-XVIII-
As they neared their objective Julius started to get used to the radiating presence of Malik. His sneering profit-man attitude seemed to feel normal as time passed.
Malik kept on about his planet Balharra and the people there. He talked on and on and Julius found himself drifting away. The man didn't seem to be fazed by the deaths in their group.
"Well, they're guardsmen." Julius thought to himself.
Everyone knew about the horrible death rates and the low expectancy of survival in the Imperial Guard. As time pass the guardsmen get used to death. They become numb to it.
In a universe filled with war there was no alternative. Julius understood war, war was hate. It was utter destruction. Meaningless and useless unless you make something out of it. Emperor used it to carve out the Imperium to bring mankind into the light and traitor Warmaster used it to shatter the Imperium and plunge man into darkness. War was like breath, it was necessary and it kept you going.
"So tell me about your homeplanet." said Malik finally finished talking about his.
"Not much to tell, I don't remember it very well." replied Julius.
"You don't? How long has it been since you're...you know."
"Several decades now."
"You don't age?" asked Malik curiously.
"We do, it's just slower. Blessings of the Emperor is grand."
"They sure are. Say, isn't there a way for a man like me to become one of you?" asked Malik really carefully.
"You don't know what we went through to become a Space Marine, do you?" asked Julius raising an eye brow, his expression was lost on his helmet.
"I don't."
"I was taken when I was five. The Chapter lords came to our world to recruit our young kin. They threw us into a pit filled with giant vermin native to our planet."
"So how did you survive?" asked Malik.
"They gave us hunting spears to defend ourselves." said Julius.
Julius continued when Malik didn't interrupt.
"There was at least thirty kids in that pit along with a whole family of rats. There was not enough spears for everyone. First we had to grapple with each other to get hold of a spear. I smashed a kid's head with a large stone to get one. A dozen kids just stood there some crying some frozen. We who managed to grab a spear prodded them forwards and made a flesh wall out of them. Rats were vicious, they tore the kids apart. Then when they're content with their hunt we attacked. There were fifteen of us left. We stabbed again and again at the disgusting animals. We tore their stomachs out, gouged their eyes, pierced their hearts. They died screaming, we were also screaming. From terror, from anger, from hate. Then the lords shouted down for us to devour the rat's hearts. They wanted to see if we are strong enough to stand their disgusting meat. We tore them open and each of us ate at least half of a heart. Some vomited but they ate their vomit from the ground from fear of rejection. We wanted to be Space Marines. At the time I didn't know what the word means but we soon learned afterwards."
Malik was looking at Julius in shock, his open jaw had let go of his lho-stick. He wasn't sure if the marine was joking or not.
"Are you...messing with me?" asked Malik hesitantly.
Julius grab the buggies door with one hand and approached the guardsmen. His grills was at Malik's face, then he removed the helmet so that the guardsmen can see his face.
His eyes were sure and confident.
"Am I?" asked Julius.
"No." said Malik quickly "You don't."
When Julius put on his helmet and kept walking Malik regained his composure. Space Marines made him feared deeply. Their stature and sight was horrifying to behold. They were created for war and war made man shiver.
"But that is not how you turned into one, am I right?" asked Malik.
"No, after our selection we started our training and enhancement procedure."
"Did all fifteen survivors made Space Marines?"
"Six wasn't able to bear the pain of transformation, they died screaming. Four never made it past neophyte, they were inducted as serf to the Chapter and still operate to this day." said Julius.
Malik's only reaction was a somewhat disappointed "Oh".
"Do you ever visit your homeworld?" asked Malik.
"I can't, I don't know where it is and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to leave my duties to the Chapter unattended." replied Julius.
"So we do have something in common." said Malik grinning, finally happy to be able to relate to this armoured giant in some way.
"You want to go back?" asked Julius.
"When I think of it I don't, the nomad lives of a Kavhim is the same as here, we had to loot and steal our way to merely survive. But another part of me wants to go back. No matter the strife and suffering that is Balharra it felt more genuine. You could trust your Kavhim you know. Here in the wide Imperium you can't trust anyone."
Julius agreed to Malik but didn't say.
Malik continued "And then there are those who judge us for our needs, those who are better than us and still look down on us." said Malik looking at Julius with the corner of his eyes.
"You want an apology?" asked Julius.
"Well I don't..." Malik trailed off.
"Good, because you won't get any." said Julius.
Julius' vox crackled and Iulius' voice came in "Contacts, far ahead."
"How many?" came in Ioras' response through the vox.
"I can't tell, the readings are off the chart." replied Iulius.
"Something big is happening then." said Ioras.
As they moved explosions and gunfire sounds started to be heard. There was a giant tower in front of them blocking their view to the commotion behind it.
Guardsmen disembarked from the buggies and joined up with Squad Extus to move ahead.
They entered through the huge doors of the tower complex. It was a customs and regulation building where the paperwork of the materials were checked. This was understood by the giant stack of paper mountains all round the huge hall and small cogitator terminals linked to the main processing cogitator. The work stations were empty and the servitors had shut down staying silently in their housing cabinets at the nearby wall. They looked like corpses merged into the wall. Their faces devout of any emotion looking blankly ahead.
"Protocol theta-four, disperse." ordered Ioras and the squad broke cover to fill the hall, checking every corner and possible firing point.
Malik's man just strolled in looking around with interest, they were more interested in what they can steal rather than the giant tower above them piercing the air with the aid of giant stone arcs that carry its weight. The entire roof of the hall was filled with these arcs and in the middle was a hollow tower. The bottom of the tower had pyramid shaped emptiness but the higher parts were full of rooms reserved for the manager class of the Administratum clerks.
Below the whole building was giant store depots for the past dealings and approvals of the customs office, creating a huge archive of paper and disks stacked as mountains.
There was a second set of door leading to the other side.
Beyond these doors mayhem was awaiting them.