Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Warhammer/Mass Effect redux.

Thank you all for your wonderful patience and support. I deeply appreciate it.

I'm very happy with the feedback I've been getting so far. While it's been a little hit and miss here and there, I appreciate your honesty and support, and I hope you continue to provide feedback and support as the story continues. Anything you can suggest to make the story better is welcome.

As always, leave a review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Warhammer or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronics Arts, Games Workshop, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide OST - Disposal Squad

Earth

Alliance HQ, Vancouver

March 16th, 2160, 1130 Hrs

If what is happening is what I think it is, then the Alliance is in for a wake up call, Ivan thought. Marching down the hall besides him were his Alliance Marine escorts, as well as Hackett and Aleena. The tension in the air was so thick, one could've cut it with a Power Sword.

Hackett was speaking to the man that had given them the summons. "What's the situation, son?"

"Not good," the guard said. "I don't know the specifics, but if the Alliance Security Council is concerned, then it's something that all of us should be worried about. Beyond that, I was told to have you bring our newest… guest along. He might know what it is."

Hackett sighed. It was clear that the Admiralty didn't trust him with all of the information. Or it could be that they don't want anyone else overhearing what's happening. "Good thing we're coming to find out what's happening."

All conversation halted as they moved through some of the more occupied hallways of the building. Desk workers, orderlies, secretaries and Alliance personnel moved around and past them as they went about their daily business. A few stared at Hackett's group, then went about their work.

Eventually, they came to a large double door that had two Alliance Marines standing on either side. "We're entering the meeting chamber for the Alliance Security Council," Hackett informed Ivan. "If they have any questions, answer them to the best of your ability."

"Understood," Ivan said. "If what we're facing is what I think it is, then you'll be glad that you brought me along." Hackett smiled grimly, then opened the doors.

The Alliance Security Council Meeting Chamber was a large room with glass paneling showing the beautiful blue sky beyond. TV screens on either side of the room were showcasing the latest new reports, as well as any video feeds from various sections of the building. There's enough room to park at least eight Valkyries in here, Ivan noted.

At the back of the room was a large desk that five people sat behind. The one in the middle, a pale man with green eyes and platinum colored hair, had Ivan's attention. Once Hackett and his group had entered, the man tapped the desk with a gavel. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome." he said, his voice hoarse and dry. "Normally, I would conduct the pleasantries right now, but we have a situation on our hands." He leaned forwards. "Vice Admiral Hackett, is this the man that turned himself in to you?"

"Yes sir," Hackett said.

"Good." Leaning in, the man asked, "Who are you, son?"

"Sergeant Ivan Tchaikovsky, 258th Kray Miran Regiment, sir," Ivan said. "Who may you be?"

"I'm Jacob Reeves, Chairman of the Systems Alliance Navy. With me are Admiral Lawrence of Alliance Intelligence, General Cassie Jones of the Alliance Army, General Stuart Wright of the Alliance Marines and Admiral Jordan Holmes of Alliance Special Forces" He leaned back. "I must admit, Ivan, you caused quite a stir with your arrival here. It's not every day that a soldier like you gets past immigration security and Alliance Security."

"It was not my intention to cause any panic, sir. I was merely following orders."

"Yes, from this 'God-Emperor' that you speak highly of," Reeves said. "Normally, that would be cause for concern, but I believe that you might be an asset in this case." He hit a hidden switch, with one of the screens to the right flickering. "Do you recognize this?"

Ivan watched the screen intently. Displayed on it was a news feed showing a large warehouse that was surrounded by trucks and a wire mesh fence. Surrounding it were numerous SWAT and military vehicles, soldiers, policemen, and a pair of what looked like VTOLs flying overhead. The feed zoomed in on the door to the warehouse, where Ivan could see a man aiming a gun at the soldiers and policemen. Even at the distance he was from the feed, he could hear the man shouting obscenities at the soldiers.

What had his attention, though, was the symbol on the man's makeshift armor. The moment he saw the symbol, rage, contempt and hate erupted in his mind. His heart began to race, and he sharply drew a breath of air. Reeves, spotting this, asked, "You know that symbol?"

"Yes," Ivan snarled. "That is the eight pointed star of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos!"

"Who are they?" General Jones asked.

