Knightley wrote:Shame that Inushi doesn't have any grenades, in such a confined space an aerial detonated frag grenade would blind a whole bunch of them
Hah, here I am so invested in these characters I'm trying to come up with ways to keep them alive!
There is nothing wrong with being concerned for Inushi and trying to force ideas upon the writer, just don't be mad when I kill him, mwahahahahahaha......
Gitsplitta wrote:Things are looking grim for Inushi-san. Again. One of these days his luck's going to run out. (Which I guess is what the Inquisition had in mind when they sent him on this mission in the first place... buggers.)
The Inquisition did send him on a suicide run, those jerks.
Bobakos wrote:Very nice Ice! A glorious death awaits!!!
Let him take many of them to the grave!
That's a proper 40k kind of attitude!
Mr Nobody wrote:I know Inushi's a good fighter, but is he that good?
You'll all find out on the next installment that involves Inushi. Who knows when that will get posted though.
The Ice Angels moved with cold efficiency. The sergeant of squad Rimsin with his white two bladed lightning claw along with four other tactical marines, none of which Inigo had met before, moved forward first. No orders were spoken nor had he seen any hand gestures. The marines all fell into place into perfect formation. Inigo studied their movements and once again wished his chapter had this advanced HUD system that the Angels employed. Captain Razzik and Vetov moved next, the slight whine of Vetov’s bionic leg was the only sound Inigo could hear once the black and blue quartered marine rounded the corner.
Squad Kujara then moved to follow. The six members broke into two groups of three. One tactical marine in the first group had on a bizarre skull helm and another wielded a lascannon. They too moved without any noticeable orders.
Inigo witnessed the Angels move and until he took his first step he didn’t realize how quiet they were. He paused after his step almost ashamed of the sound his boot made. None of the Angels paid him any heed as he did. Jaska and Nefas continued following the second unit and Inigo stayed close to them, his thunder hammer easily swinging in his gray gauntlets. They may be quiet, he thought to himself, but he was by far the strongest space marine in the group.
Inigo noticed that Nefas nearly matched the skill of the Ice Angels in stealth as they moved. Jaska was able to keep up but occasionally scuffed the floor. Inigo could have kicked each wall as he passed and been just as quiet.
Behind him followed three other tactical marines, one with a plasma gun, another with a green power sword sheathed at his hip. They were spread out taking extra precautions that nothing was following them, waiting at intersections as they passed and pausing by doors confirming nothing would surprise them from behind.
The bizarre xenos compound continued to bother Inigo as they moved. What xenos would create this seemingly endless maze of rooms and stairs, fill it with semi-living tortured humans, and then leave? He smiled to himself as images of him crushing the enemies of the Emperor floated through his mind.
After passing through the black wall and arriving here he had felt as if he were on some sort of ship, but as they continued exploring he began to see more and more exposed rock. The majority of it was sculpted to fit seemingly into the architecture but in between rooms or halls the raw stone could still be seen. According to Jaska it could easily be some sort of asteroid station or even stones brought on board to remind the xenos of home, but Inigo disagreed.
The Sons of Hades marine had spent countless hours underground on his home world working in the forges. He had chiseled stone into art and tempered steel into weapons. After becoming a neophyte in his chapter he then mastered his craft and worked with more exotic substances such as ceramite and adamantium, yet his favorite medium for crafting had always been the stone from Hades. His forge father often told him that he had an innate ability when it came to using stone. That same natural talent was telling him that the stone walls they were passing were natural, yet in his gut he didn’t feel as if they were in space or underground.
The conundrum briefly crossed his mind before the thought of his forge father brought back his wide smile. Forge Father Dorvelo, was one of the oldest, most gruff, and heavily scarred marines Inigo had ever set eyes upon. His ancient wisdom had been training Sons of Hades neophytes for nearly a century. His deep booming laugh was one that he hoped he’d hear again.
Another floor scuff made Inigo glance ahead at Jaska as the red armored marine slowed to examine another wall panel. He briefly looked but didn’t touch before moving again. He seemed to notice Inigo’s gaze and their eyes briefly met. With a nod Jaska rounded a corner ahead of him. Inigo wanted to speak with him and Nefas but they were constantly moving and flanked by Ice Angels.
Nefas’s earlier response to Razzik had surprised him, but what really shocked him was his inability to correct it. The conversation played out in his mind once again as he continued to move forward. They traversed another purple lit gallery, this one was full of medical looking examination tables sunk into the floor, and each was surrounded by a circle of chairs or couches. Pierced corpses and helmed bodies hung from the ceiling. Several swayed slowly as if they were incapable of sitting still even in death.
The gallery narrowed to a hall way that took a hard left. The walls turned to rough stone as the path moved up. The darkness of the hallway was brief as they took several steps up into the largest room they had yet seen. It expanded as far as Inigo could see to his right and approximately one hundred yards to his left. The room was lit by thousands of floating lights; each cast their illumination straight down into the room. Within the vast room were an astounding collection of creatures, weapons, tanks, motionless people, and all manner of objects. Inigo slowed substantially as he lowered his hammer and tried to absorb what he was seeing.
