position just in front of Menalis and turned his vox to a personal channel.

"That was tactically unsound." He stated when he was sure none of the other Marines would be able to hear him.

"The necrons? Individual warriors have no higher level tactical awareness. If you gave a PDF battalion similar weapons and equivalent near-invulnerable armour they would be substantially more deadly than a necron formation. They would take cover, flank or at least sometimes show some initiative. Led by an intelligent commander necron units are very effective, without one they simply head to the nearest visible enemy and attack. Given their lack of guidance here I assume our target is otherwise engaged."

"I am aware of necron idiosyncrasies." Tarik responded, a sarcastic tone evident in his voice. "I was more concerned with our own. The necrons were happily walking into a kill box, we had open angles from three sides and then two space marines equipped with ranged weapons put them away and charge into the kill zone blocking fire from one direction entirely and severely compromising the firing arcs of the other two."

"What do you know of the Deathwatch Inquisitor?"

"Little. I have fought alongside them on occasions, but your organisation is secretive, I have never seen reason to pry."

"Inquisitor you requested a Deathwatch kill team. You got us not because we were the best but because we were available. In a universe that is falling apart we were available because no one wants us. The rift swallowed many worlds, and many Deathwatch teams. Many of those who were left knew their Chapters were in life or death struggles for survival. The sacred oaths they made to the Deathwatch pitted against the lives of their battle brothers. To leave would dishonour their Chapter, but without them their Chapter might die and what good would their honour be then. And then there's us." Through this speech Menalis maintained a totally stoic tone and continued monitoring the angles, ensuring they kept up with the body of the force while checking each shadow for potential attackers. Only now did a touch of emotion colour his words. "Blackshields. Historically any disgraced Astartes could apply to join the Deathwatch. His armour would be painted black, chapter sigils included, and no one would ask anything other than his name. Now we take that mantel for our own. Our chapters' are dead. Homeworlds' swallowed. We have nowhere to go. No honour to save. We are the reminder of everything the other battle brothers could lose. So they throw us together and send us off on any mission that will get us out of sight. And we paint over the reminders of what we were."

"So you are trying to get killed?"

"No. We are not capable of that. But we are broken, each in our own way. All the conditioning, all the training, all the modifications don't change the fact we were human. Our breaking points so much harder to reach, but we reached them. Gottries wants to die, but suicide is now unthinkable for us so he throws himself at enemies. He'd say it is revenge, honour, thirst for the fight, but each time part of him is hoping this will be the enemy that ends it. Baelin is convinced he is going back to his chapter at the end of his service. He talks about the dead brothers he looks to be reunited with and we say nothing. Syrano is the worst. Glacial calm then volcanic rage. He's a Librarian, emotions are a doorway for the forces of the warp and he spent his life mastering them, but slowly that mastery is slipping away and the rage is consuming him. If it does maybe only you would be able to stop him."

"You and Xistos seem to be... functional."

"Xistos, yes maybe. He is bitter, twisted and cynical. But he is also aiming to kill ten enemies of the Emperor in payment for each of his brothers who fell. Every ten he inscribes another name inside his armour. It is purpose. Though I don't know what will happen should he survive to mark the last name, I suspect it will be his own."

"And you."

"I keep my Deathwatch brothers alive and pretend that is enough. I'm worse than Baelin."

Tarik walked in silence for a time.

"Thank you for your candour." He said finally and increased his pace putting himself back among the stormtroopers. Behind him Menalis was the image of martial perfection, still watching the angles. His visor an impenetrable mask.

It was then the horror started.