This planet reminds Mathias Karter of Luren where razor-sharp snow-capped mountains dominated cold, wet plains below. When he left that place, he was only twelve and called Mogg, after the legendary hero of the tribe, whose victories were so great that they often happened in different manners around the flickering campfire. 150 years had passed and the Inquisitor had never once laid eyes on the place where he was born, even though he had more than the means and capacity to do so. There was no enemy waiting for him on Luren or a heartbreaking event from long ago that made his feet hesitate. It was just that a reason to return became hard to find since leaving the place was always his idea.
His name had never been Mogg and destiny had in store for him something greater than cattle raids on the prairies. Mathias always knew that was the truth when he was still a child, so there was not a day he felt happier than the day the 'Sky Man's ship' landed on the other side of the Black Mountains, carrying the will of the immortal Emperor, and alongside with it, the demand for loyalty, material and men.
The choice turned out to be even more correct than he expected.
He had raised to the call of the Father of Mankind, accepted to become part of a larger entity, paid for his decision with flesh and blood and now, he returned to a different version of Luren in the finest fabrics and jewels that human could possess and at his back, an army on a mission to end the uncountable suffering that had been plaguing the Imperium for the past 10,000 years.
This gonna be a difficult and long struggle, but as a servant of the Emperor, one should not expect things to be easy. Mathias had understood that reality well after successfully exposing his first heretic cult and putting a bullet into the heart of his best friend, who in all accounts was a loyal servant of the Imperium, yet the path he chose to walk on was misguided, unfortunately.
And it would also be unfortunate if those who followed me here thought the greatest expedition of the last thousand years was led by a savage and misguided heretic.
This negative thought had crept into Mathias's sleep before the vanguard of the fleet entered Clavis and forced him to rely on the sedative prepared by Yorin. However, in a sensitive situation like this, even the strongest drug in the laboratory could not help him close his eyes.
"Most of the reconnaissance teams have returned, Inquisitor." A Tempest Scion briefly reported to Mathias under the shadow of a large rock. He was a member of the entourage but Mathias did not know his name nor had any way of distinguishing him from the other Tempest Scions other than the number on his chestplate. This one carried the number 32, "They said they found no signs of civilization or anything unusual within a radius of 100 km around here."
"They found nothing?" it would be a lie if he said he wasn't surprised. Scratching his chin, the Inquisitor turned to the Techpriest, who had made himself comfortable on a polished black rock, unmoved like a statue for the past hour. Strangely, Yorin didn't look too worried at the prospect of arguing with his elders just to find out he was wrong, "So it's the planet's magnetic field that is interfering with our radar and sensors?"
"Not quite, my lord," Yorin replied. A wind swept across where they stood, his brown cloak and hood fluttering in the cold air, revealing a victorious smile. "Have you ever wondered why I advised you to use the Temple Guard to approach the planet?"
Well, It was indeed among many things that had Mathias wondering since his boots touched withered blades of grass. Temple Guard was a warship that remained in fairly good condition despite its age and battles of late, but a cruiser lacked the speed and agility needed for such missions.
"Probably not the admiration you have for Captain Inagis."
The Magos ignored his humour, "Templar Guard was built in a military shipyard of Rion star system. 80% of the planets there have stronger magnetic fields on average, so the materials used in manufacturing and the equipment on the ship all have anti-jamming capacity. But as you can see, the ship's sensors are still affected by something on this planet so from that, we can conclude…"
"Its origin is not natural." Not a bad result if Yorin's theory was correct, but Mathias needs more than that. "So… this device or object, whatever it is, do you think it has a human origin?"
The Magos shook his head and sighed, "Unfortunately, there is currently no ground for the conclusion you want. We still don't know much about humanity in this dimension other than a single genetic code and Captain Zad's testimony. I mean no disrespect, but how much of a dream born from the warp is credible evidence? Perhaps humanity over here is an interplanetary empire like he had told us. But it's possible that they were once such a thing and all he saw was just a reflection."
You're not the only one who thinks like that. After three weeks of wandering through the void, finding nothing but giant gas planets and lifeless rocks, distrust began to emerge among the leadership. Admirals called travelling at sub-light speed without a star map an unnecessary risk and as a way to express their displeasure, they found every excuse not to advance further until Mathias brought up the Inquisition. This was truly a nuisance, but it was only the tip of the iceberg. Lord General Tiago kept asking Mathias for more information on the humanity in this dimension whom for some reason, he perceived as a threat instead of a potential ally. Lord Commissar Cerus was dissatisfied with the quality of his soldiers and insisted General Beren's 30 Cadia regiments be placed under his command. Marko Stubbs, nephew of the famous Vance Stubbs unsurprisingly assumed he had the ownership of the first life-supporting planet found, while Lord Van der Hart was eager to spread the true faith to misguided humanity on this side and hence growing more anxious every day at the snail pace of their campaign. All of their concerns as well as the responsibility to resolve them fell on the Inquisitor, but all he had right now were only promises, thin shields that he knew wouldn't protect him for long.
"You said most of the reconnaissance teams have returned, correct?" Mathias turned to the Tempest Scion and asked, "Some of our people are still out there?"
"A group of infantry led by Sergeant Arvo, my lord. The area they were assigned to is located at the edge of the searching area and quite large, so they have not returned yet."
Sergeant Arvo? Probably he had heard Inagis mention that name during the short voyage and it had something to do with a small mutiny where a Commissar was killed, but being too fed up with the excessive flattery, Mathias ended up letting most of what he heard go from one ear to another.
"Then we shall wait for them to return before planning the next step." A straw for him to hold on to, but rather a straw than nothing, "Tell our men to take the time to rest and wait for my orders..." Mathias' eyes narrowed as he realized the Stormtrooper was acting like he had yet finished his report, "What's wrong? Do you have a problem with my decision?"
"No, Inquisitor. It's just that General Barberic wants everyone to return to the ship before dark. He said the open terrain on the plateau makes us vulnerable to attack."
Is inviting him here a mistake? The reason for the presence of this not-well-known general was that Mathias wanted his own military advisor or, if the situation permitted, a supreme commander that he could control for the campaign. Of course, the latter was almost impossible from the start because this 'army' was actually a collection of twenty large and small armies from different sectors and contrary to the Cardinal's wishes, their commanders didn't seem to get along very well with each other. Lines had been drawn and factions had gradually formed, but the supreme commander Mathias hoped they would choose among themselves was nowhere to be seen.
Tiago, for better or worse, wasn't a bad choice for the time being. True, he knew little about warfare besides direct attacks with large casualties and was only best at causing trouble with others, but Mathias would rather endure that eccentric old man than attach Golden Aquila and the Sword on that arrogant Marko Stubbs or the soft-spoken, respectable Van Der Hart. There was no doubt the Cardinal had been of great help to Mathias in time of need, and as a high-ranking member of the Church, he was more than capable of settling the bitter rivalry among the annoying military commanders. But it didn't mean the entire army should be under the command of someone who knew nothing about waging war and was more comfortable with making decisions based on faith than battlefield reports.
"Not quite an unfounded caution, sir." Yorin added, "Since our biometric detector is hindered by the strange magnetic field source, we cannot yet confirm Tyranid's presence on the planet. A company of Cadian and your Tempest Scion is insufficient to repel a surprise attack."