The Ice Angels continued to move as if oblivious to the contents of the room, soon Inigo stopped in one of the side isles with Nefas and Jaska, each transfixed on various objects nearby. A damaged wooden chariot sat on a plinth to his left, the statue of a wounded two headed lizard lay curled on the floor to his right, above him hovered a bar that a dozen different banners hung from. In front of him was a tank of murky water in which gems glittered in its depths, a small creature skittered amongst the sparkles. Behind his immediate exhibits were countless other devices, nearly all alien but some struck a familiar cord in shape and design.
Before he could make any connection Nefas walked past him and the murky tank towards a tall floating conglomeration of machine and flesh. Mesmerized by the determination of the Sinner marine Inigo followed. At arms length away they stopped and examined the monstrosity. A mechanical floating base was the lower half of the giant person. Its forearms were replaced by gruesome weapons of archaic design. Its torso was a mountain of muscle so tight that it looked as if it would explode outward at the slightest touch. The face of the creature was covered by a tight barred helm. All down its spine were glass vials of pastel liquids.
Inigo looked up at the face mask wondering what lay behind the tormented façade. Inigo stalked around the contraption before turning to look around the expansive hall once more.
“Marines, would you care to join us?” the voice of Razzik chimed in his vox. Inigo could hear the annoyance in the Captain’s question.
Jaska began to move towards the Ice Angel position. Nefas took a final glance around the hall before slowly moving to follow. He purposefully waited for Inigo to catch up. The Sons of Hades marine’s long strides closed the gap quickly. Inigo looked down at the lithe Sinners marine as they walked between statues of wounded beasts and destroyed machines.
“Have you seen anything like this before Inigo?” Nefas asked, his voice merely a whisper.
“This place looks like a museum, a really twisted museum.” Inigo responded as he saw a wide cannon laying on two wide treads. The design was not one he was familiar with.
“How about these contraptions,” Nefas asked again.
Next to an ancient rack of barbed weapons hovered another muscular creature. Her hands had been replaced by a massive flail and a pincer that was as long as Inigo’s arms. Once again her face was covered by a helm, only a single eye slit adorned the helm that was bolted directly onto her face. Her ragged hair poured over the helm and down her back. The vials gave off a faint ozone smell as he neared. Plates of some metal unknown to him had been nailed into her body, across her breasts, arms, and abdomen. Artistic scars and brands dotted her overly muscular frame.
The similarities to the first muscled monster were apparent and more so when Inigo noticed there was more then these two. Scattered between the weapons, tanks, statues, and various items hovered these things. Some were up in the air between banners, others were near the floor. All were motionless and quiet but each was an explosion of violence waiting to be triggered.
“No, thankfully I haven’t. Have you?” Inigo added as he picked up his pace, suddenly aware of the potential peril he was in.
“Yes,” Nefas responded as they passed a dripping weapon encased in a black tinted box. Runes swirled around its base in some foreign language.
They passed a broken quadruped walker, it had a vaguely Imperial design but wires dangled out of it like someone had torn out its innards. On the other side hovered yet another mountain of muscle, silently waiting.
Ahead of them lingered the Ice Angels, set up in a defensive semi circle. They were near a wide double door. A shattered Imperial Aquila was built into the wall above them.
Nefas walked past the first pair of Ice Angels towards Captain Razzik, “Hope they never begin to move Inigo, or we will all be visiting the Emperor sooner then we’d like.”
I can't wait to see whats behind that door too. I have actually been holding out on writing the next section because there are TOO many things that I want to put behind that door. I need to make sure I only put the neatest / evilest / coolest / deadlist / cutiest / fuzziest things behind it. (I realized by choosing just one adjective I'd be hinting at whats behind the door therefore I added in several that may or may not be used to describe what is behind that door)
Captain Razzik closed the vox with Sergeant Maranu after giving him another update to pass along to Cyaxeres. He took another look around while he impatiently waited for Shu-Takii to complete his examination of the double doors. Nefas and Jaska were nearby quietly examining one of the floating hulks. Ice Angels were paired off taking what cover they could behind works of art, massive broken weapons, and other items that reminded Razzik of war trophies. Inigo stood in the open a few yards away staring deep into the cavernous room.
“What can you tell me Shu-Takii?” Razzik asked as he stood over the kneeling marine. The tech marine in training had several long flexible probes snaked out around the door trying to examine the hinges and all other aspects of the door, in his left hand was a large auspex running a serious of diagnostics. Above him a servo skull silently waited to enter the closed room.
