"It is open." Cailean rose from his kneeling raising his bolter, his 2 mechandrites readying. Once again Jagon stepped forth before a hand stopped him, "your armour maybe black as shadows, lost one, but you are not born to them as we are." Shrade halted him. Olygan looked to his centurion before moving ahead, the 2 warriors Corvus pattern armour seemingly melting into the shadows of the hallway. Jagon wished to go with them, he volunteered for this because it would be one less loyal warrior lost should something go wrong. "You are eager and willing Jagon but do not be so ready to throw your life away, so many of us yearn to abandon this, to throw ourselves into the game of this war... it is foolish, we can do so much more, be so much more to the traitors than a mere nuisance if we stand undeterred in the face of these feelings." Jagon looked to the captain, the man stood unbowed and unbroken in Tartaros Plate, his fire burning bright, "I know this Battle-Captain, the rational part of me knows this but...how else can I hope to atone..."
A vox beep broke the silence, "we are clear to move up." Cailean moved first Jagon following closely behind ready to throw himself between the Iron Hand and any danger. Vok'la moved into the rear guard his drake skin cloak flowing out behind him, "room ahead second on the left." Shrade voxxed their location and sure enough upon arriving the 2 ravens were waiting. The entrance way was large enough for the entire team to move through shoulder to shoulder, peering in from his place in the shadows Vok'la saw 4 cloaked figures with menials and robots scurrying about them. The menials had a few humans mixed with other unknown species, silently Olygan grabbed one man who was hobbling over to them, forcing his head to the others they saw the eyes, dead, the spark of humanity, present species wide seen in the eyes of others was gone, instead all they got were dull whimpers and groans. "The device in his skull here seems to be some form of controller." Cailean pointed.
Vok'la felt his fire rise in his chest, bad enough these people must suffer death at the hands of this filth, but to have their very humanity stripped from them. He let loose a low growl audible to room, "let none of the filth live." in an instant 1 of the figures dropped dead, Shrade seemingly materialising behind it to decapitate it with a knife blow. Jagon crossed the threshold and into the room quicker than the menials could process, gladius cutting an arc through another as it died sizzling and screeching Vok'la's chainblade whirred to life, as it growled, he carved into the figure closest to a console Cailean had been moving to. He swiftly turned and smashed the back of his fist into the final creature with a sickening crunch before voxxing his team "Olygan cover the entrance, the rest of you check the menials."
"I'm afraid there's no need to check them brother." Shrade responded, pointing his bolter at a spasming alien the team looked around them to see all the menials in their death throes. Vok'la caught an elderly human woman as she fell her frantic gibbering becoming more and more pained as she convulsed, "I have failed you little one, go now in peace." There was a soft crunch as she went limp. "Grant them mercy brothers it's the least they deserve having suffered this."
Cailean moved from the console, "the adept is being held not far from here, we are close to the stasis vaults." he looked down at the table, "this one is not dead." that got the attention of Vok'la who moved over to view the woman currently strapped to the table, she started to murmur and groan, waking with a start before noticing the giants staring down at her.
Kathryn Janeway came to barely remembering anything, as she blinked away the harsh lights above before shifting, she felt cold slick metal and a film of gunk on her skin around her thighs and arms, meaning her uniform had been removed, "perfect," she muttered as she noticed a shadow loom over her 2 machines were staring down at her, now initially she thought they were some kind of torture device or security mechanism but looking closer they didn't match the aesthetics of the room, that apparently being wet and slime covered. She heard a soft beep from the one on her left it raised a massive hand and gently touched the back of its hand to her face as it spoke "fear not, i will free you so hold still." With her communicator removed she couldn't understand it, never mind that whatever it said came out as a metallic growl. It raised a hand gesturing to try and placate her as it then gripped the mechanism holding her in place, she raised a brow, "sorry, but I'm not that kind of girl." she simply responded, there was a groan as the bar was torn away. "Never mind maybe i am." Throwing her legs over she tried to get up and test them, almost immediately falling over. She noticed she didn't hit the ground; she was hoisted into the air by the large figure that had freed her, she looked at the helmet staring at her, "would you put me down please? As fun as this is i can walk just fine." She gave the large machine a sickingly sweet smile to appear unthreatening she noticed its turn to look at the others around it before gently setting her down. She looked down at her clothes, seeing she was in a rather revealing garment, white silk barely covering her breasts, moving down to a gold chained belt before tapering into a loincloth.
