Darkness. A deep darkness shrouded a narrow grayish concrete hallway: an acrid smell stretched throughout the corridor, the air was stale and fetid mixed with heavy humidity. light droplets of condensation occasionally fell from the walls and ceilings, finally joining in small puddles here and there on the floor.
The corridor unfolded into other small passages of the same mono-color: very heavy metal doors, meticulously sealed and secured with several padlocks and firmly set knobs, appeared on the walls from time to time. Several cobwebs decorated the narrowest corners of the corridors, and the tomb-like silence of the complex was sometimes interrupted by small mice squeaking and running from one side of the passage to the other.
A man, or what appeared to be a human, was walking slowly down the corridor of the abandoned complex. He had a stiff gait: straight back and hands behind his back, ordinary people would perhaps have mistaken him for a soldier or even a Commissar of the Imperium. The man's body, however, had little or nothing human about it now: his body was largely mechanical; he had a pair of mechanical prostheses grafted onto his back, several tentacles of varying shapes and sizes over much of his body, and various tubes, wires and metal grafts holding up the man's largely artificial body.
being was dressed in a rumpled, dirty, ruined reddish robe, and the only exposed part was his face, surprisingly still human. The man had hard features, his skin was crepey and weathered yet evidently thick and rigid. "The human" had a wrinkled expression on his face as he walked briskly down the hallway.
-How much ... material ... wasted ...- hissed the being in a very sighing and almost choked voice, as he wandered through the various passageways. The man continually approached the various closed doors, trying to connect various wires and tentacles with cavities placed next to the entrances, in a vain attempt to open the entrance, but with each attempt it was in vain.
As he went deeper into the labyrinthine corridors, the physical condition of the complex looked more and more dramatic: the walls looked more ruined and cracked, electric blue mold adorned the damp walls and ceilings of the various joints, and occasional spatters of now-dried blood sprouted on the ground.
The human indifferent to these changes continued his painstaking but inconclusive exploration until he came across a reinforced metal door much larger than the others. Normally, it would almost have been considered more of a gateway than just a door: in fact, it was about 8 feet high and about 5 feet wide. What stood before the mechanical man, however, were the remains of that large entrance, remains visibly destroyed from the inside.
The door looked as if it had been punched and scratched through, as if a huge beast had been unleashed inside the room and used all its strength to get out. Pieces of cracked metal were all around and in front of the entrance, and any mechanical safety had been destroyed with violence and obvious rage.
The being for the first time seemed slightly surprised by this vision, so surprised that he moved his own arms, from behind his back to beside his sides. The man with a slow pace approached the entrance, looking carefully at the damage to the doorway and then shifted his gaze to the inside of the once closed room.
The room was spacious but nonetheless dirty and damp. the room seemed to be divided into two distinct parts: the first consisting of cribs and workbenches still smeared with blood and presumably xenon remains, with what remained of "medical" instruments such as scalpels, knives, and hammers resting on various shelves. And the second composed of closed doors that reconnected to holding cells, all of which were smashed and destroyed like the doorway.
The room in general was destroyed as if there had been a battle: the cribs were overturned, split in two and scratched. Instruments were ruined, cracked and still stained with blood, and most importantly there were the remains of mechanical bodies like the man's scattered all over the room.
The mechanical being approached one of these bodies, it was battered and destroyed as if a creature had vehemently raged on the "human" hexamen. To the eye all the humans had suffered a similar if not worse fate, some were even cut into pieces and scattered around the room.
-Interesting...a really...interesting outcome...- hissed the mechanical being in a choking but morbidly smug voice, as he forcefully thrust one of his tentacles into the skull of the man he had been controlling -I'm sorry...brother adept...your knowledge...will not be...in vain...- said the adept with little breath and feigned displeasure, as he forcefully pulled out the now-dead man's partly mechanical brain.
The adept still briefly observed the room, and then finally walked out, returning briskly to his own steps.
