Author's note: I recommend you have some gold ol' 60s classic rock to listen to while reading this, because you're gonna need it. I hope you like this one, it's a chapter I've been really looking forward to show you guys. So enjoy and as usual all feedback is welcome. Without further ado: Light'em up boys!
Disclaimer:
This story is a fan fiction of my own creation inspired by various sources. Both Darth Vader and Darth Sidious along with any Star Wars franchise reference belong to Lucasfilm, while all secondary characters, environment and locations belong to Games Workshop. I do not claim any ownership of the source material. This story was created for entertainment purposes and not intended to be linked directly to either the Star Wars universe or the Warhammer 40,000 universe official canons. All rights reserved to the respective owners.
My sincere thanks to George Lucas, Rick Priestly, Andy Chambers and all the people in charge of creating and expanding both of these fantastic universes.I hope you can keep fascinating and inspiring many generations to come.
I also appreciate all who collaborated in the editing of this fanfic with their reviews, shout-out to:
u/9471015/merendinoemiliano
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and above all my readers. Love you guys.
41st Millennium: A Star Wars Story
By: Lewis II
Original Idea by:
YouTube (2018). " Could Darth Vader survive in Warhammer 40k?" Commissar Gamza: YouTube. From: /p0czd32HPQw
YouTube (2018). " Could Darth Sidious survive in Warhammer 40k?" Commissar Gamza: YouTube. From: /p0czd32HPQw
Logo by Lewis II, both emblems are property of Games Workshop and Lucasfilm
Chapter 14:
The hunting
The orders echoed inside Vader's head while sitting in the dark:
"Alexyos, take the route up the river. Vader, make your way to the valley. I shall probe the base on the south. We must narrow down all the possible areas. Even though we have support, we must be on our guard at all times. Be careful team. Emperor Protects..."
The Arvus Lighter suddenly opened its lateral doors revealing a burning sun, a blue sky, a jungle so thick that it could be compared to a green sea, and a sweltering heat. Despite being but a moon of the infamous system, it retained all of its well known attributes as well as its colorful lethality.
The side gunners opened fire with their bolter turrets. Not so far away, the Valkyries sprayed the plains and tree lines with melta charges, releasing continuous flame curtains. The muscular gunners kept shooting bolter rounds over any movement they could spot under the trees. The shirtless Sergeant accompanying Vader adjusted his scarlet headband after sheathing his massive knife and readying his Lascarbine. He then proceeded to look out the door and addressed Vader:
"There is nothing like the sweet scent of burning enemies in the morning, is there Inquisitor?"
Vader remained on his seat and barely nodded.
"So...why are you here? Are we in such big danger that the Inquisition needed to send one of their own?"
"It is an official affair of classified nature…"
"You better stay back and let us deal with the cultists, then."
"Fair enough." Vader replied while standing up and checking his gear.
The Catachan fighter addressed then the rest of his men:
"Alright, listen up! We have been assigned to assist the Inquisitor here on his classified assignment. We shall take point and eliminate any possible threat along the way. I don't have to remind you this is not a simple night patrol or a devil hunt, these are genestealers we are going up against, so stay sharp!"
"Yes sir!" The jungle fighters replied. One of them then spoke out with a serious expression on his face:
"Sergeant, is it true they escaped from a forgeworld they consumed whole before arriving here?"
"Why? Is it of your concern, Jarus?"
"Just to know how long they may survive in here with us."
The rest of the group chuckled and grunted with fading grins on their faces.
Although barely equipped, they proudly sported their simple uniforms, some of them even without any body armour at all. Their battle scars and toned bodies were proof of their optimal conditions and their disposition for war. After all, it was part of their culture, their daily lives.
The Arvus then swiftly descended full speed towards a plain nearby. The ship hovered barely above the ground as Inquisitor Vader jumped out, followed by the Catachan fighter team of 12 guardsmen. He could see a bustling wave of similar transports, dropping their passengers onto the battlefield, opening fire on any moving shape behind the trees nearby. The Sergeant then yelled at the top of his lungs, only to be faintly heard above the cacophony of the ongoing battle:
"To the tree line! Go! Go! Go!"