Her feet felt the stickiness of the floor, she looked to see the bodies around her and the four now revealed insectoids strewn about. Instantly she turned on her saviours. "Did you do this, these were innocent people, now i know you can't understand what I'm saying so i hope you understand how I'm saying it i won't be intimidated or allow for more people to be hurt." She glared up at the machine pointing at the bodies, she turned back and began searching for her uniform, trying not to look or think about the carnage around her.
"This is too risky Vok'la, we should leave her and move." Shrade stated, ever pragmatic, "No, we shan't, we failed the others here, she is clearly unaffected by the creatures." He looked at Cailean to verify. "Indeed, there is no xenos tech in her, in fact all my augur sweeps indicate she is incredibly fit and well for her age even by Imperial standards." the woman came back holding a bundle of cloth in her hand with a small metal symbol shaped like and arrowhead, she begun fixing it to the clothes' she was wearing. "There, should be able to understand you now."
They continued to stare at her as she pointed at her badge and began to babble, she seemed to want them to do something judging by her gesturing between them and it. "We're losing time Brother." Shrade reminded, "indeed we are." Vok'la chuckled amused by the woman's antics, her apparent fearlessness to her situation was admirable even. He turned back to her, "come little ember, we have a mission to complete." Janeway perked up, her com badges translator picked up the word 'little' and 'complete'. she smiled, "that's right just a little bit more big gu-hey wait, where are you going wait." she called out, trying to bundle up her uniform and run after the now mobile strike team.
Jane could hear the soft whirring and grinding of the robots as they moved ahead, the Twins took point, she'd taken to calling them the Twins because they wore similar armour one had a special almost roman-esque crest on his helmet and seemed to be important, otherwise the black colour scheme was only broken up by white specifically a white bird like symbol on their shoulder armour.
After them was Drone a borg looking one, which unnerved her, she'd never admit that out loud, but the helm having 3 lenses on one side and obvious robotic parts was too much like a collective drone. Maybe their makers used borg technology? Its armour was also black but instead of a bird, a white hand was on its shoulder, with it was Grey this one had no markings at all its body was a dull gray colour, their appeared to be hints of a Sea green and gold on parts apart from that nothing, nothing to hint at a rank or name etc.
Finally, there was the machine beside her, Titan she had taken to mentally calling him, where she was running to keep up with their light sparse jogs and walks this one, the obvious leader was striding. Its armour was the most decorated which was also an indicator of some status, it had massive shoulder pauldrons coloured a deep green with flame accents and a cloak made from some great scaled beast, all very klingon looking. She noticed what looked like a white dragon's head on its shoulder armour, that was odd.
Coming to a halt near a vast room with pillars stretching from floor to ceiling she noticed what looked like pods along each pillar. She heard a few more soft beeps as the squad seemed to communicate something to each other, then begin moving in she followed behind closely to Titan as it gestured then Drone followed it over to a console.
She gathered her breath, staring around the room she moved to a pod near the console. Wiping away some condensation on the outside of the pod she saw a young woman, she had tanned skin and dark brown hair, she also noticed the similar attire to her own, "well looks like our friends have interesting fashion tastes." she said to herself unaware that Jagon had heard her. He observed the mortal, she seemed frail yet highly inquisitive a bad combination. She was investigating a pod and seemed to find a compartment, what really got his attention was the camouflaged uniform she pulled out of it.
Unaware of the approaching blackshield Janeway was busy investigating the uniform she saw an old American style flag on it, she never really had been much for early 21st century history besides her temporal jaunts and holodeck breaks, "so when are you from." She said more to herself as Jagon was coming up behind her, holding the uniform trying to inspect it for further clues, but without a tricorder or other device, she couldn't ascertain anything. "Damn." she backed up slightly to walk over to the console where Drone and Titan had been, not realising one of the warriors was behind her.
