"He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it."- George Orwell
POV-Third person, multiple
The initial march on the main spire had been mostly uneventful for the mixed contingent of guardsmen Jericus found himself in, but upon arrival the already battle weary imperials had only pitched combat as greeting. Lasfire and tracer rounds whizzed back and forth from fortified positions and the air was thick with the smell of cordite and ionizing particles. Imperial forces had essentially surrounded the heavily fortified main spire, the hub of city-32, with its fall the Imperials were practically guaranteed a quick wrap up of the campaign.
It was just too bad that the traitorous elements of the Tartarian PDF as well as the rebels had shut up the spire tighter than a crabs arse. Jericus' thoughts weren't really focused on these particular facts though; no for him he was again lost in the sheer scale of city-32, the main spire being the largest structure he had seen by far, a small city in its own right.
Baroque architecture rose high into the clear square around the spire, skyways flowed to and from various levels of the spire connecting it as though it were the brain to city-32's nervous system. Blocky, almost sharp looking chunks of building made for and imposing visage, the domed roof topping off the magnificent structure, though none on the ground could see such from their vantage.
"S-1049, pay attention," Fenria whispered sharply dragging him back into the present situation. So occupied with admiring the local architecture Jericus had been ignoring what would be their battle plan being relayed by Watchmaster B-63.
"So, it seems some Hoarfell scouts have found a maintenance passage leading into the bowls of the spire, unguarded and ripe for us to pay the enemy a visit. Now apparently the spire has void shields on all of the entrances above ground, our job is to get in there and disable those shields so that the rest of our forces can storm the castle and bring this fight to an end," B-63 elaborated. "Our Hoarfell friends are waiting for us at the entrance of the passage, so we best not keep 'em waiting, time to move out troopers."
Jericus started forward in step with everyone else, his fire-team now down a man along with their Hoarfell counterparts as well as the remnants of Sergeant Joss' own squad the ones tasked with the mission. The team being relatively small to make movement easier once they reached the inside of the spire.
The conglomerate of troopers made their way through the streets surrounding the spire, catching glimpses of small firefights occurring between their comrades and enemy forces left outside of the spire, whether deliberately or simply abandoned by their commanders Jericus wasn't sure. Though judging from the near chokehold the Guard had around the perimeter of the spire he would guess the former.
Walking through the war-torn, desolate streets Jericus was reminded of his home city Clonevan during the waning days of the six month war on Surris. By the end of that small time period Clonevan had practically been reduced to rubble, the husks of former buildings looming over their residents like the corpses of leviathans forgotten in the annals of time.
City-32 was so much bigger though, and while the rubble and debris clogged streets as well as the blown out building faces were apparent the shear scale of it all made these destructive results of war seem to be little more than scratches to the goliath that was City-32.
Soon enough their small column came to what looked to be the entrance to a fairly big tunnel tucked away behind two massive buildings and all but completely obscured from the outside world. At the entrance of the tunnel they saw the Hoarfell scouts that had found their entrance into the spire.
Jericus was more than a little surprised to see that it was none other than Xavier's fire-team waiting for them, the grizzled Sergeant Grimes standing up from his seat on a chunk of rockcrete to come and greet them while the rest also began to remove themselves from the ground, or their places leaning against a nearby wall.
"Good to see you again Watchmaster B-63, I was hoping that'd be you the 82nd would be sending, and even Sergeant Joss, a pleasure as always Ma'am," Grimes greeted a grin blooming across his scared face.
"You as well Sergeant, I hope we didn't keep you and your men waiting too long," B-63 spoke up first.
"No, not at all, blank timing continues to be perfect Watchmaster," Grimes remarked offhandedly, though not unfriendly.
"Enough with the pleasantries gentlemen, let's get this done, my troopers are itching for some action," Joss interjected.
"Yes Ma'am," the two responded quickly.
"Good, then lead the way Sergeant Grimes," Joss' face held a satisfied smirk, though it was obscured by the mirrored faceplate of her helmet.
"Hold on to that thought Sergeant, can't go anywhere without me," a female voice stated, the tone mechanical with what sounded like synthesized cheer. Jericus found his attention drawn to the now obvious figure standing within the Hoarfell group, her red robes telltale signs of the cult Mechanicus. One arm seemingly normal judging by what was visible past the robes sleeve the other augmetic, ball joints rotating it at unnatural angles seemingly of its own volition—a nervous tick perhaps—meanwhile two mechadendrites flowed around her robed form, one going to idly pick at the material while the other adjusted the hood. From under the hood peered green-lit optics that replaced her eyes apart from which the rest of her face appeared free of any obvious augmetics.