Vader and the Catachan fighters sprinted towards the trees and kept a steady pace for a few minutes.
While they ventured deeper into the thick jungle, the noise from the landing zone turned into echoes. The Sith looked around as the jungle fighters dwindled their pace and scanned the area for any possible enemies while spreading out.
They started treading even slower and more carefully, expecting any traps or sounds that could announce a possible ambush. The sound of wildlife could easily muffle the squad's march. A younger fighter stepped on a dry tree branch on the ground, breaking the tense silence.
All of a sudden, a menacing growl was heard and a cultist emerged from a hidden trapdoor on the ground to slit the man's throat.
In the blink of an eye, fifty more emerged...
The few who couldn't react on time were instantly shot and dismembered right before Vader's eyes. Those who survived descended into a frantic brawl, drawing their blades and shooting from the hip while being showered by their enemy's blood. The younger fighters could easily decapitate and dismember the cultists two or three at a time, while the experienced ones took their time to beat their enemies on one on one brawls or using corpses as meat shields and cover to open fire from afar.
Vader was barely able to react and instantly decapitated his two attackers to then pull the closest cultists away from the Catachan fighters, which then returned fire and repeatedly stabbed any cultist corpses in range. Those cultists who could find cover were then drawn out by precise grenades and shredded by a shower of lasrounds.
After confirming the deaths of all the genestealers, the squad went silent once more and kept moving until the hum of a Valkyrie forced them to pick up their pace. The Sergeant was the one who broke the silence this time:
"Incoming!"
It was then when a roaring fire curtain appeared in front of them barely missing the team. They stared at the burning sight until a sound was heard under the flaming roar and the crackling vegetation: a series of growls and screeches, as well as many running feet.
All the team and Vader then formed a circle and took a defensive position. The cultists charged from underground and at floor levels, while some others jumped from the trees and even ran through the fire. In response, the jungle fighters used their smoke grenades and seized their opportunity to open fire and start their counterattack using their knives and fists. An elder fighter pulled out his shotgun and rained fire on the incoming genestealers, ripping them to shreds.
Vader closed his eyes to concentrate and feel the remaining foes. He covered the guardsmen from the cultist fire, then tossed some of the hidden ones into the fire curtain and kept disarming and cutting through the genestealers as the rest of his men were now crouched firing at the overwhelming wave. As he took a deep breath, he focused his force abilities and unleashed a wave that stopped the cultists mid air. In the blink of an eye, he assumed a battle stance and unleashed a series of continuous loops and swings.
He had been working on it for some weeks, as a way to confront many opponents at a time. A combination of movements from different Jedi lightsaber forms adapted to his stiff and bulky suit: The elegance and force versatility of Niman, the fluidity of Soresu and the strength of Djem So, all combined into a single choreography.
Many severed heads fell from the floating corpses like leaves from a tree. Vader held out his hand and caught one of the severed heads before letting the corpses fall. The astonished guardsmen could only check their surroundings and check for any survivors left to purge. The sergeant approached Vader and playfully elbowed him with a confident grin:
"By the throne, Lord Inquisitor! You can cut!"
The Sith remained silent and examined the head he collected. Although its features seemed to be humanlike, the fluorescent yellow eyes gave away its Xeno nature. Their skin was pale white with pink and purple fading of them had a third arm and a protruding forehead, but others had rough features and scars, reminiscent of those who worked on the mines or the Manufactorums, common men from the lower levels. They could easily camouflage inside the underhive, infiltrate human society and corrupt it from within using promises of power and vengeance: such was the task of a Genestealer Cult. The seemingly unnatural combination of human and Xeno disgusted both the guardsmen and Vader.
The battle scars on the corpses and their sharp teeth left clear that whatever humanity they possessed was suffocated by their Xeno instincts and easily overpowered by their blood thirst, consumed by the seed sowed by their overlords.