"Oomph-what the hell?" rubbing her now sore head she looked up from her new sitting position into the red eyes of Grey, now that she had a better look, she could see a faded black symbol of a bird or prey's head with black thunderbolts painted on its chest. "What did you find citizen?" the translator picked up 'what-you find' causing Janeway to perk up. "Well, if you'd be so kind to help me, I would be inclined to share." she said holding out a hand in mock daintiness, Jagon tensed it was for a literal millisecond not enough for the woman to notice that he'd understood her fully. Looking at the outstretched hand it instead knelt, this made Janeway raise a brow, and the machine seemed to check her over before she heard the soft beeps. "She just spoke in High gothic Battle Captain, i am unsure how she done this." Jagon didn't look at the Salamander, he knew maintaining operational composure was more important. "Cailean, do you have any explanation, she does not appear to be a psyker." However, the response came from Olygan, "it may be her badge Captain, when we found her i noticed her using it, it made a noise and she spoke into it. She has also tried to be near us when we have spoken openly with the badge facing towards us." The Ravens were always watchful, if they were more paranoid, they'd be hydras. "Possibly a translation device of some sort then." Cailean added, not breaking from his task.
Vok'la took in the information, the woman had seemed harmless yet quite brave despite her situation she didn't appear to suffer from the infamous 'trans human dread' most peoples of the imperium seemed to suffer from, when encountering Astartes. "Help her up lost wolf, i will speak with her." Kathryn was again surprised when Grey took her arm and effortlessly lifted her to her feet, "The Battle-Captain wishes to speak to you." came the rough growl as it nodded in the direction of Titan shouldering its massive gun. She nodded carrying the Army uniform with her, looking between Drone and Titan she just smirked, "The big guy let you take breaks?" It was jovial, an attempt to ease tension in herself, Vok'la noted. "I require none mortal." Cailean was blunt and mechanical in his response, she seemed a bit taken aback by the disregard for her attempts at friendliness. "You will have to forgive my Kinsmen, little ember, the sons of Medusa are not known for their fondness of mortal citizenry." Vok'la replied, the baritone of his voice becoming a metallic grunt through his helm vox caster. The usage of the words Kinsmen and Mortal instantly fascinating the Xenobiologist in her, Janeway then caught onto 2 other phrases, the apparent pet-name and- "Sons of Medusa, as in the Gorgon?" Vok'la looked at her, "You are Acquainted with the Iron 10th and their Primarch?" Vok'la had been under the impression this woman was unfamiliar with the imperium due to her lack of understanding the language. "I'm familiar with Greek mythology and the basics of her story?" Janeway now had their full attention with that one. Cailean rose and stood over the woman as she took a hasty step back, "Explain yourself now." Vok'la grabbed the warrior's pauldron to calm him as Jagon stood in front of the woman. "We do not know what you mean by Greek Mythology, but the Gorgon Lord Ferrus Manus, was the primarch and gene-father of Cailean's legion the Iron hands and Medusa is their home-world." Vok'la looked down at the little woman, she had recovered from her shock quite well acting unperturbed by the looming trans-human cyborg.
Janeway shifted the rather sudden explosion of movement had caught her completely off guard, how in the hell did something that big and heavily armoured move so fast. "As far as I was aware, Medusa is the name of a mythological monster, a Gorgon, a woman that was cursed by the goddess of wisdom Athena, she would turn men into stone by looking at them." Vok'la looked at her considering what she'd just said, "what world are you from little ember?" The question was genuine, for her people to have retained a common phrase but the meaning and history to have changed was not uncommon amongst the lost worlds of humanity especially in those that retained a level of cultural and technological sophistication. The woman looked at him before pacing over to the console, "I grew up in a place called Bloomington, Indiana, on Earth." Cailean looked at Vok'la, who could feel the incredulous glance without having to see his face. "I am unfamiliar with a place called Bloomington on the Throne World, where is it?" Vok'la asked choosing to not let her usage of the Terras old name throw them off more, his analysis of the Xenos with Therrum back aboard the Imperius had hinted at their temporal capabilities this had initially led them to believe they were dealing with the vile hrudd.