The Tyranid's absence, while a blessing, remained a bewildering mystery. Captain Zad had confirmed the presence of Hive Fleet Fenir in this dimension through a certain person he referred to as 'Admiral Shepard', but if that story was true then it was difficult to understand why the planets they came across were still in perfect condition. So far speculations ranged from their Space Marines had made a mistake to the Great Devourer being defeated and destroyed, but perhaps the Inquisitor had to give them a satisfactory answer before anyone found out the real reason behind, the secret that forced him to silence Magos Gravos forever.
"Then tell Barberic to send a battalion down here. We will set up a perimeter and camp overnight if necessary. Oh wait a second…." An idea suddenly flashed in Mathias's head, so brilliant that he silently thanked the Emperor for it, "A battalion of Death Korps, why not? From now on I want the detachment protecting me to consist only of Korpsmen. Tell Barberic to pick an elite formation and send them here."
"Death Korps of Krieg?" Yorin frowned. "I'm afraid Korpsmen are hardly suitable for such a job, my lord. Of course, no one dares to doubt their martial powers or courage, but you, more than anyone else, know the Inquisition is a light-year beyond destroying the enemies of the Emperor and the Imperium."
Isn't it time for Yorin to see the big picture? As an Inquisitor, duty demanded him to preserve sensitive information that could greatly affect the Imperium, and to complete that task, the Inquisition had given Mathias a kind of authority that he himself sometimes found overwhelming for a human being. Asking an Astartes to omit details from his statement, lying to a church dignitary, refusing to share information until the appropriate time or even committing murder was simply part of the job. job, but it had been a long time since Mathias realized he wasn't cut out for the role of butcher and bloodbaths.
No. This was not simply a war where glory could be found in mountains of corpses and broken planets. When the dust settled down, success would be measured in the number of lives that could be saved, and in order for that to occur, Inquisitor Mathias Karter must prepare himself for the most terrible sin an Imperial Citizen could commit, hateful bullets from his brother-in-arms and perhaps, a humiliating death of traitors.
"Just do as I say, Yorin." It was still too early. There was no doubt that Yorin would agree with his plan but now was not the right time. "I have my own reasons."
The young Techpriest's glance lasted only half a second before disappearing beneath the hood, but Mathias wouldn't be surprised if he had partially figured out what the whole thing was about, "Affirmative, Inquisitor. Your wish is my command." Yorin replied discreetly and then stood up, "Do you have any other requests?"
"For the time being, a roof over my head. It would be disappointing if I have to spend the night in a smelly Chimera or freeze myself to death on a rock."
"That can be arranged but in my opinion, it would be best for you to return to your cosy room on Temple Guard." Yorin shrugged, "But it seems that circumstances demand your presence here and in case the First Contact protocol is implemented, it's perhaps for the best if you're the only high-ranking dignitary of the Imperium remaining on this plateau. If First Contact actually occurs, of course."
"You're overthinking. It's just that I just want to spend some time reviewing old memories," Mathias pretended to be ignorant, but the lie was so clumsy and ridiculous that even he couldn't help but laugh, "More or less, this place does remind me of my homeworld"
"Of course. I'm sure everyone has a special place in their heart for their home. I was one of them too until my heart was taken away for weakling flesh has no place in the Mechanicus."
That night, Mathias had the opportunity to warm himself and review old memories in a steel and concrete-made container dropped directly from the Temple Guard anchoring in the planet's orbit. Despite Inagis's assurances that the accommodation was specifically built and reserved for men of high status, the Inquisitor could see through the deception in the newly painted walls and the luxurious furniture that was soaked with cigarette smoke which seemed to come from the Captain's Cabin.
It would be better if I rewarded his boot-licking efforts. The Inquisitor rubbed his chin and considered, his back leaning against the golden unicorn-engraved chair in the centre of the room. A dog is always more obedient after you throw him some bones, right?
That was the Imperium's effective method for finding an ally but in this dimension, with that entity called the German Reich, Mathias could only pray that humanity dwelling here also had a special fondness for bone. Thanks to the Emperor's grace, Captain Zad agreed to hide the strange similarity between the Germans and the sons of Krieg so that a friendly diplomatic relationship could be established without the interference of shortsighted hotheads. By the look of it, the plan was going smoothly so far, but this was just the first step in a long journey and the next obstacles would not be easy to overcome.
"This German Reich, for whatever it is, is collaborating with the Xenos to a degree unacceptable to the Imperium. Admiral Shepard tried to hide it from me, but his conscience had betrayed him."
For a while, Mathias really hoped his Space Marine was wrong with that deduction and so, words couldn't describe his disappointment after seeing the alien corpse carrying the human genetic code. Van de Hart might well believe in a humanity enslaved and oppressed by the tyrannical forces of Xenos as well as his sacred duty to break the chains in the name of the Emperor, but a few decades serving the Ordo Xenos would immediately tell the form of heresy awaiting them could cause every loyal servant to tear their eyes out.
Convincing humanity in this dimension to believe in the Imperial Truth would be as difficult as sympathizing with their ignorance. The German never had to witness the devastation the Imperium endured to see their faults, while those around him simply did what they deemed to be righteous. Arguing over who was in the wrong here was a fool's game. After all, every human being was meant to carry out the will of the Immortal Emperor, and infighting only benefits their common enemies, Xenos and the Archenemy.
May the Emperor grant his servant wisdom and strength. For the road is hard and treacherous.
Thunder drummed somewhere on the plains as the silhouettes of Devourer Dropships began to emerge from behind the dark clouds, carrying on board the most devout and brave warriors the Imperium had ever produced. The 1st Brigade of the 87th Siege Army was what they called themselves and according to the unpretentious style of the Death Korps, no other nicknames were attached. They were strange fellows, these children of Krieg. Mathias learned all he needed to know about them in the Inquisition's archives - The origins of the rebellion, the civil war that followed, their fervent urges for atonement, their heroes and villains, their victories and defeats – but the Korps had never failed to amuse him.
Whenever an army disembarked or embarked during nighttime, a unique chorus would be played in the chilly air; The frantic sound of boots hitting the metal floor as the cargo door was opened; The shouts of grumpy sergeants when someone was out of position or dragging their feet; Contradictory orders were barked from one end to the other; Deacons and priests walking in between of the formations, the incense burners swayed to the rhythm of their steady chanting.
However, such commotion to the Death Korps of Krieg was as foreign as the concept of surrender. After a short whistle, the brigade began to move out of the landing crafts in a one-two marching rhythm. The second whistle signaled the Korpsmen to fall into their designated formation, and after the third, the only thing Mathias could hear was his own breathing. A frightening, suffocating silence descended and dominated the air, only to be broken as the rain started to sweep across the plateau.
"Inquisitor." A Tempest Scion entered the room and reported with a bowed head. This man was not the one who had stood with him under the shadow of the rock previously for the number he wore was 30. "The Brigade Commander has arrived at your request."
"Perfect. Show him the way in."
The so-called brigade commander was a medium-height Korpsman wearing a uniform that didn't differ much from the rest of his brothers-in-arms beside the golden crest on his helmet, Carapace armour, and an infantry sabre dangling from the side. He was wet from head to toe. Rainwater dripped from his trench coat and with every step, another new pattern was added to Inagis's precious pearl and gold carpet. But just like Mathias, this son of Krieg didn't pay much attention to the loss of the eccentric captain.