“The signal coming from inside is an old one, possibly from a teleport or distress beacon. Either way it’s emitting Imperial codes on hundreds of frequencies, many of which I’ve only seen on the oldest of devices.” He paused and sighed, “The door itself is air tight. It does show some sign of use, but nothing recent,” Shu-Takii continued. “It is made of several layers of marble with a metallic core. All my scans lead me to believe it is an actual Imperial crafted door, only the materials in the frame match the xenos architecture around us.”
The probes around Shu-Takii began to recoil as he stood up. “We could easily destroy the door if needed, but I see nothing out of the ordinary with it.”
“Very well,” Razzik responded. He checked several reports that Sergeant Maranu sent him before his gaze returned to the door. He wanted nothing other then to reach out and open it, but the years of tactical experience throbbed in his head like a sore muscle. He wanted to be free of this place but everything about this complex, even down to the gravity felt wrong. An Imperial door with an Imperial emitter in an alien unexplainable seemingly endless compound screamed trap.
Brother Nefas stepped closer and cleared his throat; “If I may give a suggestion?” he began.
Razzik glared at him before issuing an order that everyone could hear, “Rimsin plant charges on the nearest hulks just in case this is a trap.”
The tactical unit broke from their positions and began to place primed grenades on exposed flesh. Razzik watched for a moment before looking back to Nefas, “What do you………… suggest?” he spat.
The white helmed Sinner marine quickly responded, “Your tactics continue to prove correct Captain. You have already followed through with what I was about to suggest. Please pardon my interruption.” He tilted his head as he spoke.
“Captain,” Inigo added from his sentinel position. The Sons of Hades marine spoke without turning to regard the Ice Angel or the Sinner. He continued to look further into the hall as he continued, “May I also plant several charges. I have extra to spare.”
Razzik regarded the marine from the side but saw no reason to deny the request. “Certainly, Honored Brother Inigo. Place them and return. I’m opening this door the moment my men are finished.”
Nefas and Razzik stood next to one another as the gray armored Sons of Hades purposefully walked away. He passed several hulks and was soon out of sight behind a towering treaded vehicle covered in scales and bones.
@ bobakos - One problem that I've run into in the past, that thankfully no one has pointed out to often, is that sometimes my characters change a little bit from episode to episode. Not the good kind of change, like character growth. I'd like to say that this is on purpose, but more often its simply because in my head a character is a certain way and due to the fact that I haven't written anything in X number of days, that way has changed. All of these characters are organic beings in my head and if I don't reread or step away for an extended period of time they may change slightly. Despite having in depth documents explaining every character, vehicle, and weapon lay out I've discussed. I still manage to muck things up from time to time.
In this particular case, Razzik's distrust should really be directed at Jaska because in the past he falsified orders and took a mission into his own hands. Jaska openly admitted to it and Razzik scolded him but nothing occurred beyond that. Some where between then and now those feelings grew to include Nefas. I think in the next post where Razzik is the protagonist I may have to specify, or flush out his feelings a bit more. I planned on doing that in my last post but when I was writing, it didn't pan out that way.
It does make sense...but still Jaska's disobedience led to a reduced casualty rate. Anyway, some small insight in the characters thoughts might resolve this (I think)
Right downward block, left thrust, side step away from low kick, jump knee tuck followed by part-the-seas swipe. Inushi’s frame of mind was focused down to each swing, each muscle movement. There was no flourish, no fancy sword play, not a single motion was wasted. The orks pressed in, showing one another to get closer to the green armored Mantis Warrior. His space was minimal. Footing became hazardous as the floor became a carpet of greenskin bodies. Blocked slice, lower shoulder to deflect axe, tilt body, head butt, upward cut with off hand, accept punch to left ribs. Step back, push off wall, dodge under over head chop. Inushi didn’t even have time to remember the lessons on “damage management” as he fought the intense melee. He could only act on instinct and the ingrained muscle memory that decades of training had given him.
The smog in the room was thickening as the columned engines continued to leak filth into the air. The stench of open wounds and cauterized flesh hovered around Inushi like a cloak.
Large greenskins pushed forward the front lines of orks into Inushi’s whirling blades. His katana speared through two orks to his right, his left hand pinned above his head, the ork bodies were pressed up against him jamming him into the corner. Over his left shoulder a pinned ork was screaming in pain and anger. Inushi responded with a glancing elbow into the orks face. The bodies continued to press. The movement wrenched the katana from his hand as the dead bodies to his right contorted and fell before him. An ork with a chest the size of a promethium barrel stepped over them, his steel cleat boots sinking deep into the ork carpet. Inushi attempted to fall towards him to make some space but the ork grabbed him with amazing speed for such a bulky figure. The greenskin held him up right with one hand and punched with a spiked gauntlet. The short wide blade pierced through his shoulder pad. The green ceramite absorbed and dispersed the force of the blow but the blade still bit deep into this shoulder. Inushi gritted his teeth in pain as the blade dug to the bone.
The dark blade went back. Inushi witnessed the blood, his own blood, fling off the blade as the blade ceased moving back and began to speed towards him once again. He couldn’t move to fully avoid the blade and the ork was too strong to block. As the gauntlet approached he brought up his combat blade, it was too late to deflect the short blade but it still dug into the orks forearm.