"Throne-world? Are you talking about Earth? You're from Earth?" she began to suddenly and rapidly look to and fro, "perhaps not my Earth?" she asked more to herself with dawning realisation looking at the uniform in her hands, she was sure the uniforms of 21st century soldiers looked different due to her history classes on the eugenics wars. She looked back at the helms that seemed to focus in on her, "what year is it?" She was half hoping for her theory to be wrong, that it was just half baked. As if recognising her train of thought Cailean responded, "009.M31, 31,009." he further clarified for the mortal. "For me it was 2376, or 376.m2 as you put it big guy." Cailean looked to the Salamander, "there are stories of ships being lost in the warp only to return years later or even before their leaving..." He seemed to pause unsure as if he should share the next piece with the salamander. "During the Crusade there was an incident of such a nature, the Fist of Iron was pursing Orkoid Kill Kroozers into a warp rift when a Legion vessel appeared inside Lord Manus led a strike team aboard, the accounts indicated the vessel was from the future, but it showed signs of degradation."
The woman seemed to nod as if she understood, "i don't know what a kill cruiser is but it sounds like you understand, these aliens seem to abduct people from different times, potentially different timelines..." she held up the uniform, "I recognise this here the badge, it's the flag of my homeland but if I'm right about the owner then this uniform and her are off, the time it's from would be known as the eugenics wars yet the woman in the pod didn't seem to have been genetically altered in anyway and the flag was much different according to the history lessons." she paced away slightly in thought, "you said a warp rift, right I'm not aware of such rifts causing temporal effects, maybe it's something to do with sub-space interactions..." she trailed off, "maybe they hit tachyon eddies or particle flows? I need to access their data, maybe i can form a better picture of how their travelling."
Cailean followed along with her train of thought, "I am downloading all available data for further operations by our force, we will have to look at this aboard the Ignis, if you are able to aid in this as you seemingly have a scientific background you may be able to shed some light on their weaponry and other systems." Vok'la looked upon the mortal woman smiling a little under his helmet, "well done little ember, that is the closest to praise for a mortal that i have heard come from a Gorgon-son." he turned to the console seeing an outline for a set of pods, "Centurion, 5th pillar, 3rd ring, pod ident: 5324-ulik." Shrade nodded before he and Olygan stalked off to the highlighted area. Jagon turned to the Battle-Captain, "How were you able to read it Battle-captain?" Vok'la looked to him then Cailean, "the console is from an imperial vessel, here you can see the gothic script." Cailean nodded, "it would seem they steal technology to integrate into their own along with slaves during their raids." Janeway nodded, coming to look at the console to see if she could operate it. "I was on the bridge of my ship reading the night shift reports when i was teleported out, the ship i was on had its shields raised meaning they shouldn't have been able to do that without some very powerful and advanced teleportation tech." she brought up what looked like a list, "this seems to be a manifest of some kind maybe for all the people in this room."
Shrade and Olygan had arrived at the highlighted pod Olygan peering in saw the Adept, it seemed the xenos had done some kind of experimentation on him judging by non-imeprial looking modifications here and there. "Open the pod i will attach the inhibitor." Shrade lifted the device out of its secure pouch on his waist, "i cannot find any mechanism to open it, perhaps i should break it open?" Shrade shook his head, "we need the fool alive, smashing our way in may kill him, we aren't Russ' wolves or the bastards of Angron."