"Watchmaster B-63, it's good to see you again," she giggled at the slight twitch of the 82nd veteran.
"Why are you here Kerelia," B-63 questioned with some genuine surprise and concern in his voice Jericus noted.
"What? You think any of you could disable a void shield generator?"
"The cog-girl's right, other than blowing it up us grunts wouldn't have a clue. And from what Miss Chevel here has been telling me for the last twenty minutes that would be a very bad idea," B-63 gave Grimes a look. "In other words we need her Watchmaster."
Jericus could tell from his body language that B-63 did not like that piece of news one bit; the man all but groaned his frustration at the situation. For her part Kerelia simply gave another giggle, something a little disturbing simply because of the partially mechanical sound to it.
"Don't worry 'bout it 63, it'll be just like old times, besides you know I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, being a tech-priestess in service to the Imperial Guard I ought to be," she stated with mirth in her voice. "Now I think Sergeant Joss has the right idea, let's get this show on the road." She turned to make her way toward the tunnel. B-63 still stood in place, from his stance it was easy to tell that he was glaring at the retreating tech-priestess.
"First time I ever saw a blank stunned," Sergeant Joss commented idly as she led her squad past B-63 and his fire-team, some of them chuckling at his expense. Grimes merely gave the Watchmaster what seemed to be an apologetic shrug before turning and following after the servant of the mechanicus, his own men following him.
"Watchmaster," Fenria piped up, noticing her superior still unmoving. Her unspoken question prompted the man into action as he ordered them to move out and follow their comrades who were already disappearing into the gloom of the tunnel.
Once inside the group formed with the korpsmen on point their heavier armour making them the best choice incase of conflict, Hoarfell in the middle guarding Kerelia, and Randon taking up the rear of the formation. The tunnel was big, just like everything in city 32; Jericus took to peering into the gloom of the off-shoots trying to discern what could be lurking in those dank corridors.
Images of monstrous orks flooded his mind, maniacally grinning green faces filled with jagged and uneven tusk-like teeth, small pig-eye's gleaming with perverted joy, and all for the ending of his life. How such things could exist in the universe he honestly still could hardly fathom, on Surris he had been sheltered, and then that ignorance had been shattered.
"The main branch we're following right now should lead us to the generator room. Schematics of the spire indicate that it was built in the sub-level where we'll end up, intel suggests that there should be minimal if any enemy guards, seems they're too occupied with the outside assault to bother with it. Plus the tunnel is very obscure in the blueprints, so they probably won't even expect us to even know about it," Kerelia piped up from the middle, her cheerful tone breaking Jericus from his dark thoughts.
"That's great… I assume it was you that found these schematics," B-63 probed.
"Never assume 63, it makes an ass out of you and me," she chuckled back, tone playful. "But yeah, yeah it was me, and let me tell you the General was very glad that I had."
"I bet he was, the old man will do anything to get a fight over quick as possible. We probably could have cracked into the spire by sheer force, but that would have probably taken days, and lost us quite a few men," Grimes put in. It was well known among the three regiments that the Hoarfell General Augustus Flend was the one in charge, the colonels of both the 82nd and 145th deferred to his judgment should he push an issue.
"Knowing the colonel he may have disapproved…" B-63 let his comment hang in the air.
"Oh he did. Didn't want to waste men going through here on what could be a wild goose chance," the cog-girl supplied.
"I thought you said this will lead to the generator, and its 'chase', not chance," Sergeant Joss spoke up, her tone questioning yet indifferent.
The tech-priestess laughed somewhat sheepishly. "Well it should, the schematics are old, and I had to dig through a lot of garbage data to find them, that cogitator's spirits weren't happy with me. But records indicate that city-32's central Spire hasn't gone through any renovation for decades, so the general trusted me enough to give me a squad of troopers, all of you, to get me there."
"Kerelia if this turns out like Foobar-three…"
"Will you stop bringing that up 63? I said I was sorry, anyway this isn't gonna turn out anything like that, I'm positive the Omnissiah wouldn't lead me wrong on this," she said interrupting B-63's comment.
"Fine, but you still owe me for what happened," B-63 stated seriously.
"Would you look at that, looks like we're here," the cog-girl said seeming to completely ignore the Watchmaster.
An open and very dusty hatchway lead into an expanded room where the void generator was currently buzzing away to produce the shields for the entire bottom floor of the main spire, consoles stood out easily, though the numerous and confusing configurations of the buttons left everyone save Kerelia scratching their heads.
"You'd think they'd have guards down here what with it being so important and all," Cain whispered to Xavier who nodded in reply his eyes glued to the buzzing generator.