"The Ruinous Powers of Chaos are the greatest enemy that the Imperium of Man has faced. It is they that have plunged the galaxy into ten thousand years of never-ending war. It is because of them that there is no peace among the stars, only an eternity of carnage. Now they are here, defiling Holy Terra with their mere footsteps!"

"Can't we reason with them?" General Wright, asked.

Ivan's response was as immediate as it was vehement. "Absolutely not! The moment you do, they will use honeyed words and silver tongues to convince you that they are right! The moment you open your mind to Chaos, it will flood inside, drive you to insanity and corrupt your very body! The only way to stop Chaos is to utterly crush it before it has a chance to spread; you must also show naught but contempt and hate for Chaos, or else it will invade your very soul!"

"It sounds like you have experience in dealing with them," Cassie said.

"I have fought them on multiple occasions and on multiple worlds, including the Hive World of Atoma Prime." He added in a voice only Hackett could hear, "They also murdered my parents to fuel their insanity."

Reeves looked at Aleena. "Is this true?"

"Yes," Aleena said. "I've sifted through Ivan's memories, and before you ask, he is not lying, nor is he insane. An insane man wouldn't question the reality of what he sees, nor would they be so vehement in their opposition to Chaos."

"Are you sure he hasn't tricked you in some way?"

"I am," Aleena said, "and Haines can say the same. Haines?"

"She's right," Haines said. "Throughout my questioning of Ivan, he showed no indicators of practicing deception. His emotional response also fits with what he told us thus far."

Reeves tapped a finger onto the table. "Would you all care to step outside for a minute please?"

"Yes sir," Hackett said. Leading Ivan outside, he closed the door.

Once they were outside, the Security Council began to speak to each other. "I don't know about you guys, but I think there's something fishy going on here," Stuart growled. "This guy shows up not two hours before this whole standoff begins? I smell a set-up."

"It does seem quite convenient, to be honest," Lawrence admitted. "However, it's also quite strange that these people show up, claiming to work for some 'ghastly grandfather'. I've even had my men check their files. Most of them appeared to be low level criminals, nothing to worry about, though they went missing around one week ago. Guess we now know what they were doing."

"Agreed," Cassie said. "Ivan seemed to know exactly what he was dealing with. When he saw the symbol on that man's cobbled armor, he practically went white with rage."

"Yeah," Holmes said. "He was practically ready to throw himself through the screen if it meant getting at that man. Either he's a really good actor, or he's being completely legitimate."

"Either way, we don't have much reason to believe, or not believe him," Reeves said. "Here's what I propose. Given that Ivan seems to be the only person that we know of that knows what we're facing, I say that we should trust him to handle the problem, but send someone along to verify that what we're seeing isn't some elaborate hoax. That way, we can confirm if he's a really good scammer, or if he's what he says he is."

"Are you sure about that?" Stuart asked. "I'm not entirely keen on letting a religious fanatic go around killing people he suspects of being 'corrupted' by this 'Chaos.'"

"Well, if anyone has better ideas?"

"I can't think of any better ideas off the top of my head," Lawrence admitted.

"Same here," Cassie said.

Jordan shook his head. "Nope."

"What about you, Stuart?" Reeves asked.

Stuart pondered the question, then shook his head. "As much as I don't trust the man to be honest, we really don't have any other options. I do demand, however, that we send someone we know we can trust with him."

"I've got just the person lined up for that," Jordan said.

"Who?"

"Alec Ryder," Jordan said. "He's an N7, and he's been around the block dozens of times. The same goes for David Anderson. If we can't trust those two, then I'll eat my own boots!"

Jordan and his hyperbolic language, Reeves thought bemusedly. "Then it's settled," he said aloud. "Recall Admiral Hackett and his guest." Once the men in question were inside, he said, "We've discussed the problem at length, and we've come to a decision. Ivan, can you prevent these… Chaos cultists from causing more trouble?"

Ivan smiled grimly. "Give me my gear back, and I'll ensure that they offend the God-Emperor no more."

"At least your enthusiasm counts for something," Reeves said. "I'll have some Marines transport your gear to the nearest shuttle. You will be accompanied by two of our best soldiers for the duration of the mission. They will be monitoring you throughout the mission. Understood?"

So, they wish to send one of their own to ensure I'm telling the truth, Ivan noted. I suppose having a witness or two to confirm the veracity of my words wouldn't hurt. "Understood," he said. "Anything else I need to know of."