Olygan voxxed Cailean, "there is no opening mechanism on the pod." There was a brief pause, time was ticking down, but it seemed only he and his Centurion were aware of that. "i have found a command to open it, hold fast." there was a soft chime and the pod door seemingly melted away, as soon it was gone Shrade attached the inhibitor device to the Adepts chest, "not taking any chances with this one, might fancy himself the smart type." was his gruff reasoning, however a secondary chime was heard, then a third then another and another. Olygan ready his bolter as he heard them, "Cailean check the console, you've opened all the pods." Shrade lifted the limp adpet out slinging him over his shoulder, "i have Centurion, we heard the opening chimes here, somethings a foot this shouldn't have happened." Olygan looked at his Centurion, the 2 didn't speak, the Centurion threw the adept's limp body over his shoulder, and they began moving in standard partnered formation Delta-4, the legionary training kicking in automatically, the formation was one of many developed by Corax for duos operating on lone missions. As they approached the group a wet shlick came from Olygans right he turned in time to catch one of the Xenos leap out of its pod onto him, uncloaked the insectoid was hideous, it had human features such as flesh scraps holding black insect parts in place or human eyes above small spider like ones on its face. It raked a claw across his armour doing surprisingly nothing and instead of wasting valuable bolter rounds he unsheathed his combat knife and slit the creatures throat. Shrade simply nodded his approval and the 2 moved off arriving in time to find a small swarm of the creatures surrounding their team, unaware of the danger to their backs Olygan and Shrade unsheathed combat knives and set to work carving a path to the strike team.
Vok'la looked to his left seeing Shrade and Olygan cutting their way to them, when they arrived, he simply asked them, "is the adept secure?" Shrade nodded choosing not to voice anything. Vok'la looked over his shoulder at the woman as she frantically tried to work the console, "Jagon, Olygan fan out and eliminate them, Shrade, Cailean fire support, purge the scum." he heard a yell from his right and saw a huddle of mortals a mixture of men, women and a child, seeing the young boy hug onto the leg of a woman as a group of the creatures were encircling them made his hearts tighten, no, not here not these abominants. "Shrade, Cailean defend the little flame, there are civilians in need of salvation." There was a whirring roar as he swung his chainblade, the massive eviscerator cleaving an arc through 6 of the creatures, some falling dead, others screaming and chittering in pain. Shrade didn't bother arguing with the drake, this was what made him a Salamander it's what made the 18th honored and loved, even now, in this galaxy of flames.
As he approached the stranded group, he let his presence be known with a roar of defiance, "You will not have them filth." The creatures surrounding them rounded some looked in horror. His fist caught the nearest in a backhand that took off its head, the next three were cut in nearly half by his chainblade, the remaining 10 tried to encircle him only to be crushed under boot, pulped or cut apart, the whole event taking seconds. "Cleared out Battle-Captain." Jagon voxxed, he looked at the huddled mass of people a woman at the front had a metal pipe raised at him chuckling internally he sheathed the eviscerator and knelt as best he could in the terminator plate. Holding out a hand he just waited, the people spoke a different language not unlike little ember, one which they seemingly shared despite the accents. The woman with the pipe lowered the weapon looking between the group and his outstretched gauntlet, tentatively she grasped his fingers, "come fierce warrior we shall take you from here to freedom." he knew they couldn't understand him, his voice came out as a metallic rumble that made them jump slightly he noticed a young woman at the back of the group latch onto a man. As she grasped his arm, he rose slowly leading them back to his warriors, "little ember i have need of you, you have a translation device correct." Janeway paused from her searching of the console quirking an eyebrow, "i do indeed, 'battle-captain' and it looks like we have guests." She looked at the new group and it seemed they understood her.
"What the hell is going who are you people, what the fuck were those things." the woman at the front stepped forward getting in Janeways face before Cailean stepped in-front. "Take it easy big guy their just scared I'll hazard a bet this is their first time seeing non-humans, it's not the best first impressions." Cailean looked to her then the captain before acquiescing.
"My name is Kathryn Janeway, Captain of the United Federation of Planet's Starship Voyager, and these esteemed gentlemen are my rescuers who have yet to introduce themselves." she said in a rather jovial tone, looking at the giants around them.
"Gentlemen ya mean they ain't robots?" asked a man with slicked back hair, "forgive me madam, but Captain?" asked an older gentleman, Janeway shook her head before turning back to the console and tapping a few displays. "Battle-captain, if you and your men want to introduce yourselves, I turned on the translators they've been implanted with." Cailean looked at her, "they have been infected with Xenos tech?" The sudden hard electronic bark of his vox frightened the group. "No, it's actually a human design, I've seen it used in those who do a lot of business with the likes of the Ferengi, pretty nifty tech." he seemed to calm down a bit upon hearing it was human, "Seeing as he's the most vocal, go first brother." Vok'la nodded at the warrior, "Battle-Captain you cannot be serious."