A heavy snort came out of the green ork's mouth at the human's response as he sat on the floor, holding tightly to the xeno's wish book
-So even ya don't know wot it says 'umie...- blurted out with an unnatural sadness the orks toward the human. Gallek looked at him, his own gaze though still steeped in the fear brooded and grown over several years of service in the armsmen, also showed something different, something new. A kind of pity.
Gallek had learned to suppress his empathy especially when it came to xeno, yet this time he could not help but empathize with the orks. He had helped him when he didn't have to, fed him and cared for him, and yet he had failed to help him even with that book.
As much as it was not his fault, he still felt a kind of guilt and pity toward the big green warrior. In a faint, almost natural voice, as he leaned lightly against the metal desk in front of it, a simple yet sincere -I'm sorry- came out of the human's mouth.
As much as he did not want deep down to admit it, it was a natural and almost sincere apology, as well as a first act of humanity toward a xeno that Gallek had ever allowed himself to do. He was almost ashamed of the human, yet such emotions were natural for him at that moment, one of the first times he could show his more genuine and sincere side to someone he did not know.
The xeno observed the human with an almost imperceptible look as he calmly set the book down on the floor and walked over to the desk so he could begin his heavy handling. The ork did not say much as he began assembling and screwing various metal objects except for a sincere and smiling -Neva mind little warrior-
As much as Gallek took a few steps back as the large ork approached, he could understand the small note of bitterness in the xeno. That note left him confused, as much as it was now the thing that least surprised him about the situation. Gallek watched the green ork still intent on fiddling with those various mechanical pieces and beginning to understand certain movements of the xeno.
Those movements and words were more like xenon outbursts than actual admissions of carelessness toward that book, as if mounting those rags in meaningless technologies made him feel happy.
After a few moments of reasoning, the human's stream of consciousness was interrupted by the very ork -'dat book iz 'da last memory uv 'da place where i was born- said without moving his own gaze the xeno -I thought i'd find someth'n 'der- continued with sincerity and almost innocence the xeno slightly increasing the aggressiveness of his own movements -But it doesn't matta- a small pause in his hands at these words broke into the green's behavior
-But it's important to you ... isn't it?- Gallek affirmed in response without hesitation, now taken aback by the situation -Wot's important iz ta escape, 'umie- replied of parallel the xeno turning to observe the human -An den yer have ta go home, right?- he concluded with a genuine smile, how unfortunately grotesque because of his own ork appearance.
-But how do we escape- stated the human externalizing his concerns for the first time in a genuine way -We are without a spaceship, on a planet abandoned for centuries with only a piece of scrap metal!- he continued with a discouraging conviction -A xeno and a human will never make it! it is simply impossible...-
the human soldier laid his gaze to the side, squinting slightly with an expression of obvious concern with ill-concealed fear for the situation he was in -I didn't fink yer were such a weak 'umie- stated however in response Garkrull with a tone of genuine displeasure, but with a note of extreme innocence alien to the race of green.
-This is not weakness!- he asserted almost irritated by the green man's tone -We are just a clueless soldier and an ork without a pack, what do you want us to do!- finally blurted out the now borderline human toward the green xeno.
-I don't know 'umie...- stated stopping again the ork observing the human a few steps away from him -But it's wrong ta give up, we have ta fight back, 'umie- finally stated with conviction the ork bringing his attention and gaze back to the scrap metal he was assembling
Gallek shifted his face back to the green listening with closed mouth to his statements with an expression of surprise and partly shame at his own lack of determination. -Now I'm getting a lecture from an ork as well huh?- thought the human then lowering his head slightly and giving a small bitter smile.
The human approached his "bed" again leaning back sitting a few moments to reason about the situation and in case some way to get out of it as best he could, trying to make use of his soldier's mind developed over several years of survival -An ork and a human on a desert planet... needing to escape...- he began to mull over resting his head in his hands and trying to recall as much data about the planet as possible -Haxis is a former imperial colony...to be repolled for the imperium...-
And then as if he had been electrocuted, an idea came to the human's mind as he stood up abruptly and walked briskly next to the green ork still sitting at the desk -Garkrull you said you were born here right?- he asked the human carefully, trying to sound out the words well to make himself understood by the green as much as possible.