Inushi felt every millimeter of pain as the orks punch bent and cracked his already demolished chest plate, the blade sinking deep into his chest. The ork snarled in victory as blood sprayed out from the wound. He didn’t even get a chance to see Inushi pull out his plasma pistol and melt the orks head off of its shoulders.
The orks paused, stunned from witnessing their largest member being beheaded.
Inushi fell to his knees as the ork released its grip. Slowly he stood back up. His bloody combat blade was in his left hand and purple plasma pistol in his right. Warm blood hemorrhaged out of his chest before the wound sealed up, his super human anatomy was trying to work over time. He silently muttered a prayer when Inushi saw the momentary fear in the faces of the remaining orks. He had reached the point where they may break and run.
“None of you can stop me!” he slowly shouted. Theatrics were not his forte but he knew how grave his wounds were. He had to try.
The orks looked from one another before the next largest raised his choppa to scream. It wasn’t the response he was looking for.
Inushi prepared himself to die when his world exploded.
Brilliant,favourate bit has to be
"Inushi fell to his knees as the ork released its grip. Slowly he stood back up. His bloody combat blade was in his left hand and purple plasma pistol in his right. Warm blood hemorrhaged out of his chest before the wound sealed up, his super human anatomy was trying to work over time. He silently muttered a prayer when Inushi saw the momentary fear in the faces of the remaining orks."
just Awesomly graffic. would look great as a picture too, just him standing there half defeated but surrounded by ork corpses.
@Gitsplitta - You know the cliff hangers make it that much better.
@bigfish - I completely agree. Someone make a T-Shirt!
@Bobakos - You'll have to wait until next time to see what happened!
Loving the story Ice. Noticed a minor error: "The smog in the room was thickening as the columned engines continued to leak filth into the air."
Minor verb tense edit- otherwise its great!
Inigo took slow strides as he wandered the great hall. He didn’t know where he was going but he felt as if he had a destination. After every couple of statues or bodies, tanks or weapons he would pause. Before he could question what he was doing something would pull at him. Something distant yet familiar would tug at his soul. This urge led him passed more bizarre battlefield like wreckage. Inigo felt like he had been wandering for hours yet only minutes had passed. When he paused yet again, the urge returned but this time he resisted. The questions in his head finally overcoming the simple urge to investigate the unknown. The pull didn’t intensify, it didn’t force him to move, it was simply there for him to feel. Inigo knelt and placed his right hand palm down on the floor. He held his breath and concentrated. For several seconds he didn’t move, nearly becoming another one of the countless statues that filled the cavernous room. His twin hearts were the only sounds he could hear, yet he waited.
A simple pulse passed beneath the ground after a minute of waiting. Inigo stayed motionless until it passed again. It was as if the ground beneath the floor was alive with its own distant heart beat.
Logic and rules dictated that he immediately report to his superiors, but Inigo disregarded those thoughts and continued to move. His slow strides once again carried him further away from the Ice Angels and his companions.
Whats that small piece? Give us more man!!! (Does that sound good for motivation to post more or do I need to make more orkish sounds with it? )
But to be fair we dont want to pressure you since you have the baby and all So take your time and give us something whenever you have something (make it soon though cause addic...erm you readers are anxious)
“Am I dead?” Inushi thought to himself. He could see only darkness before him. His entire body throbbed and he could hardly move. A high pitched ringing answered his question. Slowly the ringing subsided enough for him to utilize his senses once again. He was face down on the floor. He felt the pressure of a lot of weight on his back and legs. His left arm was numbed beyond recognition, either it was severed or the pain killers his armor automatically gave him had completely blocked the nerves from communicating with his brain.
The ringing subsided a bit more, just enough for him to hear distant gun shots and explosions. Several closer gun shots went off and an ork grunted before crashing to the ground nearby. Inushi felt the debris behind him move slightly from its fall.
Inushi began to try and adjust enough to turn his head but his body resisted. After several attempts he managed to push himself up, just enough to turn his head to his right. His head pounded at the movement, he slammed shut his eyes trying to clear his head. He could feel the demands of his body to give in and rest. His Larraman organ was gearing up to put him into a coma so that his body could focus on healing but Inushi refused. At the edge of his peripheral vision he could see light. Not the artificial light from the interior of the ork land train but the light from the sun over Glossinai.
The clanging sound of boots quickly surged through the room. Chainswords could be heard revving their small engines. Metal shifted and gun fire ensued, the sounds moved on into another compartment away from Inushi. He wanted to speak but the marines continued on before Inushi could attempt to alert them.
Pounding in Inushi’s chest echoed through his body as the Larraman organ sent out waives of chemicals to knock him out and attempt to heal his wounds. His eyes began to feel heavy. He soon lost feeling in his legs. A soothing cool sensation tickled in his brain as the chemicals began to shut him down.