When no response came, Cailean shook his head, "Brother Cailean of 6th clan company Sorrgol 10th Legion Iron Hands." Janeway then looked at Gray, he seemed to shift "Blackshield penitent, permission to guard the entrance Battle-Captain." he didn't answer further choosing to instead focus on surveying the room, "Granted Jagon." He didn't respond and instead marched off to the entrance.
The Battle-Captain looked at the Centurion who nodded at Olygan, "Olygan, 21st Shadow company, 19th Legion Ravenguard." the Centurion didn't bother to look at the group instead checking his new dead weight, "Centurion Shrade, 7th chapter 'Stormcrows', 19th Legion Ravenguard." He pointed at a twitching corpse near Olygan, finally the group looked to their Saviour, the massive armoured warrior that had come barreling out of the dark to slay the monsters around them.
"Battle-Captain Vok'la Drakonn, 35th company of the 18th Legion Salamanders nominal commander of the Imperius Ignis." The boy that had been hiding behind a young woman up until this point poked his head out, he looked at the warrior with awe, "your names Dragon?" he said still hiding behind her slightly, his guardian tried to shush him but stopped at the rumbling warble that came from the warrior, "close boy, close, its Drak-onn." He chuckled making sure to pronounce the name for him. Janeway smiled at that, she liked the Battle-Captain she'd decided he seemed the most human out of the group, if they were indeed human. "So, I have good news, if I'm following this schematic correct here at this sub-station i should be able to contact Voyager."
Vok'la turned to his warriors, "let's move, the little ember has a way out, Olygan activate the det pack." The young raven flipped the lid on the explosive detonator and pressed. Janeway looked around wildly as the room began to shudder. "What was that?" asked the tanned woman, "i believe our big friends just blew something up." Janeway gave them a pointed look.
"One of their vessels had been abandoned near a renegade Forge-world they attempted to raid; we used it get here with its demise the Imperius Ignis has been alerted and will move into position to retrieve us." Janeway bundled up her uniform noting away 'forge-world', another question for later. "If we can find some form of data container i might be able to pull some useful information from their systems with the help of good brother Cailean." they began herding the group out the tanned woman aiding them, the 3 men in the group looking at them incredulously, "no one's explained what happened or what's happening where are we-" started the elderly man huffing and bluffing through his moustache, "Listen sir, it'll have to wait the big bad robots have remotely exploded one of the bug peoples ships and we need to move before all hell comes down on us." the tanned woman explained.
As the strike team and their new wards hurried to the location Captain Janeway had pointed out they slowed to a halt when Shrade raised a fist, he peered round a corner before pointing to Jagon, who moved ahead without even thinking.
The creatures appeared to be setting up some kind of defence in front of the room they needed to enter, so they knew the group were heading there or it's an important position, no matter. Jagon broke out into a sprint as Shrade and Olygan rounded the corner and opened fire, Jagon smashed into the makeshift barricade gladius whirling lopping off a limb there or the half a face over there. He grabbed an insectoid by the neck crushing it and throwing the body into another so hard they impacted the nearby wall with a wet squelch. He turned as one raised an energy weapon at his chest and fired, the ceramite armour deflecting the shot with no damage except to the imperial symbol on his chest. He took a second to look at the damage before grabbing the xenos it writhed and squirmed before screaming in gothic, "how did the pain guns not affect you it should have pierced your exo-shell." leering into its face Jagon let out a low growl, "Pain means nothing to me anymore filth, it is simply more fuel to my hate for you and your misbegotten kind." With a moist popping, the creature's internals leaked out its orifices due to the pressure of the warrior grabbing him.