"Most of this is controlled from the main cogitator in the upper reaches of the Spire. We're gonna take it offline from the main analogue interface, the governor probably doesn't even know it can be shutdown from anywhere else," Kerelia spoke offhandedly surprising Cain who hadn't known of her enhanced hearing.
Moving past the gawking guards she went directly to the control console, her hands, and mechadendrites becoming a blur of motion as she began to work on shutting the generator down. Scant moments passed before the generators constant buzz began to whine down, finally becoming silent as the grave.
"Okay and we're good to go, best vox that in to command," wiping her forehead dramatically as if she had built up a sweat, though her augmetic parts made that nearly impossible.
Sergeant Joss turned to her incredulously. "That's it?" Her expression full of uncertainty clear to all since she had flipped her face-plate up.
"Of course, this is so old I could operate it in my sleep. Generator ain't on anymore, and the shields should be fizzling out right about now," she stated matter-of-factly tapping a chronometer built into her augmetic arm.
"Well that went surprisingly smooth," Sergeant Grimes commented. "You heard the lady Xavier; get the news voxed to command."
Xavier quickly began to work his vox-unit to relay the information. "This is task-group gamma, do you read command," a pause as the answer came through. "Affirmative, Magos Chevel has just finished shutting down the void-shield generator. Repeat void-shields are down, offensive is a go over," he clicked off waiting for the response; listening intently he heard the slightly static-filled words seep through the connection.
"Copy sir will do, over and out," turning toward the group he took a breath. "Magos Chevel, command wants you to get to the main control room for the spire to find out where the governor will be and to disable any internal defenses that might hinder our comrades. We will be continuing to escort you,"
"Sounds fantastic to me, now we shouldn't dally, main control is this way, but first I'd like a word with you fine C.O's," she responded cheerily.
"Great more time for things to go toss-up," B-63 muttered to himself. Jericus felt his curiosity bubbling up at the strange interactions that had been happening between his watchmaster and the magos.
"What do you think is up between the Watchmaster and her," he decided to voice his question to Fenria quietly, the watchmaster was a bit away and luckily the cog-girl was animatedly discussing something with him while he just nodded along, probably information on the spire pertaining to their extended mission.
"This troopers woman senses are tingling," she stated with slight curiosity of her own.
"Ah, so you two want in on the pool," the two jumped at B-80's sudden intrusion. "No need to get jumpy troopers, it's fairly common knowledge that B-63 and Magos Chevel have a past of sorts. The current pool among the grenadiers is up to 800 crowns, bets are on if the two will ever get over their issues and just get together already," he chuckled good-naturedly.
"So, what happened on Foobar-three," Fenria piped up after a moment.
"Chevel had some similar plan based on blueprints of a power plant. Long story short it was a toss-up and a few of our people died," B-80 elaborated with a slight sigh. "You can't blame her too much though; we make decisions in war, and there are gonna be times when they backfire on us. But B-63 is a stubborn man, so instead we get to watch all that sexual tension until it boils over… or they kill each other,"
"Wouldn't a relationship be against regulations," Jericus questioned.
B-80 laughed, "Of course it would, but that wouldn't stop it from happening though. You two'll see soon enough our three regiments are closer than they like to let on, and more easy-going than what the 82nd puts on."
"Anyway, enough talk, looks like we're getting ready to move out," B-80 commented indicating the discussion the Magos was having with the C.O's ending.
"Alright boys an' girls you heard the Magos let's not dally," Sergeant Joss stated loudly, pulling her helmets ballistic plate down, and resounding click indicating it locked into place.
The group turned toward the only other exit in the room, forming up the same, as they were before to better protect the cog-girl. Opening the hatch slowly Jericus was on point covering the left while B-80 did the same for the right, finding that the passage was clear the rest of the group filtered through the hatchway quickly.
"Should be to the right," Kerelia commented.
Shifting right the group went down the bland passageway which gradually became more decorated as they went further into the bowls of the spire. They could also hear the sounds of fighting, as they got closer to what would be the ground floor of the spire.
Judging by the sounds Jericus guessed that their comrades had just blitzed through the rebels defenses and were probably fighting through the main entrance and into the adjoining rooms toward the stairs and lifts. The plan was to take the Spire one floor at a time, they had the numbers to do it, and command wanted the spire as intact as possible, which meant no explosives.
Suddenly up ahead a group of five PDF rebels rounded the corner stopping suddenly when they saw the imperials facing them down the long corridor. Reacting quickly Jericus and his comrades dropped to their knees and began to fire on the stunned rebels, their crouched position allowed the Randon troopers behind them to add their own weapons to the deadly barrage. The rebels were simply cut to pieces by the deadly light projected at them, nothing but a smoking pile of meat by the end of the hail of lasfire.