"Take that thing off your face," Mathias ordered after having a good observation of the soldier. "I have enough conversations with gas masks today."
That order was carried out without any hesitation. Beneath the artificial skin and glasses, a face took shape in the twilight. With blue eyes, pale white skin wrapping around a bony face, and a few black whiskers sprouting awkwardly under his chin, the major was not much different from the millions of wretches crawling around the corners of the Hive City like cockroaches, many of whom Mathias had trampled, shot, hanged and burned alive for heresy.
Certainly not the man in the Inquisitor's imagination, but in a way, he had no idea of how a Krieg brigadier should look like. This was only the fifth time Mathias laid eyes on a Korpsman without a mask, and on those rare occasions, they were just corpses lying on the side of the road, naked and decomposing.
"Do you have a name?" Mathias asked, "Not your identification number. A real name."
There was a brief confusion and hesitation before the answer was given in a voice so soft it sounded like a whisper:
"Gunther, my lord. I used to be called Gunther."
"Gunther? A good name indeed but I expected more. What is your father's last name? Your mother's would also suffice."
Gunther shook his head, "That information is not available. The children of batch Gamma 462 born on October 8 in Ferrograd were sent to nurturing facility No. 92 of Hive Orros without their parents. Since it was the first Friday of the month, we were all called Gunther."
Emperor's teeth, i should have expected something as such. "So every time I call your name, a few dozen Gunthers will appear?"
"Negative, my Lord Inquisitor. No Krieger in the brigade belongs to batch Gamma 462, nor was there anyone born on the first Friday of October. In the meantime, with all the information available, I can confirm that I am the only Gunther present on this planet."
"If you say so." Mathias shrugged and approached the Brigadier. His movement was as graceful as a golden Gyrinx. "Gunther, do you know why you and your brothers-in-arms were summoned here?"
"To carry out duties at the request of the Inquisition. To serve and die for the Immortal Emperor. To atone for the sins Krieg committed in the past. To defend the Imperium and the Imperial Truth against all enemies."
Mathias had heard those words many times from many people, but very few of them truly meant what they said. Cadians no doubt were fiercely loyal soldiers, but even a fool could see that the purple-eyed warriors always put the Regiment above the Emperor. Catachan or barbarians like Ork Hunters only used the Imperium as a means to seek violence in distant stars and it would be naive to believe the oaths of some run-of-the-mills Guardsman or planetary governor who only took up arms for personal gain or fear.
Not even the Brides of the Emperor, sadly.
However, the Death Korps of Krieg was one of the few sincere. Gunther would fight and die for their Emperor without hesitation, without question or doubt as long as he believed the Inquisitor represented His authority in this mortal world.
"Your enthusiasm is commendable," Said the Inquisitor, "Indeed, the Imperium is currently experiencing a… How should I put it? Some sensitive problems, let's put it that way, but thank the Emperor's grace for those capable of solving them can be found nearby. Still, you should be aware that the mission will be difficult and dangerous, not to mention it may also put you in a rather awkward situation."
"Death Korps is ready for any mission, my lord."
"Your adversaries are not simply Xenos or traitors. In the worst-case scenario, you may have to fight loyal servants of the Emperor, Sisters of Battles, Space Marines, your own kind or…my colleagues in the Inquisition as well. Are you ready for that?"
"Death Korps is ready for any mission, my lord."
The Inquisitor smiled contentedly. With a snap of his fingers, from a dark corner of the room, a Servo skull hummed its way forward and floated between the two of them, its mouth clutching to a red cylinder-shaped metal object, ornately decorated with a two heads golden eagle wearing a halo and a skull.
"Do you recognize who this symbol belongs to?" Mathias asked.
"High Lords of Terra." Gunther replied with a silent nod, "The highest power in the Imperium after the Emperor."
"Good, very good. Inside that scroll tube are the direct orders from Terra for me. Read the last section and then tell me whether your men are capable of completing the task?'
While Gunther did as he was told, Mathias comfortably switched off the safety on his Bolt pistol and pointed the barrel straight at the Krieger's chest. At this distance, he couldn't evade and the Carapace armour was just like a thin piece of paper when put against a 16.5mm round.
"Forgive me." The Inquisitor smiled sadly, "Even if I trust you completely, better safe than sorry."
Gunther didn't seem to be bothered by the threat. Either he assumed Mathias wouldn't pull the trigger, a serious mistake, or it was true that he really didn't care about his own survival, which wasn't a surprise at all. With unusual calmness, the brigadier put all of his focus on the parchment before coming to the final conclusion:
"With the suitable equipment and training, 15,000 men could plant all the explosive devices within two weeks."
Mathias shook his head "That's impossible. Too many people will attract unnecessary attention." If more than half of his guards suddenly disappeared without reason, it would only be a matter of time before someone started asking questions, "2000 men is the number you have to make do."
"Then it will take more time and if the enemy attacks…"
"That's not something we should trouble ourselves." The Inquisitor pointed out, "As long as the detonation occurs, your mission is complete."
Gunther grew quiet for a moment, pondering the meaning behind those words and then nodded, "Affirmative, Inquisitor. Two reserve companies can satisfy all your criteria. They are competent and their absence will not attract too much attention."
"Marvelous." The Bolt pistol was lowered, "But there's one more thing you should remember. Whatever is discussed here cannot be allowed to leave this room, is that clear?
"Silence is the companion of Death Korps, my lord Inquisitor."
And Ours is doubt and fear. The first time he heard those words was from his mentor, the stern good old Inquisitor Gabel with the smoking ruins once known as Hive Frenza behind him. The short-sighted fools in cahoots with Xenos Tau were just a small political group trying to gain influence in the lower middle levels but since there was no way to know where the traitor roots had spread and other Hive cities needed an example so….
"I hope your people don't take the slogan too seriously because working for the Inquisition requires using your mouth a lot." The Inquisitor then hesitated, trying to find more suitable words to describe the next mission. "Gunther, have you ever…infiltrated enemy territory?"
"Every Korpsman served in the Jager squad before receiving their Lasgun."
"That's not what I meant." The blonde-haired man shook his head, "Collecting information. Blending in with the local population. Building an intelligence network. Espionage."
People sometimes said that the chances of seeing the Angels of Death in the flesh were higher than witnessing a Krieger showing emotion, but it seems Mathias was luckier than the rest of humanity. The brigadier's face turned pale and sour as if he had just swallowed something rotten:
"We…In the history of Death Korps…sometimes situations required us to infiltrate Hive City to assess its defences but…"
"But you were never a spy?"
"Yes..That's correct, my lord." Gunther nodded awkwardly.
"No matter. Children are easier to teach than adults and you can write more words on a blank sheet of paper. Furthermore, you Kriegers have an advantage that no one else has."
"Advantage?"
"We'll talk about that later. First of all, we need a quick reaction force to reinforce my entourage. Once our scouts locate the target, they will accompany me to a designated location and establish a secure perimeter."
"As you command, Inquisitor."
As soon as Gunther finished speaking, the thick steel door of the container was moved sideways from right to left. Another man joined their conversation. His brown cloak was soaked in rainwater, and half of his sharp features and an arrogant smirk hidden behind the hood.
"Such a good mood means you have good news." Mathias addressed Yorin, "So what exactly is that mysterious device?"