Jagon dropped the corpse and gave the strike team an all clear, the group moved up carefully the mortals looking horrified at the carnage around them. "My god," said one, "lord protect us from these-" another started and other such mumblings, the tanned woman from before spoke up, "Mam, what the fuck is this, how they hell are they s-so quick an-and it pulped the last fuckers brains out its eyes how's that even possible." Janeway was unnerved, her new friends were clearly enhanced or cybernetic, maybe a mixture of both, but still the continued explosive movements just weren't natural. It was too fluid meaning they were organic, but their precision was mechanical like a machine. "I'm assuming my friends are some form of augments?" Janeway looked to Vok'la for clarification, "the term often used is trans-human." he clarified that raised more questions now, "augments?" asked a young woman she had a very upper-class English accent that wouldn't have been out of place in a holo-deck program, "Humans that have had very invasive surgeries, therapy's and other treatments to make them 'better' was the term often used, they are smarter, faster and very much stronger than ordinary people." Vok'la considered her words, mulling on them, Janeway seemed the most intelligent and inquisitive out of the group. "Aye, through the implantation of Gene-seed and steady augmentation processes we are genetically ascended." again an answer that only gave Kathryn more questions. As they entered the room Janeway set to work on a console Cailean joining her meanwhile Jagon stood guard at the door Olygan and Shrade searched the rooms after setting down the adept in a crumpled heap. As Vok'la and the Mortal woman who had been acting as leader of the group until now stood guard over them.
The group tried to huddle together they sat around each other; the boy began to complain about his legs and how tired he was before asking for his mother and father. "Can you get the kid to quiet down for pete's sake?" a man asked he stood up the young aristocrat woman holding his hand trying to soothe him, "he's just tired we all are let him be" the child began to cry, "oh come on i didnt mean it like tha-"
"Be silent mortal."
The group turned their heads to Vok'la who's gazed was fixed on the man, his bravado withering instantly. He turned to the young boy, "you are afraid why?" the boy sniffed, "m-my mo-mommy and da-daddy aren't here." this was to be the boys first crucible all those of the Astartes underwent them as children, the boy was breaking, like a good smith Vok'la decided to reforge him. "How old are you?" the boy wiped away tears sniffing heavily, "si-six."
"At your age, I was selected for recruitment by the Legion, I had grown up on stories of my Primarch Vulkan, I was terrified...I cried and I wailed for my mother and father but no-one came...after meeting the others of my recruitment group I underwent the trials, I walked the ash wastes of Nocturne my homeworld upon which many of my fellows died and at 17 i slew one of the firedrakes living in Mt. Deathfire near the fortress monastery of the legion becoming a neophyte, a brother." The boy had stopped crying dryly sniffing as his sister held him.
"My Mother and Father died years ago and now on special occasions i get to meet their descendants, for the other brothers here they started a similar journey around your age, only they never got to see their families again." He said looking at the boy.
"They were chosen for a higher purpose, to be re-made, to fight the monsters and creatures that stalked us in the long night." He had the mortal's full attention.
"This here, what is happening is your trial boy, whether you live or die, whether your sister lives or dies is on you...you could rise as high as one of us, will you be re-made in the forge or will you break?" he gestured to warriors about him.
"Know no fear, that is what mortals such as you think of us, fearless warriors but it is inaccurate...we merely have control of our fear, it does not bind us or hold sway over us, when we feel it we tell it no, we fight it back, so I ask, can you?" The boy had stopped crying altogether and was listening enraptured, he looked at Jagon. "You don't get to see your mommy and daddy anymore?" Jagon looked at the hallway standing in the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder, thinking for a moment, "No, I don't even remember them, Cthonia was a shite-hole of a world, they were probably Gangers." even thinking about Cthonia now hurt, did the recruits there know about Horus' betrayal? Did they partake in it? How deep did it run?
"Cthonia?" the elderly man asked, "as in the prison of the gods Cthonia?" Jagon shook his head, "No, maybe long ago before the Age of Strife that was what the name meant, now it is a feral world...built up on mining tunnels were gangs run rife, the man and woman who sired me were likely miners or gangers but left me to fend for myself." If that was the meaning behind the name, then the irony was not lost on him, the Arch-traitor coming from a prison of the gods. "The Age of Strife?" It was Janeway, she was still working with Cailean, the 2 had gotten the console working.