"Keep moving they probably won't have heard that with what's happening all around the main floor right now. The lift we need to take shouldn't be too far now." Kerelia urged them to continue moving. Rounding the corner the group treaded over the remains, light squishing sounds emanating as their boots stepped on them. One of the Randon troopers even slid slightly into the wall eliciting a slight squeal of surprise from her lungs before she regained control and continued on.
Raltia thanked the emperor she hadn't fallen into the charred human remains, if not for the fact that it made her squeamish than because of the sheer embarrassment and ribbing it would no doubt have caused her. Luckily the others didn't seem to pay her near trip any mind, she could tell the Randon around her were too hopped-up and anxious for a fight to notice.
Finally making their way into a spacious room meant for visitors the group came face to face with what would be their first major opposition, a full squad of PDF rebels who had been on their way most likely to reinforce their comrades at the entrances.
Everyone instantly ran or otherwise dove for cover, the visitor room offering ample opportunities from the plush furniture to hard dividers and tables. Jericus managed to kick over a table and crouch low behind the decorated plassteel, Fenria to the left of him and Raltia crashing down right next to her. Instantly the rebels started to fire upon them, the imperials returning from their better positions. Peaking around the cover of the table Jericus began to return fire scoring a glancing hit on a rebel obliterating the unfortunate mans shoulder and sending him back down into his cover behind a plassteel divider howling in pain.
Suddenly the cover he had been firing at was awash in brilliant blue energy as a plasma bolt impacted it melting the plassteel divider and scorching those unfortunate enough to be behind it. Looking over to their left all at once the three Surrin conscripts found the origination of the plasma bolt; Magos Chevel held an ancient looking plasma pistol attached to her seemingly human hand. They watched as she discharged another shot.
Soaring through the air lighting it as it went the bolt impacted its target practically vaporizing two rebels and severely scorching three more around them. The burned men screamed as their flailing brought them into the line of fire of everyone else's lasguns, ending their pained wails. Raltia noted the cog-girls somewhat manic grin—not unlike those she'd seen on her comrade's faces during a fight—her conclusion being that the Magos was a complete nut.
Jericus and Fenria had similar thoughts, but pushed them away to capitalize on the rebels dwindling cover as the cog-girl used her deadly weapon to deprive them of it. Furniture and plassteel fixtures alike simply became slag, or just ceased to exist under the tremendous heat of the plasma. Out in the open the rebels were easy targets and the imperials made quick work of them.
Fenria blasted a perfect hole through one rebel's chest with her long-las, Raltia put five shots into another, and Jericus put three more into a third. The rest were taken down by the combined fire of everyone, the weapons fire died down abruptly as the imperials realized they had won. Around twenty rebels lay dead or simply gone from the plasma and the room in front of them a ruined mess.
Feathers of some dead exotic bird from formerly plush furniture floated comically through the still room in stark contrast to the carnage of the area.
Silence reined for a moment as they waited to see if anyone would come to investigate, though judging from the slightly muffled sounds of heavy fighting going on further outside of the spire they quickly judged that no one would be coming, at least not intentionally.
"Well that was fun, been a while since I was in a firefight, it's good to see I still got it," Kerelia commented blowing the rising steam away from her plasma pistols barrel the manic grin still on her face.
Jericus wondered idly how in the world B-63 could possibly harbor romantic feeling for this woman, sure he was a little eccentric himself, but the cog-girl was practically mental judging from the short time he had spent in her presence so far. Standing fully from cover he Fenria and Raltia fell instep with the rest of the group, formation abandoned by the sheer need to cover ground and get to the lift.
Crossing the torn room they exited the way the rebels had come and found themselves at a lift bay, multiple lifts closed and waiting for them. Sergeant Grimes pushed a button to summon one and the imperials waited as the lifted descended to their level. Fifteen seconds into their wait a loud ping echoed through the air, only it wasn't from the lift they were waiting on, because of well drilled training everyone seemed to turn as one toward the offending sound. The doors of the lift opened to reveal another squad of rebels who seemed to recoil at the sight of the imperials aiming their weapons at them.
"Oh shi-," the rebel that uttered was cutoff by the sound of the imperial weapons unloading all at once into the lift, lasbolts and a single plasma blast making short work of them. In the space of seconds task-group gamma had killed another full squad of rebels, the lift doors closing with another ping on the scene of carnage now occupying the enclosed space. Another ping signaled the arrival of their own lift, yet again everyone turned as one and faced the opening doors, ready for anymore surprises.
To most of their collective relief the space beyond was not occupied by enemy troopers, and the group boarded the rather large lift filling it up Kerelia at the back for protection.