The ork replied as he threw a few punches at a misplaced gear, fabricated a few seconds ago by himself -Uh...I fink so- calming his daggers at the contraption for a moment and watching the human more carefully -I kan't rememba where dough, I'z not very gud wit' places-
The human reasoned for a few more moments resting his hand on his chin and squinting -If he was born here perhaps...he knows where particular places might be- thought the human, still doubting the apparent out-of-the-blue intelligence of the anomalous ork before him.
-Do you know of any strange places around here?- Gallek asked in a serious and resolute tone, still sounding out the words well -Do you know of a city?- he continued, trying to imitate the shape of a city, thinking that perhaps the xeno in front of him could not even recognize one.
Garkrull slowly stopped his hands from handling with the contraption and placed it on the desk, going to use his now free hands to scratch his chin trying to reason as best he could -Well 'der was a place wit' a lot uv houses a little far away... I had gone 'der ta get some metal a while ago- affirmed the ork quite confidently -I wasn't 'der much 'cos 'der was no prey an' i kouldn't build anyth'n...- concluded with a small chuckle the ork observing the human beside himself
Gallek with a small smile of happiness affirmed toward the xeno, returning his gaze -that was an imperial city...maybe they could find something more useful there than a few pieces of iron- and finally continued with a nod and a found confidence -Something like useful parts for a spacecraft-
The tension and worry between the two new "friends" had finally eased, and after some chit-chat about what they had to do, they had decided to go to sleep given the now late hour of the evening.
Gallek lay down on the bed, watching the ceiling with wide eyes -I wonder if I'm dreaming or not- he blinked a few times, slowly accustoming his eyes to the darkness of the night -it's so strange not to have the sounds of machines before going to sleep- the human thought softly, making a half-smile with his mouth, almost in certain respects "happy" to be able to rest with more quiet in the air.
Silence interrupted by the approaching heavy footsteps of Garkrull near his own cot on the opposite side of the hut from Gallek's, noise also increased by the heavy clothes thrown to the ground by the ork as he began to undress for the night. The human observed the scene with a look mixed between annoyed and disgusted, and then stated moving his own head toward the wall of the hut -If we want to go to the city we have to wake up early...- he stammered slightly not yet used to being so purposeful and unconstrained with the xenon.
Garkrull replied as he leaned back on the cot that served the function of a bed -Uv kourse little warrior, sleep well- as he lay in a prone position virtually naked.
The ork stared at the ceiling a few moments, and then asked with a similar seriousness as he had a few hours earlier while they were eating -'umie yer miss fellow 'umiez don't yer?-, Gallek blinked a few moments remaining in the same position without turning around, but creating a silence of assent for the ork.
-'umie, i don't know why... but yer are 'da only wun i didn't feel like stomp'n' as soon as i saw yer- confessed earnestly the ork -It's as if both ma mind an' ma body are refus'n ta attack ya- continued the xeno, beginning to slowly turn his head toward Gallek still motionless from his original position -I miss ma brothaz too... but at least while we are ere... we kan try ta... be "brothers" ta each other?- and concluded finally starting to close his eyes -Togetha we are stronga... an' i don't want ya ta die-.
Gallek listened silently to the whole speech, slightly opening his mouth still a little upset by the ork's words. -Why doesn't he want to attack me?- this is the first question that comes to his mind -Why does he want to be my friend?- another doubt comes to his mind making a saddened expression on his face -Why does he want to be my "brother"- he concluded wondering finally starting to squint his eyes.
This situation reminded him of his own childhood, the times of hardship, and his doubts about whether he should hate xenos as all the villagers told him. Those questions had been suppressed in years of military service for the imperium, however ... in this short time they were surfacing again and he was beginning to reevaluate them. He wanted to follow at least once a childish and irrational idea of his own, at least for once to try something that was forbidden to him in the imperium, to make an alliance with a xeno.
Still with thoughts, memories, guilt, and ideas about the future swirling in his head, finally Gallek like Garkrull also dozed off on the cot, letting himself be lulled once again into a wonderfully unusual sleep, and letting both body and mind finally rest.