"We'll conduct another interview depending on what Anderson and Ryder say about the mission," Reeves said. "If they say that the mission went well, and that they found proof that you are not lying, then we'll see. If not…" He shrugged.

"Understood," Ivan said. "I will find you the proof you need."

"Good. This meeting is adjourned for the time being."

"About time," Hackett said. "We're burning daylight. Let's move."

"Yes," Ivan said as they walked out. "For the God-Emperor of Mankind."

"You mention him a lot, don't you."

"Why shouldn't I?" Ivan asked. "Maybe you should too."

Hackett shrugged. "Maybe."

. . .

The wind howled as Ivan and his escorts arrived at the shuttle pad. Up ahead was a large, boxy shuttle that was painted in the blue and white colors the Alliance preferred for its military forces. At the door was a large crate and two men. The first had dark brown hair, dark skin and brown colored eyes. The second had black hair, tanned skin and brown eyes.

When Ivan approached, the two men stopped their chatting and walked to him. "So you're the newcomer we've been hearing about," the second man said. "You certainly look military." He extended a hand, "Lieutenant Alec Ryder, Alliance Special Forces. This is Anderson, also an N7."

Ivan shook the offered hand. "Ivan Tchaikovksky, 258th Kray Miran Regiment." He looked at the crate. "Is my equipment in there?"

"Yes," Anderson said. "I have to admit, I've never seen anything like it. No kinetic barriers, no bodysuit, nothing. Are you sure that'll withstand firearms?"

Ivan glared at him. "I've worn that armor since Atoma Prime, Lieutenant. If it had no protective value, I wouldn't have worn it."

Anderson held up his hands placatingly. "No offense meant. I just don't know enough about the armor to be really confident in it. Same goes for your weapon. It looks like it came out of a WWI museum, but if you're using it, it should be good to go, right?"

"It should. However, we shouldn't tarry any longer. The cultists will likely make their move soon, and we won't stop them by flapping our lips." Advancing to the shuttle, Ivan put the box inside, then kicked the lid off. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"Let's go," Ryder said. "We're onboard, pilot. Take us out of here!"

The shuttle engines roared to life, lifting the boxy vehicle into the air and away from the building. As they flew along, Ivan asked, "What's the enemy's composition?"

"Unknown at this point," Anderson said. "Thermal imaging picked up around two platoons worth of hostiles inside. The scanners also picked up some really odd energy emissions. Any ideas, Ivan?"

"Likely a Warp Gate," Ivan said. "If that's the case, we'll be dealing with more trouble. We may have to perform an orbital bombardment to destroy the hostiles there."

"Isn't that illegal according to the Citadel Conventions?" Anderson asked.

"Citadel Conventions?"

"A series of rules and regulations that outlaw the use of certain weapons and practices in war," Ryder explained. "Under the Citadel Conventions, orbital bombardments are illegal, as are the use of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons." His expression became thoughtful. "I assume orbital bombardments happen where you're from?"

Ivan laughed bitterly. "They happen all the throne damned time. The fact that you don't allow orbital bombardments means that you've neutered your ground support capabilities. Still, we'll find out how good you two really are, though I'm expecting to be disappointed." He snapped on the last piece of armor, then checked his lasgun.

Anderson and Ryder looked at each other. It was clear from the way Ivan spoke that he wasn't too impressed by what he was seeing so far. Perhaps that would change before long…

They eventually landed at the road running alongside the warehouse. Before the door had fully opened, Ivan had leaped out of the shuttle, weapon aimed and ready. Following along behind, Anderson and Ryder quickly took point. Approaching the SWAT teams, Ryder asked, "Where's your CO?"

"Right here." A man in full SWAT armor came over to them. "SWAT Commander Gerald Shepard."

"What's the SITREP?"

"The belligerents are currently housed inside the warehouse," Shepard said. "We've cordoned off the area, but they've made no moves, aside from a few warning shots whenever we approached the building. We got orders to wait for you to arrive." Seeing Ivan, he asked, "Is he the expert on those guys?"

"Yes," Ryder said. "The Alliance wants to see if what he says we're dealing with is as bad as it is. Take it away, Ivan."

Ivan nodded, then coldly regarded Shepard. "Have they made any threats or demands?"