"Unfortunately, our people have not yet succeeded at locating the source of the disturbance." The Magos replied with artificial disappointment, "But Sergeant Avor found something much better. The remains of a settlement, the first signs of civilization, have revealed itself in a small valley 120 km away from here. "
"A ruin?" Mathias was completely taken by surprise by the new discovery. Before being completely paralyzed, the Temple Guard's biometric detectors still had enough time to confirm that there were no settlements on this planet. "I have to tell you in advance that I have no interest in digging around for some bones. I need a living specimen. Something capable of speaking which can be interrogated and extracted information from."
"And have it you shall."
Sometimes he quietly wished his Techpriest were as straightforward as Gunther. "Care to explain yourselves?"
"About three hours ago, an unidentified object approached the planet's western hemisphere at a speed of 10,000 kilometres per hour. The object only appeared for a few seconds on the Temple Guard's radar before disappearing into the atmosphere, but since the observation tower claimed not to have visual on the object, they later concluded it was a small meteorite. Coincidentally, in the report that Sergeant Avor sent back, his team found the ruins after seeing an object that looked like a balloon and following it towards the valley."
A spaceship, no doubt about it. This was clearly a sign that the Emperor was on his side. He had always watched over his warriors and never abandoned this loyal servant.
"Tell Inagis to notify the fleet to set up a blockade around the planet and send his interceptors here immediately." Mathias ordered, "I want Sergeant Arvo to keep an eye on that balloon and update the situation every five minutes. No one shall take any action until I give orders."
"All of that has already been done, Inquisitor. All are prepared to implement First Contact protocol."
-V-
I shouldn't have told Avor about that damn balloon.
Sitting huddled with a camouflage cloak wrapped around his skinny body and a jacket padded with lukewarm lasgun ammo clips, Josh could only blame himself for the situation. He wasn't the one who saw that strange white speck floating suspiciously among the clouds and made a fuss about it. That idiot was Silas, a short, dark-skinned brat from the desert planet Kushana, who survived the rebellion on the Temple Guard because someone fell on him during the fight and then escaped death sentence thanks to the fact that no one could prove which flag he was standing under when the bullets flew left and right. With his new rank of corporal and authority, Josh should have given Silas a slap and forced him to believe that he was daydreaming.
But for some reason, he did the opposite.
Notifying Arvo about the unidentified flying object by itself was a serious mistake, but giving a detailed description of its shape and direction which consequently led the diligent Sergeant to believe it was an aircraft before leading them here, into this spine-chilling valley, was a absurdity that would make Josh's late parents regret giving him breath and a brain.
"We should make a fire,"
Silas suggested with a whiff of white steam coming out of his nose and chattering teeth. The temperature had dropped unusually fast since sunset, and with his desert background, the dark-skinned man was the one who suffered the most among them. A fitting punishment, Josh thought.
"No. We have to find a shelter for the night." Konas, one of the only ten survivors of the Brisea's team, spoke up. He was a veteran who had worked in the mines, where sensing danger was the norm and hence opinion was often listened to by Josh, "It's about to rain."
Konas's prediction was not wrong. Josh himself could feel the change in humidity. It would rain heavily in a few hours, the cold would seep into the bones of the poor Guardsman and half of their men would soon collapse. However, the problem here is that in this valley, they have nowhere to go but the moss-covered ruins lying silently in the dark like the corpse of a hairy monster.
Since it was getting dark by the time they reached the middle of the valley, Arvo ordered the squad to camp at the foot of the cliff and scout the area the next morning. A wise tactical decision, not to mention its great psychological impact when making so many people breathe a sigh of relief. No one wanted to get ten meters closer to the ruins at night, Josh knew that too well, and if he had been in charge, the Inquisitor would have been informed that there was nothing out here but broken stones, grass and vine.
"And why are we here again?" Another Guardsman asked in the darkness with a hoarse voice. From what Josh was told, his name was Stinky Marvin, a coward who took off his military uniform and survived the riot by hiding in the waste facility on the floor below. It was no doubt a dishonourable conduct, but Josh was in no mood to judge him, "We should get out of here!" This place gives me goosebumps."
"If you like it, feel free to do so." Silas chuckled then pointed out, "Bram had the same idea this morning, but unfortunately his legs are as slow as his Gretchin brain." The Kushana man then scratched his pointed chin, "But we must give our sergeant some credit. Only one shot was needed and that clown was as good as dead. Quick and precise like a commissar, don't you think?"
Normally, Josh would participate in the praise, but after what he'd seen on Temple Guard, accurate shooting at 100 meters was the least impressive thing Arvo could do. By the Emperor, who really is this man? Josh had never suspected that Arvo was a veteran or a deserter from some planet but fighting and defeating Declan with just a shovel? The story was so bizarre that once told, people would not hesitate to call him a liar.
"The sergeant said he used to be a miner at Kappa-2, is that true?" Konas asked with a distant look in the dark. "The skin is correct, but the fingers are not. I've never seen a miner with ten intact fingers."
"Fingers?" Silas frowned. "What in the Emperor's name does a finger have to do with anything here?"
"Tools are always in short supply, so for those unfortunate enough to be at the end of the line, the only option is to dig and scoop by hand." Having said that, the former miner sighed deeply, "I said goodbye to the index finger of my left hand and the middle finger of my right hand when i was 15. Those damn homemade antibiotics weren't working anymore so they had to cut them off. All the people around me live without their fingernails."
"And you're making a fuss out of that? Some lazy rats oversleep and are late for work while some men don't, it's as simple as that." The dark-skinned man snorted, "Where do you go from there anyway? Are you saying Arvo doesn't come from Parius and lied about it? It's absolutely ridiculous. What did he lie for, huh?
"What else than to hide things you don't want others to know?" Said Marvin "I don't know anything about mining, but I swear on my mother's grave that no one in Kappa-2 or Hive Oppus talks with that accent. Everything you see is just a cheap trick played on gullible idiots."
"Who did you just call idiot, Marvin?" Silas growled. "For a coward sink deep in excrement, you have quite a loud mouth."
This topic should end here. It was silly to discuss Arvo's background when we were about to die of hypothermia before midnight and with where this relatively civilized debate was leading to then it was only a matter of time before fists were thrown in every direction. At first, sending down a ragtag squad of traumatized survivors, liars, and cowards was a mystery to Josh, but eventually, he was once again reminded why in this world, there were some people become captains of a warship and some were just lowly corporals? Whether loyal subjects or traitors, people like them would not be welcome on any ship and if getting rid of them came with the prospect of gaining some favour from the Inquisitor, then why not?
Now that's just fraking suck. Fighting Jarvis till literally to the last bullet and broken bayonet just to find out that bastard wasn't without a point.
"Tell everyone to stay put and keep their mouth shut," Josh ordered gruffly and stood up, his hands still clutching the camouflage cloak. "I'll go talk to the Sergeant."
Josh then found Arvo on a flat stone higher than the rest, head leaning against the Lasgun, blue eyes observing the surrounding darkness with his daily indifference. Does he ever sleep? Josh had to ask that because since they met, he had never seen Arvo lie down with his eyes closed.
"Our people are quite anxious out there if you want to know. "Josh gave his report with the fatigue from a long marching day before sitting down next to his brother-in-arms. "This place scares them and it's about to rain."