Vader and the guardsmen kept cautiously moving through the jungle. They advanced towards another plain, where another squad was found, or what remained of it. Corpses dangled from the nearby tree branches and toren limbs were all around the grass, as well as scrambled and gnawed organs. The Sergeant then found a radio while inspecting a pile of organs, calling out for a reply:
"Metal 3-0 this is Tango 5-9 do you copy?"
The sergeant picked up the radio and addressed the man at the other side:
"Tango 5-9 this is Silver 1-7, 3-0 is gone, over."
"Understood 1-7, thank you for the intel…"
"No problem, brother. Are you heading towards cliff 14?"
"Affirmative, Silver."
"5-9 we are on a Tier 1 mission en route to sector 12 two clicks away from hill 937, we need support from higher ground. Can you assist?"
"Sure thing. We'll see what we can do."
"Understood 5-9, good hunting."
The sergeant then handed the radio to a fighter to store it in a satchel. It would not take much time when another transmission spoke out through the radio:
"Any personnel within range, this is Phoenix 7-2, we have a Valkyrie down a click away from 937. The pilots look pinned down and the genestealers are swarming around them. We've contacted artillery team Hellion on camp Beta but they might be busy."
The team then turned their attention to Vader, as to see if the Inquisitor might have any objection against answering the distress call. There was a long pause before his answer: the Sith nodded in approval and handed the radio to the Sergeant using The Force:
"Copy that, Phoenix. This is Silver 1-7,We are on our way. You heard the pilot, men. Double time!
The party picked up their pace once more and ran around hill 937 at dashing speeds when they noticed the sprinting shadows at the treetops and between the vines and grass...The genestealers were making a run for it as well.
They arrived at the crash site and used their knives to break into the Valkyrie's cockpit and help the female pilot and her wounded copilot, while the rest opened fire at the charging cultists. Vader pulled them from atop the trees and slammed them into the ground to be gunned down with ease. The creatures kept coming and the bodies kept piling while the pilots were prepared to be carried. The Sergeant then nodded to his team and unleashed their remaining grenades before running away with the others.
Vader could feel his veins pumping with blood, his body soaking in a puddle of his own sweat inside the suit while they sprinted away from the frantic horde.
The Sergeant addressed his team once more before jumping forward:
"Hunting traps. They're some of ours. Follow me!"
The guardsmen and Vader followed the Sergeant jumping and flipping over the booby traps with grace and precision, as one mistake could cost their lives. The genestealers behind sprung them and fell into pits with spikes or were impaled and dismembered by stakes and hidden blades. The corpses stared to pile once more and their pace became slower. The Sergeant then jumped over a seemingly inoffensive portion of field, followed by the rest, only to fall into a waist deep pit full of thick mud. The Sergeant then spoke once more as he realized he was stuck next to Vader.:
"I in fact could not see that trap. Oh well… at least it is not lethal."
Vader responded while attempting to get his power sword out of the mud:
"Not yet. I felt something alive back at the small field. What was it?"
A feral growl got their attention. The team kept struggling to pull out their weapons and prepare to fire. The genestealers who could sport a firearm readied their guns and unleashed erratic fire before stepping into the field. All of a sudden, a barrage of explosions was unleashed from underground and tore the genestealers apart, halting their advance for a few seconds as they were engulfed in blood, gore and clouds of strong toxins. The second the explosions went off, the guardsmen took cover under the mudd and Vader extended his hands to create a Force field and protect them.
"Barking toad mines. A specialty of the Catachan arsenal." The Sergeant stated with a wide sadistic smile and a face covered by filth. Suddenly, something erased his smile and drew their attention once more.
The poisonous gas clouds dissipated sooner than expected. A new horde of cultists pushed through and started scratching on Vader's field. The Sith could feel the weight of dozens upon dozens of pounding genestealers. Vader looked around the pit and, with a nod from each guardsmen, he understood this would probably be their final stand. Those who could aimed their weapons at the cultists, while others simply reached for their knives. The team stared at their foes with defiant fury and disgust. They were truly ready to die.
It was then when the action mechanism of a weapon was heard… And the Tango squad aimed their flamers from atop the trees...