"They threw a few threats at us, said that we would soon 'become servants of the grandfather,' whatever the hell that means. They demanded that we leave, though when they tried to take civilians hostage, we were forced to fire on them. They also demanded to know if we had the 'Guardian of Atoma Prime' in our company. When we said no, they refused to talk to us until we brought whoever that was."

Ivan smiled grimly. It appears that my reputation has preceded me. "I'm the person they're asking for. We will not give them what they demand, however. We will eliminate them using lethal force."

"We're following a minimum force strategy," Shepard said. "They haven't attacked us, so we're not attacking them. Why?"

"Because they want you to not attack them. In not attacking them, you're giving them time to wipe out all of you. Now stand aside, and let me approach the building. You will see what needs to happen."

Shepard frowned. "I won't let you fire on them unless they fire on us. However, we can talk to them. Maybe we -"

Suddenly, gunfire erupted from the building, forcing the SWAT teams to take cover. "What the hell?!" Shepard shouted. "SITREP!"

"The crazy bastards are firing at us!" one of his men shouted. "They're using whatever weapons they've got on hand and – OH SHIT!" An explosion of green-white flame erupted from one of the shuttles, tearing the thing apart and sending it flying through the air. Anyone caught too close to the explosion howled as flames licked and consumed their bodies.

Anderson, Ryder, Shepard and their men immediately returned fire. One of the cultists in the window was immediately cut down, his body toppling to the ground below. The others took cover, while one, speaking in some strange language, erected a green-glowing field. "Fuck!" Anderson shouted. "My bullets can't get through it! It's some kind of barrier!"

Ryder, though, was worried about other matters. "Where's Ivan?!"

They got their answer when they heard a series of explosions. Looking over cover, they watched as Ivan engaged the cultists with his lasgun. Bright red lasbeams tore through the barrier, causing the head of one of the cultists to explode like an overripe melon. Boots thumping, Ivan reached the door, before waving for Alec and Anderson to come over. "OVER HERE!" he shouted. "COME ON, YOU TWO!"

Shaking off their surprise, Ryder shouted, "Shepard, have your team provide us covering fire!"

"On it!" Shepard shouted. "All SWAT Teams, fire at will!" Gunfire erupted as the SWAT Teams let loose. The barrier shimmered, then faded out of existence, forcing the cultists to take cover. "GO!"

Ryder and Anderson raced towards the door where Ivan was at. Reaching it, Ryder said, "Hacking the door interface! Give me a… got it! We're in!" The door opened, with the trio quickly moving inside.

"Helmet's and filters on!" Ivan thundered. "You do not want the shit these cultists cook up inside of you!" Both Anderson and Ryder quickly threw their helmets on. Once they confirmed they were sealed, and the air being filtered, they followed Ivan into the warehouse.

Already, things were looking sickly. Both Ryder and Anderson nearly wretched when they saw pus flowing down one of the walls. Both of them grimaced at the foul stench in the air, a stench that smelled like death. Their boots made squelching sounds as they stepped in piles of gore and other unpleasant things. "What the hell is this shit?" Ryder asked, seeing what he realized was a cauldron in one of the rooms.

"Pray that you never find out," Ivan growled. Examining one, he snarled. "Just as I thought. We're dealing with cultists worshiping Nurgle."

"Who?"

"The Chaos God of Disease and Decay. Followers of his are granted power and knowledge, but their bodies become twisted into diseased and bloated forms over time, while they slowly descend into insanity. They often refer to him as the 'Ghastly Grandfather', and claim that all will belong to Nurgle while creating new diseases to infect others with." Disgust suffused Ivan's words.

"Sounds like you've got a history with him and his followers," Anderson observed.

"I regularly fought them on the Hive World of Atoma Prime. Now, we must make haste, otherwise their foul plan will come to fruition! Be careful what you touch! The diseases the cultists create are incurable by any mundane means!"

Anderson and Ryder looked at each other. "If the Security Council doesn't take this as evidence, then I'll eat my own socks!" Anderson said.

"They'd be fucking stupid not to," Ryder agreed. "Let's go."

Reaching a corner, Ivan peered around it, then leaned back. "Two cultists up ahead," he said. "Looks like a Rager and a Scab Gunner." He pulled a Flash Grenade out. "Get ready." Once Anderson signaled that he and Ryder were ready, Ivan threw the grenade around the corner.