"Nowhere on the battlefield is safer than the rest."
Of course, there was. The third line of defense was always safer than the first; Working in Baneblade's engine room was better than sitting in one of its turrets; Rather swallowing that scalding porridge on Temple Guard than freezing to death on this planet. It was all true, every single one of them, but Josh didn't come here for an argument.
"The current sentiment is that we should seek shelter in the ruins." Said Josh, "Hey don't think I instigated them. I don't want to go in there any more than anyone here, but right now we're running out of options."
Arvo remained unmoved, "Too risky and contradict the Inquisitor's orders. We still don't know anything about that unidentified flying object or its purpose. If the enemy's goal has anything to do with this ruin, then a battle where we're outnumbered and outgunned is inevitable."
"And how the hell do you know that thing is an enemy?"
The question immediately pushed Arvo into silence. Like the rest of his men, the sergeant knew as much about the unidentified flying object as the "Source of Disturbance" they had spent all day looking for or the name of the land beneath their tattered boots. After the landing, vague instructions and the fear of the Inquisitor pushed them out onto the plain where in every direction they laid eyes on was grass and rocks, things that caused a man living his life as a rat in the sewers of Hive City like Bram to lose his mind before losing his life. It seemed to Josh that the success of this adventure had never been a concern for the Lordship and their value was no more than a landmine, detonating themselves in an attempt to expose the enemy. But of course, he must be very stupid to say it out loud.
"All vehicles or organic lifeforms that cannot be identified are automatically identified as hostile until further notice." Arvo said, "Article B-2, section 6D of the Codes of Conduct."
"If your code could stop the rain from falling on my head, then perhaps I would have paid it a little more attention." Josh sighed, "Arvo, please listen to me. We can't stay here forever, do you understand that? The ruin is our only chance."
"Inquisitor Karter's orders are to gather as much information about the unidentified object as possible and update the situation every five minutes. What you are suggesting goes against…"
"Merciful Emperor, freezing to death out here is going against the order, you idiot." Perhaps Arvo actually didn't come from Parius, some mine or fortress planet, but a Servitor manufacturing factory. His expressionless face looked very much like those half-human, half-machine weirdos and sometimes his behaviour was no different, "Alright, if you like to sit here, I won't force you. My brothers and I will find a way to save ourselves. What? Want to shoot us like you did to Bram? Go ahead then, we're all marked for death one way or another so be done with it."
The squad then moved to the new encampment without any casualties other than, ironically, three of Silas's fingers. Since one of the Heavy Bolter's wheels had broken in the afternoon, moving a block of metal weighing more than seventy kilograms to a firing position on a half-collapsed wall required six Guardsmen for the heavy lifting. As usual, the brown-skinned idiot spent too much time complaining about why he was chosen instead of paying attention to the ground below so after just one little misstep, his day ended with a long scream. The Medic had to cut off two of the three fingers, Josh was later told, and Konas quietly stood in the corner to witness the whole thing with a cruel smile on his face.
Aside from that unfortunate incident, nothing of note took place until they went deeper into the ruins, where the unusualness of the surrounding landscape began to attract both Josh and Arvo's attention The peripheral area was a complex of large stone structures with exquisitely crafted granite blocks weighing over hundreds of tons stacked on top of each other with almost absolute precision, but most of them were in a state of disrepair so bad that no one could determine their function. On the contrary, the structures in the inner ring strangely were egg-shaped buildings crafted with more primitive technology, but somehow looked less ancient and still quite intact.
"There are two different builders here," Arvo said, his fingers lingering on a long row of eggs rising from a massive granite foundation. Despite being shrouded in darkness and vines, the decorative patterns and faded alien symbols on the surface were still recognizable under their Lasgun's flashlight. "Could be two different species of creatures as well. One put their stuff on whatever was left behind by those who came before."
Arvo's speculation sent chills down Josh's spine as it reminded him of stories about one of the Imperium's most terrible enemies, the Necrons. A long time ago, even before their Emperor was born, existed in the Galaxy an alien race who volunteered to sell their soul to a dark god in exchange for an eternal body, trampled all life with their mechanical feet in a merciless conquest before retreating underground for the million year sleep. No one knew how much of the fairy tale was true, but the existence of the Necrons could not be doubted. Even on an Emperorforsaken planet like Parius, people did hear of Bellicas or Ankekh, where humans naively believed they lived on unclaimed land, building Hive cities on the grave long forgotten and then suffering terrible consequences as green lightning tore apart the sky above, the sand beneath trembled and the true master of the world returned from the dead.
This place was another dimension, another galaxy with unknown species of Xenos, the four-page summary distributed to every Guardsman on the Temple Guard had told Josh that much, but if by chance old habits died hard, they were doomed for sure. No way a squad of 50 drifters and cripples like them could survive the awakening of a demonic Xenos species.
"You best keep that to yourselves, Arvo." Josh whispered then turned his head to look back at the long line of despair marching through the ruins with frightened eyes and shaking hands. The 3rd Parius Regiment was never considered elite or well- disciplined but even at their worst, they still looked like an army and not the…whatever they were now. More than half of the current strength were volunteers drawn from the civilians on the Temple Guard, scrawny men and young green boys whose concept of combat consisted of nothing more than pointing their guns in one direction and pulling the trigger. Arvo did what he could but a month was clearly too short to prevent the survival instinct from gathering these amateurs together into a big chunk of meat waiting for a grenade to blow them all up to the sky. "If they get spooked then we'll be in big trouble. There are plenty of places to hide around here and it's still dark so…"
"Understood, no further discussion on the origin of the ruins." Arvo replied with a discreet nod, "Double efforts in finding shelter."
But it turned out to be more difficult than expected. There was no way to enter the egg houses. Despite a thorough inspection, they found no doors or windows, and when Arvo ordered a trap door to be searched with gun stocks and rocks, the lack of echo from inside alerted the futility of the whole business.
"It's denser than an Orgyn's head," Konas concluded with a sigh. "Whoever the Xenos built this thing, they don't intend to live inside it."
"What are you trying to say? They had so much time on their hands they came here and sweat their ass off for no reason at all?" Silas exclaimed and sank to the ground, a groan escaping his ugly lips as blood began to ooze from the bandage wrapped around his hand but then quickly turned into a bitter laugh. "I'm so sick of this nonsense. Frak this reconnaissance mission, frak that damn Inquisitor, frak the Guard. Jarvis said… Oh yeah, things would have gone better if he had won that day. You know, when I saw him slit the throat of that bitch Bresia and heard her scream, I thought…I thought…."
"Now none will longer question whose side you were on, shortie." Konas smiled complacently and turned to Josh. A devilish satisfaction danced in his grey eyes, "What now, corporal? Do you want me to deal with him here or report to Arvo first?"
Both options are equally bad, The gloomily realized before waving his hand, "Kill him and all we will gain is one less lasgun. Do you really want to fight without anyone watching your back, Konas?"
"I must be crazy to let this desert barbarian stand behind me," The former miner coldly pointed out. "Traitors like him are the worst scum. Marvin is simply cowardly and useless, but with this guy, you have to sleep with your eyes wide open."
"Then the next time you go to sleep, remember to open them as wide as you can, ape. Close them again and you're gonna close them forever." Silas growled in warning, "And so that foul-mouthed Marvin too. After I'm done with you, I will...wait a minute, where is he? I just saw him standing behind the corporal."