Another set of boots landed in the room with him. He tried to fight the chemicals, to resist the oncoming coma, but he was too tired, too weak from all the wounds his body may not be able to recover from.
The footfalls came closer, they didn’t sound like the others that had passed. It may not be another marine he thought to himself. He concentrated on keeping his eyes open. He couldn’t move but he would at least die staring into the face of his assailant.
Metal sheets quickly moved aside. Inushi could hear them move but didn’t feel anything. His entire torso was numb. Something grabbed him and rolled him over. Despite the numbness, agonizing pain coursed through his body before the chemical coolness surged through him once again. Above Inushi the familiar helm of Philsoir looked down at him.
The bright sun gleamed off the tech marines red armor. Optical units on his shoulders and back pack twitched as they gathered all the visual data they could. Inushi’s vision was blurred and he couldn’t focus on anything other then the Ice Angel. He tried to speak but the only sound coming from him was the wheezing of his breathing.
“Inushi, excellent work clearing out the engine room.” The tech marine stated before standing back up. He reached back for his axe while hefting his shield back into place. “Your work here is done. The land train will be under our control shortly.” He paused for a moment before looking past Inushi. “May the Emperor protect you.”
The Techmarine then turned and walked away. Inushi was unable to speak, turn his head, or move any part of his body. His head swam. He couldn’t fight it any longer. He could only stare up with numb detachment as his eyes slowly shut and the sound's of the tech marines foot fall's slowly faded away.
Nothing says, "Way to lead the charge, dismantle the enemy and lead us to overall tactical success" better than leaving you lieing on the floor and succumbing to your wounds.
Fantastic entry yet again. I was almost hopping for a warriors death for Inushi but near fatal victory is fantastic.
@1-i - Thanks 1-i. I thought that the lack of compassion and obvious statement coming from Philosir worked out great too!
@Knightley - Me too! I love that old article where they listed all the implanted organs Space Marines receive. I have never experience a coma, personally, but I tried to imagine that short period of time right before you go under from anesthesia. I think it turned out pretty good. Another nice short post to move our story along.
On a side note, thanks to all of you, my readers, that visit my story fluff. I just surpassed 23,000 views. That may seem like a random number to celebrate but I'm a random kind of guy. I know dakka isn't known for its fluff but I'm glad you guys have helped keep me motivated to continue writing. Thanks again!
Very nice indeed Ice! Though I don't know I think I expected the end a bit more heroic. You know a pile of corpses a Warboss a duel and then death. But who says that Inushi is dead??? Mmmmm....
Outstanding entry Ice. Very well written and nicely handled. I like the fact that Philsoir took the time to acknowledge Inushi's accomplishment before leaving him to whatever fate the Emperor decreed. Nice soldier-to-soldier touch.
Cautiously he stood. Inigo looked ahead and began to move. The pulse that he had felt before passed once again. He felt the pulse pass through him as if he had an extra heart in his chest pumping out of rhythm. He quickly scanned around trying to find some clue as to what it could be but only broken artifacts and statues surrounded him. His step quickened as he searched for some clue as to what was causing it. He came to stand before another statue of a naked dark eldar slaying some unknown xenos.
The pulse passed again. He looked to his right. There was a clearing surrounded by the floating muscular death machines. Without hesitating he moved towards it. He grasped his hammer in both hands as he approached.
Dozens of the xenos creations floated around a recess in the floor. His pace slowed as he neared the edge to fully see what lay below. He stopped within arms reach of two massive motionless creatures. They were as twisted as all the others he had seen but he ignored them completely as he focused on what slumbered in the pit.
“It can’t be….” He mumbled as he lowered his hammer in awe.
Words crackled through his vox, the distant voice of Razzik requested a status update that he didn’t register. Inigo couldn’t take his eyes off the beast before him.
Forty feet below him at the base of a tiered pit lay a slumbering behemoth as big as a Thunderhawk. It was a two headed lizard like creature with six legs. A long thick spiked tail curled along its right side. Dark red spines lined its back, each taller then a space marine. The two heads were laying side by side, curved teeth jutted up from its expansive jaws.
“Dark and deadly like the pits of Hades,” Inigo recited the phrase common on his home world. “It can’t be,” he said once again. The beast was exactly like the ancient linnorms from his home world. Images and artwork filled his mind as he thought back to everything he had heard about these ancient and revered monsters, but the last was said to have been slain thousands of years ago.
As he examined the creature he noticed the extensive tubing and wiring embedded into the creature’s chest and neck. The pulse passed through him once more as his vox crackled. Inigo ignored the private request from Jaska.
Without taking his eyes off the creature he climbed down the tiers. After only a few tiers he began to feel the heat radiating off the beast. It was said their touch could melt stone and as he approached he began to wonder if it truly could.