Shouts of surprise were followed by squeals of pain when the grenade detonated. Ivan rounded the corner just as the flash faded. Firing his lasgun, he immediately killed the Scab Gunner. Anderson and Ryder concentrated fire on the Rager, Avengers roaring loudly. Rather than fall, the Rager snarled as the bullets hit him, then charged at them.

"Anderson, LOOK OUT!" Ryder shouted. Anderson, seeing the Rager charging at him, threw himself to the side. Roaring in rage, the Rager charged towards Ryder, only for the N7 to calmly fire a round. The Rager promptly fell to the ground, its head sporting a hole in the front and back. "You good?"

"I'm good," Anderson said. He examined the corpse. "What the hell?! We shot him in areas that were supposed to be lethal! Why didn't he die?!"

"Cultists of Nurgle are extremely resilient," Ivan said. "Whenever I used an Autogun, I had to pump, at the least, eight rounds into them. No more chatting now! Onward, in the God-Emperor's name!"

Anderson turned to Ryder as they advanced. "Remind me to get an immunization and medical checkup when we're done here. If Ivan's right, we don't want any of the shit those cultists cook up in us."

"We'll do more than that," Ryder said. "Alliance R&D's entire Bioscience division and the CDC will come down hard on this place. Biological weapons are no joke."

The team continued to move through the warehouse, encountering resistance here and there. As they advanced, Ivan seemed to stop in place. "What is it?" Ryder asked.

"Quiet!" Ivan growled. "I heard something." Anderson and Ryder fell silent. Then they heard what Ivan had heard. To Ryder and Anderson's surprise, they could hear fighting and shouting. Then three distinct voices were heard over the commotion. "I know those voices," Ivan said. To Anderson and Ryder, he seemed relieved, even happy.

"Friends of yours?" Anderson asked.

"More than friends. Comrades-in-arms. Onward!"

They eventually reached the main cargo area in the warehouse. Most of the cargo containers had been broken down into rusty hulks of scrap metal, while others had been scavenged to make totem poles of a sort. In the middle of the room was a large tree that was made out of rotting flesh. The rotten, fleshy branches reached all the way to the ceiling, with some even growing along its surface. Both N7's nearly puked when they saw eyes that were embedded in the tree, each one looking around. In the middle of the trunk was an arch that held a liquid-like substance that glowed a sickly green color.

Their attention was soon focused on what was happening in front of the gate. The remaining cultists were currently engaged in battle with three individuals. One was wielding a flamethrower that spat out yellow-white fire. Wherever the fuel it used splattered, the fire stuck. Cultists were howling in agony as their disease infested bodies were burned away by the purifying flames.

The second of the two was an enormous man that was firing away with a large, double barreled machine gun. The third individual, however, had Anderson and Ryder's attention fixated. This person wielded a staff in one hand. When several cultists approached, the person made a clenching motion with their free hand, then threw said hand outwards.

To Anderson and Ryder's shock, blue-white lightning erupted from the person's hand. Thick blue-white bolts of lightning flew through the space between the man's hand and the cultists, impacting with the force of a truck. Cultists howled in agony as lightning tore at their bodies, before each one touched by the lightning fell to the ground, dead.

Ryder whistled. "Damn… Whoever they are, they've got this in the bag."

"Definitely," Anderson said. "Let's get down there. They might need help."

"I will make contact with them," Ivan said. "I know them from Atoma Prime. Let's go!" The trio of men dropped down from the catwalk, boots thumping loudly. The giant turned towards them, weapon ready. "Friendlies coming in!" Ivan shouted. "Hold your fire!"

The giant eyes, visible through a faceplate, held confusion, then that confusion turned to glee. "Boss!" he shouted. "Long time no see! You here to help us crunch these guys?!"

"I am, Gerdus!" Ivan shouted. "Concentrate fire on the cultists! Destroy that abomination containing the Warp Gate!"

"Got it boss!" Gerdus shouted. Turning his twin-linked Heavy Stubber onto the cultists, he let loose with the weapon. Cultists were blasted apart as high caliber shells tore through them.

The third of the individuals turned towards them. "Ivan!" he shouted. "It is good that you have arrived! We were nearly overwhelmed!"