Josh really hoped that this was just a distraction Silas set up to stick a knife in Konas's back but unfortunately, this time the brown-skinned man was completely honest. Marvin had literally disappeared into thin air and behind Josh existed only stone eggs, vines, and the cold wind whistling through the crumbling walls. The rain then started to fall. Tiny drops of water were like tiny pieces of ice, attacking any exposed skin and sending the insufferable chill to the bones.
Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…
"Hey, you hear that?" Silas asked, his voice filled with worry. More drops of water fell from the sky and the strange noises became even more intense. Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…. "What is that sound?"
Of course, a desert dweller like him would never know. Josh had heard this sound thousands of times in his life as dark clouds carrying volcanic ash rolled in from the east and drops of sour acid rain fell on the rusting giant pile of metal known as the Hive Oppus. However, their Flak armours and Lasgun were both made from a synthetic fiber that looked like hard plastic and on their way thus far, all they had encountered were nothing but stones and vines.
"There's something out there," Konas growled under his breath, his back gradually arched like a cat sensing danger, his one-finger-short hand reaching for the safety on the Lasgun. "Close. Very close!"
Even though their eyes saw nothing but emptiness and forgottenness, Josh didn't think Konas was wrong. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and though the wind was like a thousand icy blades, a drop of hot sweat rolled down his forehead and down his round nose.
Josh knows this feeling. The feeling of being watched.
But the feeling disappeared as suddenly as it had come, and as the rain began to pour heavier, the strange noises became indistinguishable.
"We should group up with Arvo, corporal!..." Konas shouted, half of his advice was swallowed by the rain so that was all Josh could comprehend "It's not safe here ."
"No. We have to find Marvin first."
But they couldn't find Marvin or his body afterwards and hence when Arvo learned of what had happened, another deserter was added to the "shoot on sight list". Even the blind could tell the sergeant was far from satisfied with that conclusion but as the squad had yet found a shelter, visibility was reduced to ten meters, he found no use in speculations based on hunches.
"Gear up! Keep moving." Arvo shouted the order and the column continued to drag their feet forward. In the foggy rain, they gradually became part of the surrounding landscape, shadows of those who once dwelt in this place. Carefully and discreetly, Arvo whispered into Josh's ear, "Take Silas and Konas to the back of the formation and be on your guard. I don't want to lose anyone else."
In the end, they lost five more men before reaching the centre of the ruins but the fault couldn't be put on anyone besides damned bad luck. This place was full of rocks lying high up just waiting to collapse and if the victim mistakes the sound of rolling rocks for thunder in a heavy rain, the death trap couldn't be more perfect. Four people died on the spot, but for the fifth, a seventeen-year-old boy called Squirrel, the relief only came after nearly five minutes of screaming with his left body crushed.
He looks even younger when he dies, Josh sadly thought as Arvo approached and removed the blood-stained dog tag from Squirrel's neck and put it in his pocket. A tragic accident but some didn't think so.
"It's them," Silas muttered to Josh as it was their turn to pass by their late fellow Guardsmen. Blood from beneath the cracking stone joined the rainwater and created a small stream of red "They killed Marvin and now they're trying to take us out one by one."
"We can't know that for sure," Josh shook his head. For some reason, his hunch told him that Marvin was still alive. Their coward had either deserted or become a prisoner of the enemy, that was for sure, but basically, he was still alive and unharmed. "Do you see anything unusual, Konas?"
"By the look of it, this is just an accident." The former miner reflected, "This place is ancient and already crumbling for all we know. Heavy rain and rockfalls are nothing new."
Silas snorted. "Just keep talking like that until it's your turn, Konas." A rabid fear danced in his eyes, "I won't sit still and die. You better remember that well, Ape. I won't sit still and die."
"Why am I not even surprised?" Konas smirked, "Corporal, if this guy tries to run, please allow me to deal with him. Of course, he's going to suffer for a while but don't worry, I promise it won't last too long."
The corporal ignored the suggestion and trudged forward. After the relatively intimate conversation just now, Josh doubted Silas would try his luck. Their Kushania might be a vile traitor, but he was never stupid enough to put himself in danger. As long as the chances of survival still lie in the numbers, he would stick to them like Standard Glue.
And he will fight, that was the most important thing.
No matter what was lurking around in this cursed desolate place, a direct encounter was inevitable and if the events on Temple Guard taught Josh any lesson, it was to never underestimate a person's desire to live.
Even i didn't think i could be that brave until death came knocking on my door. After the barrier collapsed, besides the sight of Arvo sticking the shovel into Declan's head, Josh could barely remember any details of the chaotic hand-to-hand battle. He killed quite a few of his former comrades, that was for sure. His Lasgun only had twenty shots left, the tip of his bayonet was broken and his whole body was covered in blood. Someone stabbed him in the right hip, which was not protected by Flak's armour, and almost cut his chin in half, but Josh didn't feel anything until the blood loss caused him to collapse, forcing a no less injured Arvo to carry him to the infirmary.
"Hope I don't embarrass myself out there," Josh whispered weakly to Arvo as consciousness began to leave his body and his eyes became heavy. Back then he truly believed he was about to die, "If Kahla asks, tell her I did my best."
"The Emperor could not have asked for a better warrior." Arvo replied, truthfully and sincerely "Today, you have truly become His servant."
Josh was very surprised by Arvo's words. More than anyone else, Arvo knew that it was not because of the Emperor or the Imperium caused Josh to stand on the barrier. He just simply wanted to live, wanted to see Parius again, once again witness the sun rising over the rusty tower tops. Just like Silas, just like Kahla and her children, just like…
No. Arvo is nothing like them.
Even though he always mentioned the Emperor, Arvo never seemed like a man of faith or if he indeed was, a special kind he must be. A man of faith i have grown up knowing wouldn't hesitate to blow my head off on Temple Guard for blasphemy, Josh shuddered at the thought, This fraking mouth almost became the death of me.
The deeper they went inside, the stranger things became. If the crumbling structures and stone eggs sent chills down the Guardsmen's spine, the things that existed in the centre of the ruins seemed to be toying with their minds. Small buildings of brick and wood in a state of disrepair with triangular tiled roofs and faded white-washed walls rose in the great shadow of larger granite blocks, forming a formation, an order, a very familiar scenery.
They'd seen them before. On Amunus, a primitive planet where their army had to stop by to gather manpower and food, local residents had also built houses with similar designs and materials along the river banks or at the foot of the hills. Even in Hive Oppus, there existed an area called Oldground where one can find neighbourhoods dating back to the time their great metal mountain was just a small town.
There were clearly traces of human hands here. Josh didn't think he was wrong with this assumption, and the confirmation he needed quickly came when Konas's foot accidentally kicked something among the vines. Muttering curses under his breath, the cranky miner bent down and picked it up, his eyes wide as the flashlight illuminated the source of his frustration with a cold white light.
"What is this?" Silas asked.
"I guess it's…." Konas hesitated, "Some kind of plastic toy."
"A doll," Josh added. Even though the hair on its head and clothes were gone, he could still tell that this was a female doll thanks to the long eyelashes. Josh's younger sister had also had a similar item, made from fiberglass and rubber that his father had brought back from the Chimera factory and when she returned to the Emperor, they buried her with her only possession. "Give it to me. Arvo needs to be informed."