Metallic footsteps accompanied the night-blackened figure into what remained of the imperial city, now reduced to a pile of dilapidated, decaying buildings of a strong electric blue color. The average roomed figure was moving from room to room in one of these buildings of former imperial rule, shifting obstacles in his path as necessary while trying not to make too much noise.
The figure seemed quick and alert in his movements, often moving his head behind him to make sure he was not being followed by someone or something. Each step taken the figure seemed more alert and excited, as if agitated by the situation.
After a few minutes of silent exploration, the figure leaned against one of the building's walls looking out of what remained of a long-destroyed window, still remaining slightly lowered so as not to betray his stealth.
The man's gaze overlooked a building not far from his own, in the same state of decay as the whole city, slightly larger in size than the surrounding dwellings. the figure's gaze overshadowed by the night, rested on as many as four darkened people of slimmer but more slender form, with conspicuous pointed ears observable in profile even in that darkness.
The four figures near the other building circled around the perimeter, like predators stalking their prey, trying to scour every possible corner of the place, talking to each other with language and gestures that were incomprehensible to the figure hiding in the building just nearby.
A silent but deep snort departed from the hidden figure as he averted his gaze from his still-lost pursuers, and he rested seated leaning against an adjacent wall trying to catch his breath again.
He gazed for a few lost moments at his surroundings, muffled and obscured by the undaunted night, illuminated only occasionally by the galaxy's endless and wondrous stars and the moons orbiting the planet. There were no animal or other various noises as the minutes passed and the leaning figure caught his breath, almost seemingly falling asleep on the spot, like a warrior who has not rested for days now.
A drop falls from one of the room's now toppled and weather-worn furniture, a mere droplet falling onto a puddle of water and mold next door, this small noise was enough, however, to alert the man's sharp perception, and he instinctively shifted his head to observe the source of the noise with tension and awe.
Only a snort escaped from the man's helmet, who placed his own hand near the helmet as if to cover his own face and vision a few moments, as if in an intimate moment between himself.
-I have indeed fallen low...- he hissed with annoyance in a language far removed from Imperial Low Gothic. The man shook his head a few moments as he struggled back up from his much-needed rest for probably days, resuming his typical alert position.
At that moment, one of the moons showed itself no longer obscured by the clouds above, showing for a few moments the appearance of the individual, a humanoid being about 150 cm tall, dressed in a fairly inclusive suit resembling grayish-red armor that covered his entire body, and on his head a helmet with a large red lens at eye level, turned off probably at this time so as not to alert enemies.
As the man began to walk, he held in his own arms vigorously his own rifle with a shape similar to a sniper, but of a technology far removed from that of a human or ork, all the while carrying his pace quicker and quicker, slowly moving deeper and deeper into the building: trying to escape?, trying to hide? or perhaps ready to hunt his own predators?
The human's eyes opened again after a dreamless night, a rarity for a soldier accustomed to perpetual nightmares. the human's leader flinched a few moments, first observing the ceiling and then searching his eyes for the xenon the night before sleeping on the opposite side of the hut.
The green skin was clad in his classic "clothes" clad here and there in metal and steel, standing a few feet from the still bedraggled human. Gallek paused a few moments to observe the xenon without uttering words, lowering his gaze after a few moments with a sort of thinking face.
Garkrull once finished dressing hopped in place energetically for a few moments as if discharging his accumulated energy, then turned toward the now awake human absorbed in his thoughts.
-Oi little warrior, will yer stop dink'n so much an' get outta bed?- asserted the ork almost as a scold toward the human, starting to approach his companion's cot -Yer have ta be ready, i don't know how much yer little 'umie legs will endure 'da journey- confidently asserted the ork finally starting to lower himself to put his hands under the human's cot
Gallek interrupted the stream of thought as soon as he heard the xenon's voice in his own ears, stiffening a few moments almost automatically still transfixed by his own habits of imperium, then gradually calming slightly at the ork's words. the soldier kept his gaze on the green skin as he approached the cot, still showing in his face obvious discomfort at having been so attacked and especially confused by the green's action.