As he got closer, the warmth intensified to a point that his MK VI armor cooling systems activated. When he stepped down do the final level a part of him noticed the elaborate metal flooring that the linnorm laid on, another part of him noticed the bank of machines behind him, built into the bottom tier. His main focus though couldn’t tear itself away from the monster.
Taking the few final steps, he approached one of the heads. Its teeth were as tall as he was. Its lips were as thick as his legs. Its eyes were bigger then his chest. Inigo was mesmerized by the sheer size of such a creature. He slowly reached out with his left hand and touched the beasts long jagged snout.
His mind reeled from the touch as images tore through his consciousness like a hurricane. He frantically tried to catch any of the blurred thoughts as they scattered through his brain. Melting stone, intense heat, falling darkness, valleys of green death, a flying city, a human rebellion, a fallen gargant, the images flittered so fast he forgot many of them after he saw them, but they continued unabated. A mental flood gate had been released and he was drowning in the currents.
Suddenly the pulse, the heart beat of the creature he was touching, surged through his body and forced him to relinquish his connection to the beast. A final image lingered and faded, like a falling snow flake it drifted from focus. Inigo took a sharp intake as his body tingled, the image disappeared but like a bright flash the after glow lingered and in it he saw himself. He saw himself dying on field of red clay surrounded by metal skeletons.
“Inigo can take care of himself if he is so inclined to leave the unit!” Razzik quickly spat. Nefas began to speak before Razzik interrupted.
“This discussion is over.” Captain Razzik said with a finality that silenced both Nefas and Jaska. The Marine Chrysemys and Sinner exchanged glances as Razzik turned to Vetov before returning his gaze to the door. He took several steps up to it and reached out his hand.
“Vetov, Nefas, and Rimsin with me,” Razzik commanded as he grasped the one of the door handles. “If anything moves….. kill it,” he added as he pulled open the door.
The door quietly opened. Razzik stepped in as Vetov pulled opened the other door. The servitor hovered through the opening. Nefas was right behind Razzik with the members of Rimsin quickly moving in and panning out.
Beyond the door was a crowded room that widened the further back it went. Bright clinical light emanated from scores of floating glow orbs. Long isles led through the room that was lined with displays and weapon racks. Banners were strung together in the low ceiling like a near endless ribbon.
The members of squad Rimsin had taken positions at the beginning of each isle awaiting further instructions. Captain Razzik had lowered his shield and paused in front of a pristine suit of Mark II power armor that stood like a guard at an Imperial palace. Nefas and Vetov were by his side examining the nearest objects and banners.
“It appears we have located the Imperial section of the museum,” Nefas quietly hissed, intrigue oozing from each of his words.
Vetov stepped between two Ice Angels to look at the first display in the long line. A Mark IV back pack hung from the top of wooden case and a dark green velvet cloak draped underneath. The cloak covered a small ledge on which laid a phobos pattern bolter. Lions roared across the body of the weapon and ancient gothic writing decorated its magazine.
“These, these are relics,” Vetov began “displayed in a xenos trophy room.” He stepped past to look at the next item in the row, a rack that held a sniper rifle. The next was a black templar tabard. The next display was a commissar’s hat with a pair of auto pistols. “We must reclaim them for the Imperium,” he added with a look of disgust.
Razzik stepped past the suit of armor and began to wander down the next isle over. A terminator chainfist that had clearly been ripped off the terminator hung in an open rack. Underneath it on a separate shelf was a needle pistol of exquisite design; a small box of needles sat opened aside it.
Nefas began to follow Captain Razzik. “I disagree with Commander Vetov.”
Captain Razzik paused to look back at the Sinner marine.
“What? Nefas, your chapter must have revered artifacts. Items that have been in your chapter’s armory of countless ages,” Vetov retorted.
The Sinner marine didn’t take his eyes of off Razzik but responded to the comment, “we do, yes.”
“If one of those items is lost, it can break the spirit of the chapter. Can in not?” Vetov questioned, but continued before waiting on a response. “Entire crusades have been started just to reclaim lost banners or ancient items.” Vetov continued, “Imagine what allies we could make if we returned some of these to their rightful owners!”
Razzik took his gaze from Nefas before looking over the isle at Vetov who was now standing by a wide rack of shoulder pads, each from a different chapter. “We first locate the beacon some where in this room, then, we’ll discuss moving the relics.”
With a simply blink command the Ice Angels moved down the isles, quietly traversing the room like darkness chasing the setting sun. Captain Razzik fell into the formation with Nefas at his heels, only Vetov held his position.
Vetov looked at the collection of shoulder pads. He took a few steps and closely examined a black grenade hovering in a crystal case. An inner argument raged in his mind, but the voices in his head were rendered mute when he looked up and saw a ragged banner strung in the patchwork ceiling. The black and blue quartered fabric was dominated by a golden eye. A lone golden tear drop fell from its inner edge.
Legendary weapons it is! Oh man, I think you'll guys get a huge kick out of what I have in store. Per usual though, I'm always up for any suggestions if any of you have any legendary weapon ideas.