"What level is the main control on Kerelia," B-63 question.
"All the way at the top 63,"
"Isn't that…" Cain began.
"Heavily guarded? Intel indicates no trooper Flynt, no need to worry the Lord Governor's supposedly throwing all he can at us on the bottom floors. Once our forces eliminate enemy resistance there the other floors are gonna be mostly mop-up work," the cog-girl put in as B-63 hit the rune for the top level, and with a jerking start the lift began to rise.
"Keep that door covered when it opens troopers, don't need some rebel scum doing to us what we did to their friends," Sergeant Joss stated. Everyone was way ahead of her on the order though as anyone who had a clear line of fire was aiming at the closed doors. The ride to the top was going to be long, and the cheery elevator music wasn't helping; Jericus' anxiousness began to act up, the jitters playing havoc with his right hand making it shake slightly. He was lucky that Fenria was the only one close enough to notice, and she gave him a small reassuring nudge in the ribs and his offending limb stopped all at once.
He gave her a slight nod in thanks and the ride continued on without his body acting up again, though the jitters in his stomach didn't stop. Ten minutes into the ride up and the atmosphere in the elevator was getting slightly awkward as everyone began to fidget due to anticipation. Cain and Kerelia began to hum along to the annoyingly cheerful music at the same time as if some unspoken agreement between the two prompted it.
Xavier cuffed Cain lightly on the back of his head to get him to stop, Cain grumbled something about killjoys, trying to lighten up the mood, and how the cog-girl got to keep humming. Said cog-girl chuckled audibly at the interaction before continuing her humming solo.
Finally with another ping the lift came to its destination the troopers instantly moving forward weapons up and fanning out of the lift into the empty space beyond, whether because of their training, or to get away from the annoying tune Jericus thought it was fifty-fifty. The lift bay they found themselves in was better furnished than the one below, sporting benches with pads on them for those who had to wait for the long time it took the lift to get to the top level. Clearly the padded seating was a consideration for the rich and powerful who would be the only ones allowed entrance to the upper-most floors.
"It'll be down the corridor on the left, it's a straight shot from there to the control room," Kerelia stated.
"You heard the Magos people, be ready for some combat. The 'Lord Governor' most likely had his best guarding him even with the rest down below fighting our comrades," B-63 primed his hellgun. "Lock and load people, fresh powerpacks."
Everyone made sure their ammo was full and then the group went down the corridor leading to the main control room. At the end of the corridor Kerelia had indicated the double doors to main control were tall and important looking yet not overly opulent. B-63 leading the group held up his fist for everyone to stop.
"I say we go for shock and awe," he produced a breeching charge. Both Sergeant Grimes and Joss gave nods of approval, he placed it to the doors, and set it, the group split off to the sides in preparation for the directed explosion and their entry.
"Alright troopers, in three, two, one," B-63 depressed the trigger for the charge and a booming explosion threw the heavy doors inward slamming them hard against the walls their hinges miraculously having held. Storming into the room the imperials were greeted by a sight they had not expected, the rebels that had been working the controls and monitoring the situation outside were all slumped dead over their consoles or on the floor. Elite PDF guards were dead on the floor, either cut apart or shot full of holes. Everyone seemed to stop and stare at the sight, most eyes coming to rest on the Lord Governors corpse resting in a command throne for the spire.
Next to him stood the sole living figure left alive from the carnage, he was tall, dark hair cropped short, with strange purple irises, and dressed in what looked to be a bastardized military uniform of some kind. A great coat of dark grey with epaulettes and other adornments, though it was tattered and well worn, at his hip he wore a saber, and hellpistol, in his hand was the dagger he had just used to kill the Governor evident by the fresh blood on the blade. Overall he look slightly surprised to see the imperials, as they were to see him, the silence intensified the situation.
Was this man friend or foe Jericus found himself wondering as he wiped the blood from the dagger on the dead Governors uniform and sheathed it somewhere behind his back.
"Well, well, well I must say that I hadn't seen this coming," the man said with a smirk on his lips.
B-63 went to speak, but the man beat him to the punch. "Hold that thought Watchmaster, to answer your question no I'm not part of the Imperial forces on the planet and this," he indicated the room, "was all simply a means to an end, though I must say I'm not usually into grand schemes, but it does make for a change of pace from my usual missions."
"Just who the warp are you then," Sergeant Joss snarled out.
"Ah, yes how rude of me," the man seemed hardly concerned with the many weapons pointed in his direction. "You can call me Georgii servant of freedom; it is my goal to ensure that the masses of this world and many others strike the shackles of bondage that have held them for so long."
