The Tiberus screamed through the warp, all windows shielded to protect the crew from the horrors it contained.
"Heretic." Jak put his lowest card on the table, starting the round. The sounds of eating and talking filled the mess hall, the noise nearly palpable. Silently the person to the left put a mutant down. The turn like some tangible entity jumped clockwise around the table. PDF Trooper. Space Marine. Titan. After a dramatic pause, Jak's neighbor placed a Solar Mecharius on the center of the table. 'Pass' muttered Jak under his breath dropping his cards on the table before standing and leaving without another word.
The corridors were nearly deserted. Jak headed back to his dorm, the door opening automatically as he spoke his name, recognizing his voice. Jak crashed on to his cot.
"Hey Jak." It was Ian. "How was you morning," asked Jak.
Despite the administration's desires, economy occasionaly dictated soldiers share dorm rooms with troopers in different platoons and on different rotations.
"Dismal.. combat training..." Ian paused before continuing "Were you aware there are Sisters of Battle on this Ship?"
"by the warp..."
"Well if you see one don't insult... hell if anyone ever says I fight like a girl I am taking it as a compliment. I'm so bloody bruised from combat training with them I can barely move, wonder why I'm not in the mess hall? Those girls are beasts at combat. They're smoking hot too, but only a fool..."
Grinning as he ignored Ian's continued ranting which was now on the topic of his failed advances on the Sisters, Jak picked up a data pad and began to read, it had been fairly easy to get clearance to read the non-classified parts of the ships archives, all it was was instruction manuals for different trooper types against different enemies as well as weapon logs. Then again perhaps it was just because servitors were programmed to be polite when met with an unfamiliar question...
A familiarly obnoxious voice blared over the intercoms "The 355th Conscript Platoons Pi, Rho and Sigma wanted in the parade hall immediately. Repeat Pi, Rho, Sigma; Parade hall; IMMEDIATELY!"
"Guess that's you," said Ian grinning.
Jak scowled as he jumped off his cot, quickly pulling his uniform over his clothes, not bothering to properly change. He desperately picked up his lasgun and pack before barreling, ducked, out the scarcely open door.
The corridors had suddenly filled with people who were sprinting to their rooms to get their things. Jak moved quickly in the opposite direction, dodging flying passersby.
The parade hall was nearly empty but Jak took his assigned place, lifting his Lasgun into vertical position, fingers avoiding the crude sight he had constructed with two pieces of wire cut from his rank (or lack thereof) pin which was now sewn on.
The rumble of many running feet echoed throughout the room as three blocks of men formed, facing the sealed window which projected images of real space. The angry yells of drill sergeants were occasionally punctuated by wimpers of troopers who were deemed to "not be moving fast enough."
Jak swallowed nervously.
Suddenly all was silent, the three blocks of men standing perfectly still. Jak did too as a heavily built man in a great-coat entered the room. Glancing around the room, a look of obvious distaste breaking over his face, he began yelling. "SO you scum sucking low-lifes! I, Commissar Hallick have been named to make sure you conscripts die in the name of the Emperor! And don't worry... I will."
Jak shuddered. He didn't want to die.
The commissar continued "You damned conscripts are headed for Tentrynon, there is a stranded Tyranid force there and your orders are to contain it with your charred and bloody corpses, if necessary, until some real soldiers arrive! Do I make myself clear?!?"
The Commissar's face was clean shaven, and as hard as stone. His only trapping of authority was a small pin on his buttoned up great-coat, and a sword slung to his side, but his power echoed through his every action. Here was a man who would get his way, who would bend other men to his will or break them. His every movement seemed premeditated and driven by incredible power.
The commissar nearly screamed "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"
Jak whispered "yes." The Drill-Sergeants were the only ones who yelled. A half-hearted chorus hesitantly rang through the hall from most other Guardsman.
The Commissar slowly approached the closest soldier who was cowering before him. "Yes you, you misbegotten, scum-eating, bottom feeding hive dweller, why did you not say yes? Did you not understand what I was saying?"
"Sir," the soldier began slowly and quietly, Jak strained to hear him, "I did understand you but I am not sure that I wholly agreed..."
With a speed doubtfully matched by lightning, the Commissars sword left its scabbard and was in the air. The Guardsman's body fell quickly to the ground, followed closely by his head.
Silence reigned.
The Commissar spoke again. "To live where one's death would serve the Emperor is of the darkest blasphemy. This man, may the Emperor have mercy on his eternal soul, has just been saved from that blasphemy, and has hopefully saved others here as well. You will be taken to the depths of hell itself. If you fight you will probably die. If you run you will most certainly die and so I swear by the warp and the fearful denizens it contains if you run you will also face eternal damnation."
The commissar grinned
"Make your choice."
"Your Platoon sergeants will relay your battle-orders, we will be leaving the warp and landing shortly." The Commissar paused for a second and looked around. "What in the warp are you waiting for? A personal invitation from the Emperor himself? get out of my sight! All of you!"
Jak caught some of the Commissar's murmuring as he turned to leave "Have to do the bloody speech half a dozen more times, damned under priced parade hall, if I could get my fingers around the neck of the bureaucrat who down-sized..."
Jak ran quickly out the door and headed towards the practice range, a large group following him. The rest had headed to the chapel.
With every stride four words flashed through Jak's mind. I want to live. It pounded through his mind on every stride, drowning his other thoughts with sheer intensity. The Emperor and Mankind be damned, he wanted to live.