Gitsplitta wrote: A plasma gun that does not overheat 1 out of 6 times... stupid weapon design.
Good call! That ALWAYS bugged me. Hundreds of thousands of years in the future and they haven't created a cool cooling system. Actually I'm not sure if that's what really bugged me the most though, it may have been the fact that the Emperor's super soldiers would actually still use a weapon that was so volatile.
You could make it something that a rogue tech priest was fiddling with... or perhaps some eldar tech looked at it and thought... "this is stupid... if we just re-wire this little bit here, add a wraith bone recalibration conduit here... ah, that does it!" Rapid fire plasma gun!
@Nobody - very good point. Some mark II armor would be a nice touch for a character though.
@Alie - Your suggestion may have already been included in the next section. Good call!
By the way, one of my plans for 2013 includes finishing book one of my Ice Angel fluff. I hope you all will help me stay on track to completing this project. Happy New Year everybody.
Captain Razzik strode past bizarre blades, unique guns, and an amazing conglomeration of gear, but his focus was solely on the servitor that slowly traversed the room. The human floating skull silently hovered through the room scanning the contents with only the basics of analysis. Its last command, to locate the source of the signal, consumed all of its limited mental capabilities.
The skull slowly passed a reaper auto cannon that leaned on a shelf before it dropped in altitude. It circled around an open area at the rear of the room. There were several benches in a wide circle and the skull made several rounds before holding its position inches above the floor in the center of the floor.
Razzik stood sentinel as he watched the servo skull finish its passes and stop. Unlike the rest of the room the floor was metallic and unclean. Dried stains surrounded a round panel that the servo skull hovered over.
“Shu-Takii, is the signal coming from the floor?” Razzik questioned as he noticed the tactical marine examining his auspex.
“Affirmative, the distress beacon is under that panel.” Shu-Takii adjusted several side dials before continuing, “that panel should lif……” he paused mid sentence. “Captain, there’s an astartes under there.”
“Get it open,” Razzik commanded without a shred of emotion. Shu-Takii stepped forward and knelt before the panel while Zaduga moved to assist. Shar-Takazz approached with his plasma pistol to cover the panel as they worked. The servo skull hovered up to observe.
Shu-Takii began to get out various tools to inspect the panel before Razzik stepped forward, “We don’t have time marine, just open it.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Vetov witnessed the Ice Angels move throughout the room, each taking up a strategic position or moving down the various isles with the captain. As they spread out he stared up at the banner once more. He studied the manner in which they were strung up. If he climbed the nearest shelf he could reach it and break it free from its fastenings, so he hoped. With that in mind he examined the nearest shelves determining which would better hold his weight.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Inigo casually strode around a partially destroyed contemptor dreadnought when he came in view of an Ice Angel. The marine had his bolter trained on him instantly. After a slight nod he continued his watch.
Several more steps took Inigo away from the dreadnought and closer to a hovering hulk. A krak grenade was stashed between its shoulder and neck. The grenade made him think back to the pack of charges he had left else where in the museum.
Three more Ice Angels came into view before he saw Jaska and the wide open double doors under the Imperial Aquila. The red armored Marine Chrysemys approached the moment he saw him. He stood a few paces away, took a side glance at a nearby motionless giant, and then back to Inigo.
“What took so long?” Jaska promptly asked.
Inigo began to answer but paused, he didn’t know where to start.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Okay, ready” Shu-Takii stated before issuing a yellow icon by his name in the Ice Angel’s HUD’s. All the nearest Ice Angels raised weapons and prepared. The icon blinked three times, then twice, then once before it dissipated and he pulled up the panel.
It didn’t move far before the screaming began and the panel stopped only partially open. The triple lungs of an astartes bellowed in pain. The smell of blood, bile, and suffering wafted up from the cracked open panel.
“Zaduga,” Shu-Takii calmly requested. The other marine grabbed the other side of the panel and the two of them wrenched it open with all their might. A wet crunch echoed through the room moments before the panel jammed itself at 90 degrees, like the top hatch on a rhino. The hole in the floor contained an unarmored astartes who was tightly held in place, only the top of his shoulders and his head could be seen, the heavy mechanical augmentation on his skull and shoulder easily visible. His screaming stopped only to be replaced by a racking cough that spat out blood. Blades from the underside of the panel were dug deep into his neck and upper shoulders.
The bloody astartes quaked slightly before looking up at the Angels around him. Razzik saw the utter despair in his remaining eye, this marine was broken and beyond repair, he thought to himself. The mechanical arm and side of his face were heavily damaged. Razzik could see where a lot of the mechanics were melted and fused to the side of the hole he was in.
With visible effort the marine let out a faint whisper. “You should not have come here.”
The lights in the room then suddenly went out, the museum went dark. Reports from the tactical marines back at the black curtain indicated that the entire complex had done the same.