"You're doing well, Richardus!" Ivan shouted. "Keep driving them back! Lexanius, do what you do best!"

"That I shall, Guardian!" Lexanius, the first of the trio, shouted. "We fight in the Emperor's name!" He quickly turned his Heavy Flamer onto more of the cultists. When it ran dry, he drew out a long broadsword and charged.

To Ryder, it was like the man had been launched using biotic fields. With a shout of, "I BRING REDEMPTION!", he flew towards, bisecting a cultist that was as large as Gerdus. The man's blade was a blur of motion as he quickly began tearing apart any cultists that made the mistake of wandering too close.

Nearby, Anderson was firing his Avenger at any cultists that were approaching him. Damnit! My Avenger isn't even hurting them, and the rounds ricochet off any armor they hit! He began looking for any weaknesses he could find.

Hearing a loud clicking sound, he turned to see a cultist charging at him with a tube-like contraption. Seeing the pilot light coming out the end, he was about to shout when the cultist's head exploded. "I advise that you be more careful of your surroundings!" Richardus called out to him. "I don't want your death to be on our consciences!" Anderson shrugged, then continued laying down fire.

Eventually, the number of cultists dwindled off as the team worked through them. Gunning down a cultist, Ivan noticed that the sickly green fluid-not-fluid was starting to swell. Something's coming through! he realized. We're running out of time! "Richardus, I've noticed that your power has increased since we last met! Can you shut that Warp Gate?!"

"Yes," Richardus said. "The God-Emperor shared the knowledge on how to seal Warp Gates with me! Cover me while I seal it!" Getting to his knees, he began to chant while directing his hands towards the gate.

"Something's coming through!" Ryder shouted. "Ivan?!"

"Defensive formation Delta-53!" Ivan shouted. "Keep Richardus safe! He's our only chance to seal this gate permanently!" The N7s and the rest of the team quickly gathered around Richardus.

"Here, Templar!" Lex shouted, tossing a weapon to Anderson. "The Beneficent Emperor provides!"

Anderson caught the weapon with both hands. It vaguely resembled a FAMAS, but where there would be a magazine, he saw a battery and an indicator light. "What's this?" he asked.

"Accatran pattern Mk II Recon Lasgun," Ivan said. "Not as good as my Fedorov pattern, but better than your low-grade Autogun. Just remember to hit the slide contact switch when you swap out the power pack!"

Anderson examined the weapon, then pulled the trigger. Four lasbeams erupted from the muzzle before he let go. Amazing, he thought. No recoil at all. I could get used to this. Shouldering the weapon, he aimed it at the Warp Gate's entrance.

The sickly green fluid roiled, then with a loud squelching sound, a human being covered from top to bottom in armor walked through the gate, along with several others. Spotting Ivan and the others, he said, "Ah! More servants of the Corpse-Emperor! We'll kill all of you, and then make you into servants of the Grandfather!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Ivan shouted before tossing a frag grenade into the group. A loud BOOM erupted as the grenade exploded, scattering shrapnel, and bits of cultists, everywhere. "Protect Richardus! Keep him safe until the Warp Gate is closed!"

"ARROGANT SERVANTS OF THE CORPSE-EMPEROR!" the cultist roared. "I'LL GRIND YOU DOWN TO PASTE!" At that, the battle was joined.

Focusing on some of the cultists, Anderson fired his new weapon. Finally, a weapon that's useful against these bastards! he thought as several cultists went down screaming from his shots. Emboldened, he turned his fire on the leader of the cultists. To his shock, a gold sphere of energy surrounded the cultist, blocking his shots. "Enemy barriers!" he shouted.

"Use your melee weapons!" Ivan shouted. "That -" At that moment, Ryder unleashed an overload attack from his omni-tool. There was a loud SIZZLE-POP as the gold barrier turned bright red, then promptly collapsed.

"NO! MY SHIELD!" the cultists leader shouted.

"OPEN FIRE!" Ryder shouted.

Everyone armed with a weapon immediately fired every shot they had into the cultist leader. The shield quickly reactivated, but before it did, Ivan and the others had inflicted major wounds onto the enemy leader. Drawing his Power Sword, Ivan activated the weapon and then charged in.