"Right, well I'm going to have to ask you to get down on your knees and surrender peacefully, I'm sure my superiors will want to question you thoroughly," B-63 deadpanned, obviously they were dealing with a loon.
The man took a sharp intake of breath. "Oh I'm afraid that won't be possible my good man, you see before you lot got here I was in the middle of setting the charges needed to destroy this very room. Can't have your superiors finding out the info on these cogitators," he indicated the now apparent charges on various colonnades and support struts around the room. "As you can see we have about ten minutes to vacate the premises and I'm willing to let you all go, just simply walk away."
"63 Command wants the information, and something tells me they'd want this guy too. We can't just leave," Kerelia whispered heatedly.
"I'm well aware of that Magos," B-63 hissed in reply turning back to Georgii. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, you have ten seconds to surrender or we'll put you down."
"Well that certainly won't do, tell you what Watchmaster why don't you and your comrades sleep on it," Georgii stated a strange feeling seeping through the air.
"What are you…" suddenly B-63 fell to the floor out cold. Jericus watched as those around him all seemed to fall asleep thudding to the floor haphazardly, even the cog-girl with all of her augmetic replacements fell asleep.
"S-1050," he questioned Fenria's unconscious form with concern. Then he looked up to Georgii and it seemed to click all at once, this man was a psyker, so why was he not asleep like his comrades.
Georgii looked at him in mild bemusement. "My, well I hadn't seen that coming, and yet now it's so obvious, faint but easily seen now that you're all alone."
"What are you talking about witch," Jericus asked confused, the man was practically speaking in riddles.
"You lad, are a blank, very low level to be sure, but enough to be immune to my powers. I must say this is a complete surprise I never expected to see one of you on Tartarius of all places,"
Jericus was confused even more, why was this witch surprised to see him, blank? He certainly wasn't referring to the nickname for 82nd troopers, so what was he talking about?
"I don't need my powers to know what you're thinking right now lad. To put it simply you're the opposite of me, I am a beacon of psychic energy, and you are a null. In short you cancel me out," Georgii said simply.
Jericus still didn't understand entirely, but he knew he had to do something, the charges that this madman set were going to go off, and his comrades were helpless. He came to the conclusion that he would kill the witch and hope that his death would snap his comrades out of their induced trance. He quickly snapped off three shots at Georgii, two for the body, one for the head, and they would have hit if not for the sudden flare of the man's personal shield.
"Well that wasn't very sportsmanlike, but I applaud your initiative. I remember a time when I was like that… anyway if you want a fight I wouldn't mind a short duel. We've got about eight minutes before everything goes ka-boom." Drawing his saber Georgii closed the distanced between them so fast Jericus hardly had time to react.
Bringing up his lasgun he used it to block the attack, only to have it cleaved neatly in two, Georgii took a few steps back keeping his saber poised at his neck as Jericus dropped the two useless halves of his weapon.
"Maybe you can tell but I prefer the blade over the firearm. I did say we'd have a duel lad so don't look so down, I was merely getting rid of the temptation for you to shoot," Georgii withdrew his blade and took a few measured steps back leaving a slightly stunned korpsman. "Now I see you're a man after mine own heart, if you would be as kind as to draw your weapons let us be civilized and settle this as the powers that be intended. I'll even deactivate my sabers power-field so that the playing field is even. And we'll keep away from your comrades; this is between the two of us as men, no need for collateral."
It was then that Jericus realized how he had cleaved through his lasgun so easily as the sabers blue hazed energy field was dissipated. Jericus simply nodded as he drew his trench axe in his right hand and his combat knife with his left.
"There's a good lad," Georgii nodded in approval getting into a ready stance. Jericus mirrored him keeping his axe and knife at the ready waiting for his enemy to make the first strike. Swords were faster than axes, so he best bet was reaction, to counter and wait for his opponent to mess up to get in the killing blow.
Georgii didn't disappoint opening with a lighting quick thrust that Jericus just barely parried, and then a reverse cut when that failed. Again Jericus barely deflected the deadly mono-edged metal; he was back pedaling now as Georgii unleashed a flurry of thrusts and cuts. Jericus noted the man's skill was far past his own with an edged weapon and he could only defend as the man continued his tireless onslaught.
"I gotta say lad, you're good. I haven't had someone who was able to keep up with me for this long in quite a while," Georgii said as if he was talking with an old friend. To Jericus' fright the man didn't even seemed to be exerting himself, his breathing was still calm and steady. Parrying the next thrust Jericus saw his chance and hooked the sword arm with his knife arm keeping the blade past his body and putting himself in a safe zone. Choking up on his axe he went for a thrust to the throat only for his arm to be stopped by the psyker's own free hand before it reached the vital area.
