Sister Superior Louise stomped out from the lobby to the airfield, shortly followed by her heavy weapon wielding squad members. The harsh winds exploded into the now hushed lobby and blew several glasses over much to the dismay of several pilots. Tegren quickly followed her Sister and several members of her squad flanked quickly behind.
"Why would they employ the use of drop-pod to come here?" Tegren had to yell over the wind.
"Let us find out sister!" Louise called back, her blonde hair blowing violently over to the left, covering her right eye for the most part. To Tegren's surprise, Louise had her bolt pistol drawn and walked with her other hand resting on the hilt of her chainsword, but she said nothing of it.
The group of sisters were within ten paces of the drop pod when the multiple doors on the exterior of the craft let loose a hiss of steam as the locks disengaged. The doors fell heavily outwards, revealing those inside.
Superior Louise cocked her bolt pistol and held it down by her side. Five adeptus astartes, all clad in the crimson and gold colours of the Roaring lions exited the pod. All held their bolters tightly in two hands and stared back at the gathered sisters.
"Who is in command here?" One of the marines barked.
"That would be me." Sister Louise glared back, "What is the meaning of this? Why were we not informed ahead of time that you would be coming here? And why have you arrived via drop pod insertion?"
"Apologies for the lack of warning," The marine replied, "All communications in and around Armryt fortress are being blocked by an unknown source, our brothers and sisters are as we speak seeking the source of the disruption."
Tegren was comforted by the explanation of why they had heard nothing for over a day, but something about the marine's tone made her suspicious.
"And why are you here, space marine?" Louise continued to sound accusing and had not relinquished grip from her bolt pistol. The marine glanced down at the sister's bolt pistol and he chuckled. He reached up and took his helmet off, revealing his roaring lion trademark blonde cropped hair, blue eyes and handsomely cut face.
"I am brother Sergeant Tybalt Payne. We come straight from Captain Praetus himself with an urgent task." He turned back to his four men, "Bring him forward."
The sisters watched as two of the marines escorted a mortal man from the drop pod. The man dressed in a uniform made of the finest materials the planet knew and had slick combed back hair.
Tybalt placed a large hand on the man's shoulder and looked back to Louise.
"This is Ollivar Hans Ougreb, one of the high up ministers who ran the hive city Keelo."
"Your task was to bring this man here? Why?" Louise squinted down at the stout man before her.
"The reaver titan Mourning fury will be here within the day, correct? Mister Ougreb here is one of the only people left alive from the hive whom can authorise for the god machine's repairs to be enacted."
Louise cocked her head.
"The tech priests surely work under a higher authority than this bureaucrat?"
"I have been tasked to bring the official here to sign off on the repairs, with respect sister I would like to know why you are being so hostile to our arrival." The sergeant once again glanced down at the Superior's sidearm in her hand.
Louise hesitantly holstered her pistol.
"My apologies, Sergeant. We have had no word from our sisters and have been on edge."
"An admirable trait." The Sergeant smiled and replaced his helm. "May we head inside? I am sure that Mr Ougreb could use a sit down after the trip in from orbit."
"I concur." Ollivar said weakly.
"As you wish, follow us." Louise beckoned for the marines to follow.
They all began to walk back across the airfield, Tegren grimaced within her helmet, something wasn't right. She looked into the distance and saw the small outline of the titan in the distance. Something wasn't right at all.
The laughs of marines was a constant sound accompanying Silon as he walked through the ranks of men in the now body littered courtyard. He made every effort to not step on any of the dead around him as he made his way away from the battleground.
"Silon!" He stopped at the utterance of his name, turning he saw the Devastator sergeant Greghor approaching him.
"Brother Greghor." Silon said sullenly.
"Good work dispatching that Cannoness and her bitch command squad, I thought they would have put up more of a fight." Greghor replied, offering out a hand.
Silon glared down at the gesture, but embraced his brother's hand anyway.
"Lucky for us, they didn't."
"True words, Brother. You ought put your man Allister in for an honour, his blade-play was a spectacle to behold even from the distance I was at."
"I shall consider it." Silon said. He turned to leave but Greghor once again stopped him.
"Where are you going, Brother?"
"I am in need of reflection." Silon replied bluntly, turning away again.
Silon made his way up the stone stairs and followed them all the way up onto the outer battlements of the fortress. Up here dozens of sisters had been slaughtered by his kin and though the bodies were gone the numerous blood stains remained as a constant reminder. Silon looked out at the wasteland that surrounded the fortress and sighed. He was too late, he had not acted soon enough and now all those who survived the initial betrayal were dead. The preacher's plea for Silon to help at Heroxes implied that there were still sisters alive over on the remote airfield, though how could he help them? He was surrounded by the enemy and had no means of escape. It was hopeless.
"Emperor, grant me strength and forgive me." Silon muttered, "Though I am not worthy, I am asking for your blessing."
Silon felt a wave of self loathing flow through him. He wasn't worthy of any blessing much less the Emperor's. He thought back to when the cleansing of the company first began. The chaplain's ultimatum, his battle brother sacrificing his own life for Silon's under the pretence that Silon would ultimately be the traitors' downfall and finally the few ancient dreadnought warriors who wouldn't be swayed from the emperor's light being systematically executed while still restrained within their animated coffins.