Compared to the cultist, it was like Ivan was a ballet dancer. Every strike with his sword seemed to waste no energy at all. The power sword battered against the energy shield, weakening it with each blow. Lexanius charged in, hammering the shield before the cultist's leader bashed him away, sending him hurtling into a crate. Angered, Gerdus roared and charged, knocking the cultist off his feet.

All the while, Richardus continued to chant, his voice now reaching shouting volume. As the sickly green fluid-not-fluid began to swell and roil again, he chanted louder and louder, gold-white energy streaming from his hands. The cultist's leader, seeing this, shouted, "NO!", and charged.

Ivan was in the way. Lunging forwards, Ivan tackled the cultist leader to the ground just as the shield crumpled again. Blood splattered the ground as he hammered his fists repeatedly into the cultist's face. The cultist, roaring, threw him off, only to stop suddenly. A blade erupted out of his chest, with Lexanius appearing behind the man. "YOU HAVE BEEN JUDGED!" he roared before beheading the cultist.

A loud cracking sound drew their attention. Looking towards Richardus, Ivan watched as Anathemic energy began tearing into the Warp Gate; cracks of gold-white energy erupted across the Warp gate's surface, sending pieces dropping off of it. "BEGONE, IN THE GOD-EMPEROR'S NAME!" Richardus shouted, sending out one final burst of Anathemic energy.

The fleshy tree that served as the Warp Gate to the Chaos Realm Nurgle ruled promptly burst into flames. An unholy screech erupted throughout the place, deafening those that were gathered in the warehouse. Fire erupted from any puss and nastiness that covered the entire place. A gold-white light seemed to envelop the entire warehouse from the top to the bottom. Eyes burning, Ivan shielded his sight as the gold-white light enveloped him and the others in its radiant glow.

When the light faded, he looked around. The Warp Gate, and the flesh and bone tree that had served as its frame was gone. All of the symbols that the cultists had drawn on the walls, floor and ceiling were gone, and the glow of the lights had fully returned. Cargo crates that had been rotted away were now fully restored. Even the gore and filth that had covered their armor was gone, leaving behind clean surfaces.

Concern suffused Ivan's heart when he saw Richardus lying motionless on the ground. Racing over, he quickly placed a finger against the side of his throat. "Is he going to be alright?" Gerdus asked. "I like sparkhead! I don't want him to die!"

"Beneficent Emperor, please!" Lexanius whispered. "Not now!"

"Is he all right?" Ryder asked

Ivan scanned Richardus with his Auspex, then stood up. "He's all right," he said. "The stress of using the Warp to seal the Warp Gate for good appears to have taken its toll on him. He should come around soon; if not, we'll drag him out of here."

Ryder was about to reach down to check for himself when Richardus groaned. Getting to his feet, he rubbed his face and looked up. Seeing Ivan's extended hand, he smiled and grabbed it. "Your assistance is most welcome, Ivan."

"Are you all right?" Ivan asked.

"I will be… in time," Richardus said. "In the last moments before I sealed the Warp Gate, I felt the God-Emperor overcharge my warp powers. With his aid, I was not only able to seal the Warp Gate, I was able to cleanse the entire building of the taint of Chaos and of any diseases the cultists were formulating. The building is safe to use once more."

Anderson sighed. "That's a relief. We'll head into quarantine anyway to ensure that's the case."

"Shepard will want to know what happened here, as well as the Alliance Security Council," Ryder said. "We're definitely going to have to explain what happened here after quarantine."

"Let's go," Ivan said…

Outside, Shepard watched as the door icon disappeared, leading him and his men to take aim. When Ryder and the others walked out, he said, "Shit, Ryder! Warn us before you come out next time! We were just about to riddle you full of bullets!"

"I'll remember that next time," Ryder said. "The warehouse is secured. We've also got some more friends with us."

"I can see that," Shepard said as the others came into view. "Quarantine teams, move in. Make sure the place is decontaminated. Ryder, you and the others will need to go into quarantine as well. We can't risk any diseases spreading."

"Got it," Ryder said. As they moved towards the quarantine trucks, he turned to Ivan. "You did good," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you became an N7. Looks like you're cut out for that stuff."

"We'll see," Ivan said. "I hope that what happened there was evidence enough for the Security Council."

"It is," Ryder said. "I was transmitting a live feed back to Alliance HQ. They'd be stupid not to accept what happened as proof. Still, time to spend the next two days in quarantine, but we did good."