And informed indeed Arvo was but Josh's little hope soon met the resistance from experiences and harsh reality :
"No. There was no use in this." The sergeant cautiously concluded and returned the doll, "If there were humans living here, they would have left a long time ago. If not then…"
"Then what?"
"They are not our friends, Josh" The sergeant bluntly pointed out, "If what you said earlier is true then they have observed us, captured one of our men and therefore proved to be a hostile force. In the history of the Imperial Guard, there is no lack of incidents where we have to combat the local human population and this may not be the last. Tell everyone to be on guard. I want them to be ready for potential close contact"
"You don't know that!" Josh reminded him. "We are walking into someone's else home without asking and if they wanted to harm us, we should have been dead several times over." Even when the path to avoid bloodshed was hard and narrow, one was obligated to try, "Let's show them some good willingness first and then if the Emperor is willing, we will get ourselves a roof over our heads and live to see the tomorrow. Blood has shredded enough tonight."
"Too risky. There is no guarantee that they wouldn't use the opportunity to wipe us out."
"And what are your choices then? Fight them? Go back to where we come from and die? Ask the Inquisitor for a Valkyrie so we can return to base, warming ourselves around the stove with spicy wine in our hands? Tell me, friend, what would you have of us?" As much as Josh expected, Arvo had no answer to that. Long had he known they were going to their death yet the brave soldier in him only knew to move forward. This man has saved me on Temple Guard. It's time to return the favour " Look, I don't want to do this more than you do but shouldn't we cling on the only chance of survival rather than raming our heads into the certain death? Back then, you refused to accept your fate and fought on so why give everything up now?"
Arvo's face twitched as the answer almost escaped his lips but the strange quiet fellow managed to hold it back. Instead of that, he asked :
"And what if things turn sour?"
"Then we will give them a hell of a fight before gọing to the Emperor. Just like before."
It was strange how those words felt so light right now but of course, Josh could either claim bravery or zeal to be his cause. He was just too tired of this. Whether it was the hopelessness of this mission, the wickedness of men, the rain or the desperation, it had drained him dry, physically and mentally. For better or worse, he just wanted to see the end of it. To whatever end.
After another three or perhaps four minutes of marching, the squad finally arrived at their final destination where stone walls and brick houses separated themself, forming a circle around a small empty piece of land. A curious five-meter-high column stood ominously in the middle of it, made of neither stone nor metal, black as the night and the surface so smooth that few of them could appreciate. There was a brief moment of awkward silence and muttering among the men as they poured into the opening and realized this was the end of the road. Beyond the black column, there were only steep cliffs and cold hard rocks awaited.
"Remove the amo clip from your Lasgun and throw it onto the ground," Arvo ordered. Confusing looks were exchanged and Josh could already hear someone shout out his objection in the back. The Sergeant then repeated the order, patiently. " I said remove the amo clip from your Lasgun and throw it onto the ground. Stand by and wait for my order."
Eventually, the majority did what was asked though slowly and hesitantly. Silas, unsurprisingly, didn't take well to the idea.
"This is madness!" He growled, hands gripping tight around his weapon, refusing to detect the ammo clip "They are going to kill us all."
"You will do what Arvo told or Konas will help you to carry out that order." Told Josh sharply before turning to the ex-miner "If he disobeys then do whatever you wish."
"With pleasure." Konas grinned like how a Kroot hound might grin upon seeing his prey and Josh thought that was good enough, a mistake that would later be proved devastating.
Leaving their Lasgun, Laspistol, and knives behind, Josh and Arvo cautiously approached the black column, their hands raised in the air. The whole business was risky to say at least for they could only assume these strangers understood the so-called 'good willingness' being offered. There were tribes in some feral worlds that took the sight of dropping your weapons willingly for demanding hand-to-hand combat, Arvo had told him that much and though the exception didn't prove the rule, Josh would be dammed if some bastard jumped out from nowhere and split his head in two with an axe.
"We mean no harm!" Josh shouted "We know you are here! Come out and we can talk." His voice echoed up and down the opening ground before getting swallowed by the rain. There was no response so he tried again, "We have disarmed ourselves! Come out! We mean no harm!"
They held their breath, eyes and ears waiting for sight or sound but again, nothing happened. Perhaps it's just my imagination all along, the happy thought crossed his mind but just right after the hope was high, something did happen or for a better word, something that was supposed to happen didn't. He could no longer feel the cold drop of water piercing his clothes, his hands and his face.
Then the familiar sound returned.
Tonk...Tonk...Tonk...Tonk...Tonk
"Above us," Arvo whispered. "There is something above us."
When Josh tilted his head up, there was nothing to see except for a moonless and starless night sky but then...but then he saw it. Something large, round-shaped was floating in the dark or for a better word, it was hanged, dangling on an imagery rope and imagery trees. And then came the light, so bright it pain like the Emperor's smite had come upon them, sending them to the ground to crawl and whine like worms.
"HOLD YOUR POSITION!" Shouted Arvo with a voice thrice his size "YOU RUN, YOU DIE!"
His order was listened and hence as the light began to die down, their number was relatively intact. Scrambling to get up and half-blinded, Josh saw three shadows standing in a line, glowing in a bright halo before joining together into the shape of a man, tall, blonde of hair, unfamiliar choice of uniform and...armed, very well-armed. Besides the auto-gun of unrecognized design pointing right at Josh, the stranger had two handguns on his hip. His dark blue armour covered most of his body leaving only his armpit, and hand exposed but for a reason unknown, he chose not to wear a helmet.
"Identifiziert euch, Soldat!"(Identify yourself, soldier!) The man barked in a foreign language, sounding harsh and unforgiving like a whip, " Es scheint, dass du nicht gegen uns kämpfen willst. Gute Nachrichten, sage ich, denn das wollen wir auch nicht. Identifizieren Sie sich und Ihren Zweck, dann werden wir sehen!" (It seems that you don't want to fight us. Good news, I say for we don't want to do that either. Identify yourself and state your purpose then we shall see!"
When he finished, more shadows or... men appeared. Three stepped out from behind the black pillar, three more perching on a wall nearby like birds, six of them emerged from a collapsing ruin and when Josh's brain was still comprehending what was going on, there were guns aiming at them left and right. Even their retreat cut off .
"We mean no harm!" Josh repeated what he said earlier "We know you are..."
"Ich verstehe kein Wort, Freund. Sprechen Sie bitte Deutsch oder Asari oder einen turianischen Dialekt."(Can't understand a word, friend. Speak German or Asari or any Turian dialect, please.)
Emperor's Teeth, this is a disaster! Mother had given Josh the brain and he had proved to be an ungrateful brat for forgetting to use it. Of course, they do not speak low gothic, you fool! This isn't imperium territory or even the same dimension. How could you not think of that, huh? Unable to communicate, unarmed, surrounded and totally exposed, they had no fraking chance. I had led us here, Josh realized in terror, I had led us to our death.
"I...I..." He faltered, absolutely had no idea of what to do next. High Gothic was as useless as the prayers on Guardsman's shoulder pads and his fluency of the holy language was abysmal at best. "Non nocebit...Non.."