"Very good, hardly anyone's got that close before," with inhuman strength Georgii shoved Jericus back. As he stumbled Jericus felt his hold on the arm fail and as a last ditch attempt sliced downward with his knife scoring a light slash on his opponent's sword-arm. Standing back he got back into a ready stance waiting for his opponent to attack again.
Georgii didn't even seem fazed by the wound left by the mono-edged knife blade, had Jericus gotten any luckier he could have easily lost a good chunk of muscle from his arm from mid-forearm down. "Yeah, definitely competent, and the fact that you're a blank makes you all the more dangerous," he lunged again.
Metal glinting in the light as it cut through the air toward Jericus who again parried, only this time catching a deep gash on his right bicep. He ignored the pain flinching at the sting but keeping up his defense, he knew that one slip and he would have more to worry about than a flesh wound.
This time Georgii batted Jericus' parry away through sheer strength and then slashed at his right leg, scoring another flesh wound, rounding out the attack with a kick to the chest sending him slamming into one of the colonnades around the control room. Even through his carapace armour Jericus felt the blow, he was winded, and he couldn't control his falling and sprawled out on his back losing his grip on his axe as he fell.
Activating the power-field on his saber Georgii quickly cut through the two-foot-thick colonnade twice once through the bottom and once higher up separating a large chunk of the structure and allowing it to fall down toward Jericus. Seeing his death coming toward him Jericus threw his body to the left, saving himself from being crushed, but not saving himself entirely. The stone, easily one ton of weight, square, and decorated in classic gothic style came down crushing his right arm and trapping him in place.
Strangely Jericus found himself detached from the pain, so sudden that it didn't seem to register to his mind. He struggled as best he could to remove his crushed limb from the cold embrace of the stone and that was when the agony hit, literally stalling all efforts to free himself as he struggled to simply stay conscious. He noticed the sound of boots against the hard floor and looked up to see Georgii coming to finish him.
Jericus held up his combat knife in a futile attempt to guard himself, his heart was hammering and he was sure that this was the end. Georgii merely kicked the offending weapon out of his grip and then crouched down next to his helpless form.
"Well look at you lad still defiant, even in the face of death, I like that kind of spirit, and so does my boss. Yeah I think he'd really like you, a blank, the kind of agent he could use to really thwart his enemies."
"W-what are y-you talking about heretic," Jericus huffed out, his breathing heavy and labored.
"Someone with true vision of course, I'm not sure if he'll be able to contact you through the usual means, but I have no doubt he's interested and will be watching you, or trying to anyway. Personally I revel in the chance that we might meet again, improve your skills lad because I'm sure that we will. When the time comes I'll either welcome you as a fellow agent, or we'll have a duel to truly remember," Georgii responded, patting Jericus' helmeted head.
"You're in-insane w-witch," Jericus breathed out slowly.
"No I'm an agent of freedom," he said back pausing as if to think for a moment. "I think I'll leave you a little something extra to remember me by lad, think of it as a gift. I'm sure the corpse worshippers will give you a brand new one, better than the last."
Before Jericus could think on what the madman meant he felt a peculiar sensation in his right eye, which he then realized ceased to work. His left watched as Georgii pulled his saber back from his face, the tip red with his blood. The blade had gone through his mask lens as if it wasn't even there and had buried itself into his eye socket, not deep enough to reach his brain, but enough to cleave his eye in two, the energy around the blade obliterating sensitive retinal tissues.
It was then that the pain unlike any he had experienced before flared through where his right eye should have been. He tried not to scream out in pain though his voice betrayed him letting out a horrible wail.
"Oh shush lad, like I said you'll probably get a new one, if you survive that is. Anyway I have an air-car to catch and you've got about five minutes before this room ceases to exist, so I bid you farewell," sheathing his saber Georgii departed walking out of Jericus' now impaired view, he had managed to get a hold on the pain as he had been trained to do and began to look for a way to get out. His comrades were still out cold and the room was set to blow up any moment. He vaguely heard the sound of shattering glass and the engines of an air-car as the madman who took his eye made his escape through the window.
Trying in vain to free his arm he gave up after a minute seeing that he wouldn't get free by simply pulling at his crushed limb, looking around his eye came to his trench-axe lying a few feet away. Instantly he knew what he had to do, mono-edged metal would make easy work of his arm… freeing him, but he realized with dismay that it was obviously way out of his reach pinned as he was. The situation was hopeless, looking over he notice the unconscious form of Fenria on the floor, and his thoughts switched to how he had never seen her face.
Focusing on her he noticed that she had begun to stir, whatever witchcraft the psyker had cast was wearing off, his hopes raised he instantly tried to grab her attention.
