Chapter 16

The Thunderhawk drifted slowly through the dim, murky sky, coasting in only on vector thrust. Its movements were delicate and exaggerated, carefully chosen at each and every point. Before it rose the towering stalagmite of their destination, the drifting rock that stretched up as far as the eye could see and down into the inky black depths of the gas giant's atmosphere. Standing in the Thunderhawk's cockpit Captain Toran was peering out of the window, examining their destination in minute detail. His augmetic eye cut through the cloying gases outside to reveal every pitted crag and abrasion on the rockface. He had an eager look about him, excited by the potential discoveries and the mysteries just waiting to be revealed.

Suddenly his arm rose and he declared, "Right there, someone cut a landing pad into the side of that rock. That's our way in." The pilots nodded in response and guided the gunship closer, approaching the narrow opening which loomed open like a maw waiting to devour them. The rock grew in size until it filled the cockpit window and then the blackness of the opening engulfed them and cut off all vision. Searchlights stabbed out from the Thunderhawk, illuminating the interior and shining light into a place that had known none for millennia. Revealed was a small cave, the walls bearing the distinctive patterns of melta beams, which must have been used to carve out the space. It was narrow for the Thunderhawk, especially as the floor was filled up with a pair of blocky metal shapes that might once have been shuttles. The pilots were experts though and managed to set the gunship down safely, squeezing it in and then cycling down the engines to idle.

Toran said, "Seal the cockpit and then start equalising the atmosphere in the troop bay. Stay here while we scout the area but keep alert, we may need a fast exit." With that Toran stepped out and dropped back into the troop bay as the door slid shut. In the gunship's hold a group of Astartes waited for him, Sergeants Mylos and Matheus' squads along with the Command Squad. They were already out of their restraint cages and stood with bolters ready and helms on, nothing out there would take them by surprise. There was one other person present, Magos Castabore, who was bobbing around at the back, eager to get out and explore.

As thick gasses started to pump into the Thunderhawk Toran stated, "Be prepared, there's no oxygen out there so even your multi-lungs are useless. Bless your armour's spirits and beseech them for full vacuum protocols, internal air supply only." With those words Toran lifted his own helm and fitted it into place, locking the seals tight. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, his augmetic eye meant he had to put it on at an odd angle and his Artificer Armour boasted an Iron Halo in the form of a double-headed eagle behind his skull. The result of this was that he had to bow forward and twist his head, but he had enjoyed years of practice and it went on smoothly.

Sealed into his helm Toran looked about and opened a comms channel, "Vox check."

Sergeant Mylos replied, "I'st Tactical Squad ready."

Sergeant Matheus declared, "II'nd Tactical squad all present and correct."

Sergeant Furion stated deadpan, "Command squad standing by and I have warned Novak not to touch anything, no matter how bright and shiny it looks."

That brought a chuckle from all and Toran's lip twitched as he said, "Magos?"

Castabore replied, "I am ready and I have void-hardened servitors to bring essential equipment."

Toran paused, "Magos are you sure it is wise to come yourself?"

"My augmetics are sufficient to withstand this atmospheric pressure, I am in no more danger than you are."

Toran nodded and as the air stopped hissing in he said, "Let's go then."

As the Thunderhawk's ramp slid down Toran led them out with his bolter raised, the self-propelled rockets did not need oxygen to fire and would be as deadly here as they were in a vacuum. It was a curious sensation to walk in this atmosphere, the thick pressurised air slowing down every movement and making it feel like being underwater. Every step was exaggerated and strange noises rang off his helm as he moved. Toran led the squads out into the landing bay and they formed a perimeter, bolters held outwards.

Instantly Castabore floated over to the half-dissolved lumps of metal and declared, "Orbital shuttles, STC Arvus lighters. Definitely human-made but I see no Imperial markings at all."

"What happened to them?" asked Toran looking over their melted wings and deformed hull plates.

Castabore pondered, "The airframe material is rated as non-oxygenating and inert, it is impossible for them to rust. I hypothesize that this rock formation has not always been at this elevation, at some point it must have drifted lower into the atmosphere. Exposure to both increased pressures and corrosive gases could have done this."

Toran nodded and said, "Mark it for later examination, let us press on."

The group moved out and headed towards the back of the landing bay, finding a large metal door hanging off its frame. Furion commented, "Outer seals failed and pressure blew it inwards, anyone inside would have died quickly with no warning at all."

Toran went to step through but Furion held up a hand saying, "Captain I must protest again, you should not be going in there. You are too valuable to risk in an unknown situation."

Toran sighed, "Not this again, I told you on the ship I will not send any Brother to do something I would not do myself. So no, I am not sitting this one out in the Thunderhawk."

Furion shook his head and said, "Then I must insist that you at least let the squads go ahead of you."

Persion spoke up from behind him quipping, "Yes send Novak in first: he's expendable."

"Hey!" Novak protested but the chuckles on the vox drowned him out.

Toran stepped back and relented, "As you will. Matheus and Mylos, scout ahead."