The ork after a few moments pulled out a fairly crude wooden box, probably created by xeno himself some time earlier, with the top of Gallek's Armsman uniform inside, and his soldier's pistol left over after the crash.
Gallek observed the contents a few moments quite confused and then looked at the ork a few moments as if he did not understand the choice of that act. -'Da little warrior iz a soldier, ya are stronga wit' dis- replied the ork to the human's mere observing the contents of the box -an as much as real warriors stand wit' dere chests out, i don't fink 'umiez are tough enough ta do 'dat for very long- he finally concluded referring to the top of the uniform instead, and returning to observing the human waiting for him to take the contents.
Gallek shook his head slightly -Well...he really trusts me- thought with a slight note of surprise the armsman, as he began to dress again in the upper part of his uniform.
after all this time shirtless the uniform almost annoyed him more than usual, and it did not help that it was dirty and worn from several days of travel and various traumas, but nevertheless I also wore it almost out of an inherent sense of duty to the imperium and the emperor.
After a few moments of dressing, Gallek took his trusty gun in his hands, observing it for a few moments and then resting it on the belt of his uniform as usual. The ork in the meantime also prepared himself some "weapons," that is, two rather crude armaments: one was the usual spear also used for the previous day's hunt, sharpened for the occasion and placed on the ork's back via a belt on his chest, in a surprisingly convenient position for pulling it out if necessary.
While the other one looked a bit more "mechanical" as a kind of fairly large hammer, probably created using one of those sharp sticks as a base, with then forcefully stuck on the tip of the iron pieces and rambling gears, also placed more carefully on the belt around the back.
Gakrull after a few moments shifted his gaze slightly to Gallek, and asked in a cheerful and genuinely excited tone about this exploration, as opposed to the human's current expression -'Umie friend ready ta go?-.
Gallek after a few moments of mental preparation answered as he began to approach the hut exit, trying to rebuild a bit of his more military character that had faded in the past few days due to the desperate situation he was in -Yes...it will be a long journey I gather...- concluding on a note of doubt.
Note taken immediately by the ork and answered calmly as the green skin began to leave the hut and head with a relaxed pace out of his "territory" headed presumably to where this town he had visited in the past should be -nah not really, but 'der will be prey i hope haha- he concluded with a little laugh of spirit, now habitual for gallek.
The human said nothing more about it, simply following the ork a few inches away, still trying to analyze and check the surrounding territory, with soldierly senses ready to take over if in danger.
Several hours of travel passed, in which slowly and placidly the planet's star, which, placidly moved naturally as time progressed, hours in which Gallek and even surprisingly Garkrull remained silent for a great deal of time, focused only on paying attention to possible dangers.
But finally after several hours, the peculiarly colored thicket was slowly beginning to dissolve, and before long they found themselves outside the edge of the forest.
It did not take them many steps to arrive on a small elevation of the ground, where in profile not far from them stood the large city described by the ork, what was once probably the planetary capital of an imperium planet and was now simply a ghost town of abandoned houses and occasional electric blue ruins.
Garkrull gave a joyous smile and in a fairly high-pitched, loud voice with an obvious note of satisfaction said toward Gallek, -Seen 'umie friend, it took us a short time ta get 'der!- and then started walking toward the city, temporarily ignoring his friend and his possible expressions about it.
Gallek stared at the ruined city for a few moments with an expression of genuine regret, even letting out a slight sigh as he bent his head slightly to the opposite side, gradually trying to gather grit and follow his green friend, toward the city that could perhaps really help them.
/ so... haven't seen you in a while huh? really apologize a LOT for not publishing anything for 3 months, but inspiration was lacking and since for this fanfiction I always want to give you the best I can produce with my own hands, it seemed wrong to give you an incomplete or unsatisfactory chapter just to keep a "tight" pace. i will try with all my might to be more productive and present in publications, but unfortunately I am often fickle at writer's blocks XD
don't despair though, the whole story is already planned and it's just a matter of doing the chapters, sooner or later they will all come don't despair XD
thanks for reading anyway and see you next chapter ^^