"S-1050," he yelled as loud as he could, she was still dazed as she got to her feet holding her head. "Fenria," his second louder attempt drew her attention.
Waking Fenria looked over toward where Jericus lay trapped and shaking the cobwebs from her mind she instantly went over to him. "Jericus, what happened," her training forgotten as his name slipped past her lips, the situation was fuzzy in her head. All she remembered was breeching the control room, the man, and then everything got hazy.
"No time Fenria, we have to get out of here you have to get me free," Jericus said the pain still with him but luckily the wounds weren't mortal, though what would have to happen next could be.
"Alright, how," she questioned right back noting the heavy stone, even if everyone else was awake they wouldn't have time to get it off him and she didn't like what she thought Jericus was going to say.
"My trench-axe is over there," he stated his tone saying it all. Fenria instantly saw the logic in the plan, but she still didn't like it, though it didn't take long to realize it was the only option available to them if they wanted to get out. She nodded and grabbed the weapon with her right hand and positioned it over the trapped arm.
The arm was pinned up until the shoulder, meaning that Jericus was essentially going to lose his right arm, but needs must. She could see the ruin of his right eye through the shattered lens of his mask as he looked at her and felt a pang in her heart in sympathy to his pain.
"Fen-," she didn't give him a chance to finish what he was about to say as she brought the mono-edged weapon down neatly separating his arm from his body in one blow. The silence surprised her as she dropped the axe and picked up her long-las, when she began to fire off the entire hotshot clip as fast as she could in a safe direction she heard his scream of pain above it. Quickly she pressed the overheated red-hot barrel against the open wound of Jericus' arm cauterizing it; she noted that she would need to replace the barrel later as it was practically melted from the intense heat.
His breathing had become ragged and he seemed on the verge of passing out as she helped him to his feet, grabbing his axe she stowed it in her webbing. Turning she noticed the others had come too, still slightly hazy as she was when she first woke, B-80 turned to her taking in Jericus and his battered form.
"Emperor, what happened S-1050," he questioned.
"There's no time sir, we have to get out of here now, the charges are about to go off," Fenria spit out quickly.
"Oh, balls, B-63 we need a plan to get out of here, and I don't think the lift will get us out fast enough," B-80 stated.
B-63 was luckily quick to regain his senses and the others all seemed to be fully aware again as well, turning to Sergeant Joss he voiced his plan. "Sergeant Joss those grav-chutes can carry two correct?"
The Randon Sergeant nodded with a slight grin on her face as what the Watchmaster said clicked immediately. The Randon in their group were about the same in number as the other two fire-teams, the plan would work.
"Alright troopers you heard the man grab a drop-buddy and get to the window, we're getting out of here."
"But, the cogitators…" Kerelia persisted.
"Kerelia if we could we would, but we can't, now let's get the warp out of here," B-63 stated as he paired off with a Randon trooper. Everyone without a grav-chute paired up with a Randon and proceeded to the large windows, shooting out the glass that wasn't already.
Raltia approached Fenria. "Its okay I got him," she said soothingly as Fenria gently turned her friend over to her, happy to note Raltia's familiar Surrin accent. It made her feel that Jericus was in safer hands than he would be with an otherwise unknown Randon. Fenria then paired off with Corporal Barach and they went over to the open window which several other pairs had already vacated.
Barrach hooked a clip onto her webbing as a safety. "Hold on tight blank, it's a long way down and I need my hands free," Fenria nodded and complied, throwing her arms around the Randon man in a parody of a bear hug. She watched over his shoulder as Raltia hooked Jericus on to her a bit more securely, seeing as he had been as wounded so badly he was obviously in no condition to hold on to her well enough.
Her view of Jericus fell away as Barach jumped out the window taking her with him and then all she saw was the dusky sky of Tartarius as they plummeted toward the far away ground. She prayed to the Emperor and even the Omnissiah for Jericus' survival.
Meanwhile Jericus felt his eyelid getting heavy as black began to encroach on his vision, Ralita clipped him to her own person at several points to ensure the man wouldn't fall. She knew he was a fellow Surrin, him and that woman who was helping him, and even if they were blanks she would help her own people as best she could, conscripts had to stick together.
"Alright buddy, you'll be back to your shadow soon enough," she muttered, noting that some of the Randon humor was rubbing off on her. Jericus was too tired and worn out to correct her, so he just closed his eye as he felt weightlessness take them as they fell.
A/N: Alrighty, another chapter for you lovely folks, and we're nearing the end of the first arc, or rather part of this story. As always please read and review and I will see you all next week, I expect two reviews this time (insert stern voice here), just kidding but seriously the encouragement helps. On that note a thank-you to RandomReader for the review.
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