The Sergeants nodded and filed their squads in through the hatch, headed into the darkness beyond, autosenses penetrating the darkness with ease. After a minute a pip on the vox signalled the all-clear and Toran stepped through, followed by the rest of the party. Beyond they found a long corridor, bored into the rock with various rooms and chambers at regular intervals. It was bare and featureless save for occasional lumps of half-formed metal on the floor. Toran led them inwards, following the cleared path and passing various brothers scouring the adjacent rooms for threats or discoveries.

As they walked Jediah reached out and poked a finger into the wall, causing a large clump to fall away and he spat, "Soft and pliable, this thing is more like foam than rock."

From behind Castabore called, "It is similar to a form of pumice, which must be how it is able to absorb the lifting gases that make it float."

Toran was only half-listening, looking ahead and seeing the tunnel continue. As they walked Bylan said, "I feel strange"

Persion asked, "How so?"

Bylan explained, "I feel both bold and cautious, alert and yet not anticipating danger"

Novak remarked, "I know what you mean, it is like being on the cusp of battle and yet not."

Furion declared, "What you are experiencing is the thrill of discovery, the joy of exploration for its own sake. Make the most of it, a Space Marine rarely experiences such things, we were made for waging battles not conducting surveys."

"I don't like it," spat Jediah, "Give me a hard fight any day."

They continued to walk and presently emerged into a large chamber, some form of cargo bay, stacked with rotten crates. Toran's eye instantly went to a small hatch on the far wall, "Look a pressure hatch and it's still sealed. Mylos, Matheus secure this space, everybody else with me."

Persion walked over and pressed a corroded rune panel next to the door but shook his head, "No power, we'll have to cut our way through."

Novak asked, "Won't that break the seal?"

Castabore replied, "I anticipated such a problem; let me set up an airlock."

The servitors plodded forward and began erecting a small portable airlock; it was thin but sturdy and would hold back the atmosphere for a few hours. Once it was set up a servitor stepped into the airlock and began cutting the hatch with a plasma torch. As they waited Novak drummed his fingers on his breastplate and said, "Has anyone else wondered what's going on here?"

Bylan asked, "What do you mean?"

Novak said, "Why are the Eldar attacking us?"

Persion said, "How can we know, they are aliens. They betray and ambush us and we fight them back. That is the nature of the universe."

Novak said, "But why us, why now?"

Furion declared, "There is no understanding the Eldar, they are a random force in the universe. Be content with seeing them broken and defeated, waste no time on asking why."

There was a beep from the servitor and the hatch fell away, revealing what was beyond. The airlock was only big enough for one person at a time so the Command Squad and Castabore cycled through it in order. Toran was the last through and he waited as the air changed around him until at last it was ready and he bent down to step through the small hatch. He was brought up short when he unexpectedly knocked into the rim, then he grimaced in embarrassment as he realised that his Iron Halo had caught on the lintel. The force field generator was a potent relic, reserved only for officers, but it could be awkward at times. Toran was forced to bend even lower as he stepped beyond, before straightening up on the other side. As he rose he saw Persion staring at him and even under the blankness of the helm he could see the grin plastered all over the Brother's face.

"Not one word," Toran growled before Persion could make a comment and then he said, "What do we have?"

Furion answered from his inspection of the surrounding space, "It looks like living quarters, we swept the area and all we found was bunks, some rotten personal effects and bodies."

"Still intact?" Toran asked in surprise.

"This place was sealed, the air has been undisturbed for millennia," explained Jediah, "No signs of trauma, I'd guess it was suffocation that got them but we'd need an autopsy to be sure."

Toran thought about it and said, "Any indications as to what they were doing here?"

"None," Persion replied, "There are no minerals worth mining in this rock and we found no laboratories or research equipment."

Novak mused, "Perhaps this was a listening post or a weapon Cache."

Jediah remarked, "Worst place in the galaxy for such a thing."

Bylan interjected, "Maybe they were criminals or refugees hiding from something"

Persion asked, "But from what and why didn't they leave before the outer air seals failed? Those shuttles could easily have reached one of Astu's more habitable moons."

"It is a mystery," Toran said somewhat sadly, "Gather up whatever we can for closer inspection back on the ship but I suspect we will never learn what really happened here."

"But we haven't found any answers" Bylan protested, "How can we just leave it like this"

Furion put a hand upon his shoulder, "In life you don't always get the answers, not everything fits in a neat little box. Sometimes a mystery remains just that and all you can do is accept it and move on."

Castabore floated over and said, "I have inspected the interior and there is nothing of value here, just basic life support gear and a small genatorium. This is most disappointing, I was hoping for Cogitators or examples of rare technology."

Persion blew out a breath and said, "So, this has been a complete waste of time."

"Far from it," declared Toran, "We have claimed a viable outpost, one that is indistinguishable at long-range. "

Furion looked at him and said, "You have a plan of action?"

Toran nodded and said, "We must return to the Thunderchild and summon the assault squads, Chaplain Wrethan too. I think it's time we set our own ambush for the Dark Eldar."