Silon's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of soft footsteps approaching from his left. Turning, he saw a lone scout carrying a sniper rifle walking casually towards him.
"Brother Sergeant." The scout lowered his head in respect.
"Brother." Silon replied.
"Quite a battle down there." The scout stood next to Silon and looked out across the wastes also.
"Not really." Silon thought to himself, but instead replied with; "Yes, quite."
"Well actually seemed like a bit more of a slaughter. The wenches desperately sought to escape and came out to us like cattle." The scout laughed. Silon's blood boiled and his suit began to feed combat drugs into his bloodstream.
"Your team seemed to do well for yourse-" The scout was interrupted as Silon turned with lightning speed and grabbed him by the head. He lifted the scout a good three feet off the ground and slammed his head violently into the stonewall of the battlement, causing blood to explode in all directions. Silon repeated the motion three or four times before throwing the scout over the edge. He watched as the body drifted clumsily downwards until it landed in the dirt with a soft thump. Silon picked up the rifle that the scout had dropped and examined it. How many lives of civilian and sisters had this rifle taken? How many more would it have taken had the scout still been alive after this encounter? Silon tossed it over the edge and glared down as it clattered along the battlement wall before landing beside its owner.
Silon turned away from the edge of the wall and began to walk back towards the stairs he had taken to get up there. It wouldn't be long before his kin found out what he had done, and he welcomed his fate with open arms.
"Sergeant!" The chaplain's voice was the first thing Silon heard when he re-entered the courtyard. He turned towards the noise and spotted the rest of the Sergeants surrounding the helmetless Chaplain, all looking towards him. He took reluctant paces towards the meeting and stood in-between Sergeant Vangoune and Greghor.
"Where have you been?" The chaplain's tone was venomous and accusing.
"I took a moment's reflection, Brother chaplain. If I in any way held up what was needed to be said in this meeting I shall take penance for it at your convenience." Silon replied.
"Oh be sure of it, Sergeant." The Chaplain turned back to the gathered group, "As I was saying, now that the last of the Sororita force in the fortress have been eliminated we shall be moving onto stage two of our task. Keelo will need to be pacified as soon as possible, since we left to deal with the situation here, there have been reports of pro-imperium rioting and rumours of an underground resistance have become to surface, the main strength of the company shall be sent in to deal with the uprisings."
Silon smiled softly behind his helmet. The people still believed. They had not cowered nor accepted the venom that the chaplain had preached in the square, they were fighting back, which was more than could be said for himself.
"Transmissions from the fortress have now been un-jammed and our strike team we deployed with Princeps Ollivar have reported that he Titan Mourning Fury has arrived at the Heroxes airfield. There is still a small contingent of around fifteen to twenty sorotitas based at Heroxes as well as a sizeable airforce loyal to them so we are to maintain radio silence on public comms and keep to our own alpha-two-five personal vox network."
The Sergeants nodded in acknowledgement.
"Brother Chaplain!" The message clicked through every sergeant's vox network; "This is Sergeant Payne."
The Chaplain's face screwed up in annoyance. He replaced his helm and replied;
"What is it that can't wait, Sergeant? I told you to wait for me to message you unless it was urgent."
"My pardons, revered one, but it is urgent. One of the Sister Superiors here mean to drive one of their transports to the fortress to link up with her sisters."
Silon couldn't see the Chaplain's face but he imagined a panicked visage. Silon's own face twisted into a grin.
"Have you not told them that storms are blocking the vox network?" The Chaplain barked back.
"I have and yet they insist they must speak to their sisters."
"How many are coming our way?"
"They haven't left yet, but I am reasonably sure only five are heading out in a single transport."
"Hah." The Chaplain's shoulders lowered as he became less tense, "No matter, allow them to head out. I shall bring out a team to meet them, that will be five less we will have to deal with at Heroxes."
Silon's grin dropped and his eyes narrowed.
"And my orders, sir?" Payne replied.
"Continue on with the plan, get the Princep where he needs to be."
"Affirmed, Payne out."
The network went dead and the Chaplain turned back to the Sergeants.
"Well brothers, it seems that more of the Sororitas throw themselves into our crosshairs." The chaplain's remark merited a couple of chuckles from a few of the Sergeants, "I shall take a squad in a stormraven out to meet them, any volunteers?"
"I will attend you, revered one." Vangoune stepped forward, "Allow me to attemp to make up for my failure here at the fortress."
"I would take you, Vangoune, but I have already promised you to the captain as his vanguard unit." The Chaplain sneered, "No, I shall take your team, Sergeant Silon."
Silon put his fist against his chest in salute.
"Would be an honour, Chaplain."
"Yes I'm sure it would, make haste and gather your men, time is of the essence. The rest of you men re-arm and be ready to move out to Keelo."
Silon turned and began to jog towards where his squad was stationed. This would be his chance. With the element of surprise and the assistance of these five sisters, he might have a chance of killing the Chaplain and his squad, even if he fell during the process.