"Purge'em in flame, boys!"
They instantly rained fire with their meltaguns and let out bursts from their lascarbines engulfing the entrenched squad. Vader lowered the shield and the team unleashed another barrage of lasrounds to mop up any stragglers left. The genestealers were riddled with lasers and burned to a crisp before their corpses even touched the ground. Tango squad came down from the trees and its captain greeted the Sergeant with a loud handshake:
"Pristine timing, my brother." The Sergeant babbled while panting and smiling.
"Thank the Emperor you are no weak planetary defenders, otherwise we would be scraping whatever was left of your corpses from the ground. You have our gratitude for assisting the crash site, we were still dealing with another ambush."
"No need brother, we were just following orders."
The captain then noticed Vader and greeted him with a salute and a short reverence:
" Vitus,Tango squad."
Vader stepped forward and sheathed his sword while shaking the filth away from his cape:
"At ease. How far are we from camp Beta?"
"3 clicks southeast, Mylord."
"Join us then, we should make sure their position has not been overrun and help our wounded."
The teams then joined forces and managed to prepare the wounded and the pilots for transport once marched with a constant pace, aiming at all directions and surrounding the wounded to protect them.
Soon enough, they found a trail of bodies, which piled up as they kept moving forward. Alarmed, the officers and Vader picked up their pace leaving the rest behind. As they approached a beaten path, the traces of blood and detonation marks became more and more frequent. They kept frantically advancing until an unusual sight brought them to a full stop. A wall of corpses...
The officers and Vader sighed with relief the moment they saw Catachan fighters saluting them and helping their brothers to stack the genestealer corpses as improvised covers. A flesh wall to protect their precarious emplacement. Some tents were riddled with bullet holds and burn marks, but still full of noise and activity. The mortar pits were busy with guardsmen transporting supplies, ammunition, water for the remaining fires and clearing all the shells and corpses they could find on their way. The teams finally caught up to their leaders and the wounded were taken to an improvised hospital tent. They had finally arrived at Beta Camp.
Vader entered the communications tent to be greeted by a saluting room. A Captain at the other side of a table full of maps and a small hololithic device spoke out:
"Inquisitor. It is an honor."
"At ease. What is your status?"
"The enemy launched a simultaneous attack on our position from the North, Southwest and East. Most of their troops in the North emerged from underground. Central command believes that they are carving a network of tunnels to move and strike on any position without being easily detected. We were tasked with providing fire support for the advancing guardsmen on both north and south but the constant raids kept us busy."
Captain Vitus spoke first:
"We can stay for support. Our mission is to secure the southern supply line and mortar barrages should be useful."
Vader then pointed out the easternmost section of the encampment on one of the maps
"Does the network cover the eastern part of the Valley?"
"We believe not, Mylord. They attacked from atop the trees on the east."
"Were there as many genestealers as with the other waves?"
"No, Inquisitor. It seems they previously engaged another force. Most of their corpses sported wounds similar to lasrifle shots."
"How come?"
"We speculate it was the Mud Warriors."
"Mud warriors?"
The room went silent in an instant...
"It is a nickname we have given them. Central command has stated they are a force of unclassified nature… Our scouts say they are well organized humans and present no sign of chaos corruption. They seem to be planetary defenders, since their equipment resembles none of the known imperial guard regiment patterns, nor do they sport any imperial sigil. Part of their ship crashed about 3 days ago. We have not been able to contact them on any radio frequency."
"And you simply left another possible threat alone?"
"We are not sure of their allegiance, Mylord. Besides, they are well entrenched beyond sector 13. Boys call it the Barking Creek…"
"A breeding ground for Barking Toads. Recruits would use the place to supply and improve their hunting traps during their survival training." Captain Vitus added.
"Only two roads go through that creek. Going in would be suicide to any untrained force. Personally, I am impressed they are still alive. Even more since some of their scouts made it out. Still, we could only recover their corpses."
Vader walked around the table towards the Captain, gripping his sword tight.
"What do they look like?"