"It has a few names, The Age of Strife, the Long Night or the Dark Age of Technology other worlds call it other things, some don't even know it happened they regressed so far..." Vok'la stated.
"Long ago Humanity reached out to the stars, they used something known as A.I., Abominable Intelligences, Machines that lived and thought, to fight wars and pilot ships...few can say for certain why it happened but eventually the Abominants rebelled, the rebellion cut off worlds and systems from each other billions perished." He shook his head; this is what they spoke of to the lone wolf earlier, Horus' betrayal had plunged the galaxy into such darkness once more. "I'm sorry that happened...in my time we haven't had such problem, in fact one such machine is crew member of my vessel, we have however had problems with people like you," Janeway said gently touching his arm, "we had the Eugenics wars, Augmented humans like you became warlords who split up earth, they put ordinary people into labor camps and launched nuclear weapons at each other that devastated the planet."
"Just what the hell are these guys, what are they talking about?" asked a young man in the back of the group.
"It all seems very fantastical I must say." the redheaded woman replied. "My good sir you seem to be a learned man, do you have an inkling." she asked the older gentleman.
"It's Dr. Bunfield Mrs. eh-uh?" he asked with as much joviality he could muster.
"Mrs. Lockart, and again i ask does anyone have clue what our knights in shining armour are discussing with the rather forward Miss Captain?" she asked entirely unamused.
"I know a bit bout Eugenics, during the war, the Nazis were into it?" said the young man at the back of the group.
"Nazis? Whatever are those?" asked the blonde woman her arm wrapped around the middle aged mans
"You been living under a rock? Hitler and his merry gang of fascists, they took over a lotta Europe a few years ago, the second world war?" he asked, growing concerned as she didn't appear to recognise anything he said.
Before the civvies could freak out more, they heard a sigh, "when were you taken miss, what year?" it was the mexican woman she was standing at attention best she could in her very untoward outfit.
With a recognition that the answer is important her mother answered, "she disappeared a year ago in 1824?" she rose slightly, the tanned woman shook her head, "that wasn't the year for me" she turned and nodded at her fellow American, "what about you sir?"
The guy who was uncomfortably close to the young blonde was looking between the 2 women, "you're joshing me right, right its 1907?" He looked at the others in the group, seeing them frown or shake their heads.
"The important thing now is to focus its looking like our robot super soldier friends and Captain Janeway seem to have way for us to get out, my advice keep your heads on a swivel, look out for each other and follow orders as best you can." she recommended, Mrs Lockart raised a brow, "and what about you Miss when were you taken?"
"Must nabbed me when i was on patrol, it was 2024, i was in the middle of a UN relief mission to Gaza." she stated, giving basics, they wouldn't know what any of that meant, "wish i had my gear tho, M16 would be pretty handy damn even the crappy Mtech Knife i had could let me gut one of the cabrones." she frowned slightly causing the others to look at each other.
Vok'la was conversing with Janeway. "The irony is not lost on me Captain Janeway, it would seem no matter the time humanity must make similar mistakes to progress. That we must walk a knifes edge to find a golden path." Vok'la glanced at her, the conversation was broken up when a bell chimed out from the console, "We have someone... It's not Voyager?" she tapped away at the console, "I don't recognise these signals?" Cailean looked over, he checked the signals source. "It is a Vox signal from the Imperius Ignis."
With a few taps on the console and interfacing from his mechandrites, the signal cleared enough to be heard. "This is Amhlaidh Therrum acting Commander of the Strike Cruiser Imperius Ignis, Battle-Captain Drakon...Brother, do you hear me?" It wasn't desperate, it wasn't worried, but the hints were there for the Astartes. Only they would be able to pick up on the micro-emotional tones in the electronic tinged voice of the Iron Hand. Under his helm Vok'la smiled, it seemed he was rubbing off on the warrior. "Aye kinsmen, I'm here...we all are, we've picked up some strays open the hangers and send out the Thunderhawks, tell the apothecaries they will be needed." there was a pregnant pause... "Hold fast Kinsman, strike forces inbound, I suggest you make for the nearest hanger."