"Sergeant Arvo von der Dritten Parius-Aufklärungsgruppe des Reichsarmee. Und das ist Corporal Josh, mein Stellvertreter." Arvo cut him off "Wir haben keinen bösen Willen Ihnen oder Ihren Männern gegenüber, aber ich glaube, dass Sie einen von uns in Gefangenschaft haben."
(Sergeant Arvo of the Third Parius reconnaissance group of Astra Militarum. And this is Corporal Josh, my second in command. We have no ill will toward you or your men but I believe you are having one of us in captivity.)
"You understand him?" To say Josh was surprised or impressed would be an understatement "But how?"
Arvo didn't answer that. In fact, whenever Arvo was doing something out of the ordinary, Arvo always refused to explain. This time was not an exception.
"Ja, das tun wir. Es kommt ihm nicht zu Schaden, Sie können beruhigt sein" (Yes, that we do. He is not harmed, you can be reassured) The stranger smile and replied "Was für einen Akzent du da hast, Arvo. Aus welchem Teil des Vaterlandes kommst du, Bruder?" (What an accent you got there, Arvo. Which part of the Fatherland do you hail from, brother?)
It sounded like a question to Josh and it had to be something sensitive for Arvo seemed very hesitant :
"Krieg." Said Arvo, finally.
"Krieg?" The stranger looked confused, "Versuchen Sie, ein Dichter zu sein?" (Are you trying to be a poet?")
"Nein." The Sergeant insisted.
"Wenn du es sagst. Gut, hier ist, was als nächstes passieren wird. Ihre Männer werden meinen Männern Waffen übergeben. Gewehre, Pistolen, Granaten, Bajonette und Taschenmesser inklusive und dann können wir uns hinsetzen und uns unterhalten." (If you said so. Alright, here is what will happen next. Your men will surrender weapons to my men. Rifles, pistols, grenades, bayonets, and pocketknives included and then we can sit down and have a chat.)
"Ich möchte zuerst Ihr Wohlwollen sehen "( I want to see some of your goodwill first)
"Du hast schon. Wir könnten euch alle töten, wann immer wir wollten, seit ihr hier reingekommen seid, aber wir haben uns dagegen entschieden." (You've already. We could kill all of you whenever we wanted since you set foot in here but we decided not to.)
Josh looked at Arvo wearily, "So what did he say? Are we good?"
"For now." He replied, "He wants to talk under the condition that we surrender our weapons. Tell the men to gather..."
Arvo suddenly paused and Josh swore there was a storm in those grey eyes. The man was cold as a glacier and unmoveable like a rock while standing on that barricade, facing certain death and now he was speechless. For a brief moment, Josh had to wonder why...until he saw them.
Xenos
There were two of them approaching from behind the stranger. One was a grey-skinned tall and slender creature with big black eyes and two horns like a demon from The Wrap and the other was a blue-skinned alien whose features resembled a female human so much it was like some silly girl had put on a costume and paint job for the gag. Both only wore a type of jumpsuit and pistol and to be honest, didn't look as dangerous or threatening as Josh had imagined. However, no matter what he thought of them, there was an undeniable truth :
They were Xenos, sworn enemies of Mankind, deceivers and invaders who enslave, dominate and butcher you with a smile on their faces.
Josh had heard the tales, read the manual and watched all the educational videos provided yet those things also spoke of a glorious and invincible Imperial Guard where all men became brothers and fought alongside the Emperor's Angels of Death. Of course, the reality was way different. The blue alien had the look of someone who couldn't hurt a fly and the way they whispered to each other in that strange language didn't imply the human was a slave or Xenos lapdog. He is the commander of this group, Josh realized and breathed a sigh of relief. It's good though it isn't good enough.
"The Inquisitor will burn us when he catches the wind of this." Warned Konas quietly, once again proving himself to have more brain cells than the rest. This stranger was obviously a heretic and by parleying with him, they also became heretics in the eyes of Imperium. "Think carefully before making your next move."
"Emperor's mercy, we're going to die." Cried someone behind his back
"It's all your fault, Arvo. How are we supposed to fight them now?" This one didn't know the right person to blame. It well might be Arvo's mouth that gave the order but Josh was the head that came up with the idea.
"No one is going to fight and no one going to die!" Josh snaps at them before turning to his Sergeant, "Tell him to keep those things away from us if he still wants to talk."
And told them Arvo did. The blonde-haired human was genuinely surprised at the request but the same couldn't be said for his 'alien companions', especially the blue ones. Though it spoke nothing on the matter (And Josh couldn't understand it anyway), he couldn't help feeling it understand the situation better than their own kind.
"Sie haben ein Problem mit meiner Crew?" (You have a problem with my crew?) The stranger said something and then pointed at the aliens respectively, "Die Salarianer und Asari hier sind harmlos." (This Salarian and Asari are harmless.).
Arvo shook his head : "Nein, sie dürfen nicht näher kommen. Das ist unsere Bedingung." (No, they are not allowed to come closer. That's our condition.)
"Was ist die Bedeutung davon? Siehst du nicht einmal etwas anderes als deine Art, Dummkopf?" (What is the meaning of this? Don't even see someone else besides your kind before, idiot?")
Declared a hoarse voice in the dark before a humanoid shade made its way into the light. A terrible and deadly silence fell on them. The air seemed to be sucked out of everyone's lungs and blood was drained out of their faces. Another alien, another abomination, a true abomination this time. It was hairless, noseless, bald and skin sickly white as sour milk. Its teeth were sharp, crooked and rotten black. Its eyes, three of them were yellow and one was cold blue, glanced at them with arrogance and ill intention.
"Halt einmal deinen Mund, Gaz!" (Shut your mouth for one, Gaz!) The blonde-haired stranger growled, "Diese Leute sind nicht meine Leute" (These people are not my people.)
"Bist du blind oder so? Sogar mit einem Auge kann ich deinen kostbaren heiligen Vogel auf ihren Helmen sehen." (Are you blind or something? Even if i close all my eyes, I can still see your precious holy bird on their helmets.) The monstrous alien laughed, crooked finger pointing at them "Es scheint, dass es sich um Diener der Krone handelt. Das ist praktisch, denke ich, denn wir haben viele ehemalige Diener der Krone in den Rang aufgenommen und ich selbst war irgendwann auch ein Diener der Krone." (Servants of the crown (Krone) it appears to be. Convenient I say for we got a lot of former servants of the crown (Krone) in the rank and myself was also a servant of the crown (Krone) at some point.)
Everything coming from his ugly mouth sounded like gibberish to Josh and the rest of his men except for one word, a word so horrifying to any citizen of Imperium that few dare to utter it once in their lives, let alone thrice.
Khorne!
"What did he just say?" Demanded Silas. Josh could hear the drumming in his chest. "Arvo, what did the alien just say?"
The sergeant didn't seem to be disturbed, "The Xenos said they used to be servants of Krone," He replied calmly, "It is asking if we are..."
Arvo didn't have a chance to finish that, totally stunned as Silas raised his Lasgin up and aimed at the hideous alien. In a quarter of a second, Josh was quite relaxed for the idiot couldn't hope to achieve anything here. The gun could not be operated without an ammo clip and Konas had made sure Silas detached his like everyone else. However...However...Josh had forgotten one little detail, a lesson that he had long learned during his days in the hive city. If you want something to be done, you better do it yourself.
Silas's weapon was locked and loaded. The ammo clip was not removed.