They took Vader to one of their improvised barrack tents and pointed at a big canvas bag at the end of the bed rows. Vader opened it and immediately recognized the stained and torn armour. Out of the tent, the officers waited for the Sith and walked by his side to hear the answer:
"My target is at the creek. I need a small …"
Few minutes later a search party was called. Four of the most agile Jungle fighters to accompany Vader. They painted their bodies and faces black to camouflage easier with the incoming night and carried only their blades and lascarbines. They left by nightfall a now well guarded camp accompanied by the thunderous symphony of a constant mortar barrage. The party sprinted away from the noise and light of the camp to find themselves making their way through thicker and thicker vegetation covered by the nocturnal darkness and some fading beams of moonlight. They opened gaps with their blades and reached a dirt path, which they followed at an even faster pace, until they came across a swampy grassland.
Vader could hear how the sound of wind, croaking toads and singing insects filled up the air. It reminded him of those afternoons near the waterfalls at Naboo.
The party watched their step and walked slowly to avoid disturbing any possible toads nearby. They steadily reached a small marsh full of drying puddles which seemed to lack any depth. one of the fighters stepped forward and carefully observed the marsh for any signs of life. He softly whispered to the party:
"We're clear."
"Wait…" Vader interrupted, holding him back from his shoulder.
A toad emerged from one the puddles, seeming to be deeper than it appeared. The party stared at the toad while it cluelessly hopped away from their vicinity. Vader let the Catachan fighter go and took the lead while steadily walking through the puddles. Another fighter simply blurted out his doubt:
"How did you...?"
Vader calmly answered from over his shoulder:
"I sense it. All of it. All around me."
They kept walking and carefully observing their wet ground became firmer and several molding rocks started to appear: they were close to the creek.
A path of dirt appeared, surrounded by the bones and corpses of all kind: humans, genestealers, animals, they all seem to have died before arriving at the creek. The path passed through bizarre rock formations, into a small cave barely fit for Vader. They walked through and entered a flat land, divided by a river and several ponds, surrounded by even more rock formations. The plants atop worked as a natural roof allowing only a few beams of moonlight in, concealing this one of a kind landscape. There were massive colonies of frogs, piling up towards whatever beams of light they could find under the dense foliage.
The Inquisitor ordered his men to stand down while he ventured into the apparently suicidal trap. He walked steady between the explosive creatures, making his way around some puddles to avoid any possible sinking.
It was then when Vader sensed something and then saw it. A lonely tree stood at a far end of the creek. The Sith made his way towards the tree and took cover behind it. He seemed to be expecting some kind of attack. His party readied their weapons and aimed at him since they expected something might quickly fall upon the Inquisitor. Vader tried to gradually lower his breathing to focus on any suspicious sound. It was then when he heard it: someone was panting nearby.
He grabbed the soldier from behind the tree and dangled his body by the neck. The soldier was able to let out some kicks on Vader's stomach, to which he replied with a tighter grip and a higher angle. A single beam of light illuminated Vader's helmet and the soldier suddenly stopped fighting back. He grunted out only two words:
"Lord Vader?"
The Sith finally allowed the soldier to breathe and put him on the ground. Although he remained steady, Vader could feel a rush all over his body. He felt somehow nervous, and ashamed.
The soldier quietly observed him from the shadows before standing up once more. He finally took his helmet off, revealing a scarred yet astonished face. He saluted Vader and addressed him while looking at the ground:
" It is an honor, Lord Vader. We never thought someone would come for us."
Vader regained a sober posture and stared at the soldier:
"Identify yourself, trooper."
"Specialist Yik Howder, 13th company, 56th battalion, 224th Imperial Artillery Division."
" You were stationed at Marca, is that correct?"
"Yes Mylord. All of us. Those who are still alive."
Vader told his party to stand down and hold their position using hand signs from behind his back. A sudden silence took over the two until Vader approached the Trooper and spoke with his usual threatening tone. A voice that could shake any imperial soldier to their core:
"Take me to your outpost."
"Y...Yes, Mylord…"