The marines around Razzik silently adjusted their stances and switched to night fighting modes before the marine in the floor spoke again, “they are coming.” The inevitability in his voice weighed on Razzik like thick smog but with a single defiant grunt it dissipated before he could dwell on it. “Let them come, I have a fist to show them,” he snarled.
Whoever he is, Knightley, he must be mentally and physically broken beyond any chance of salvation. Can you imagine being tortured for the heck of it near the brink of death for years like this poor sod ? Gives me the creeps...
*Sudden realization* Contemptor dreadnought you said? Do we know any heavily injured/near death/almost dead marine that could use a dreadnought??? That would be fun times I think...
Yeah, although if his mind has been as broken as we're led to believe I would perhaps think twice before giving a huge death machine to the mentally unstable...
@Mynameisalie - Oh yes, Razzik will get to use his white powerfist soon enough!
@Knightley - You're always asking questions that I'm not going to answer, it makes me laugh.
@Bobakos - I really liked your comment. I'm glad you were creeped out. It's always good when my writing can elicit any kind of emotion.
@Knightley - That is a good point, but after reading about dreadnoughts and their "pilots" you have to wonder if any of them are right in the head any more. You live out a warriors life then essentially get killed only to be brought back in a machine and awakened only to fight. It always sounded like its own kind of death sentence.
Razzik knelt and stared at the marine in the floor while focusing on his HUD display waiting for any sign of an enemy. The tortured astartes was frantically looking around as if his tormentors would materialize around him at any second.
“Why have they kept you alive?” Razzik quietly asked, more to himself then to the marine. The marine’s one good eye regarded Razzik as if he had just noticed him for the first time.
“She likes books,” he responded before fidgeting and looking around once again.
“Who is she?” Razzik prodded after a long pause.
“The Mistress,” all of this is hers. “Don’t touch it or she’ll be ANGRY!” he shouted. His lips quivered and he shut his eyes as if he were about to be beaten.
Razzik stood up and looked around. “Squad Rimsin, Brother Nefas, have any of you seen any books?”
The marine giggled maniacally for a moment as the five members of squad Rimsin all sent a negative symbol across his HUD. Nefas shook his head without removing his glare from the giggling marine. Razzik took one final look around before he slowly brought his gaze back to the floor. He took several steps backwards and sat on one of the benches. It was too small for his bulky form but he sat on it any ways, the stone bench cracked under his weight.
From his sitting position he couldn’t see anything below the marine’s eye, the bionics in his head encompassed not only his other eye but a good portion of his skull. “So Book, why does she like you?” Razzik asked to the marine. The marine glared back at him, a plethora of emotions rotated across his face before he ended on sorrow. He looked down at the small tube he was stuck in, his shouts replaced by a calm aged voice and with a whisper he explained.
“She tells me of her conquests, the death of the Imperium. She tells me of the corruption she incites, the self inflicted destruction she causes amongst the Empire. All of the terrible deeds she has done that no one knows of.” He tried to look away, “No one but me.”
“All I fought for……..NO!” He snapped up, hatred poured out of his face, “This is another trick. I’ll tell you nothing!” The next few sentences were filled with growls and incoherent shouts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The darkness in the expansive room was thick, even his mechanically granted dark vision seemed to struggle with the blackness that engulfed them. Inigo held his hammer high in both hands ready to strike, slowly he crept back towards the door way. Sounds of a shouting marine floated out of the door way, Inigo caught only a handful of the words. He wondered what was going on.
Jaska was at his side, his plasma pistol at the ready. The Ice Angels were in positions near the door all facing the gallery of monsters that still stood or hovered in their motionless state.
A sound tickled at the edge of his hearing. It sounded like a deep breath that didn’t end. Inigo couldn’t locate it. Several other Ice Angels perked their heads up as well; they must have heard it too.
In the distance, to their right there was a slight metal scrape. It was a slow high pitched metal on metal sound, images of swords being rubbed against one another filled Inigo’s mind.
A growl gurgled from their left, another distant scrape echoed from the right, a heavy step ahead of them demanded their attention. Inigo struggled to locate where the sounds were all coming from when he began to see movement. Distant helmets of various designs and sizes could be seen, red light oozing out of their eye slits. In between statues, next to a broken tank, he caught a glimpse of the closest one. It was a hovering creature designed for nothing but death, its face covered in a slotted mask, both of its arms ending in spiked chains, like spines, that twitched along the floor. Scars and vials covered its bulky form.
All around him other, similar, creatures stood but they still waited unmoving, their masks still dark. Inigo and the other marines continuously monitored them as they waited for the active giants to get closer. The combat leader of Squad Kujara, Brother Balathu, was first to break the silence amongst the marines, “Captain, we have multiple contacts, possibly three to five of them are now awake.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Prepare to blow the charges and ready for immediate departure” Razzik commanded to Balathu. The marine in the floor was still babbling about not upsetting the mistress. “Shu-Takii how quickly can he be removed?”
“NO!” the marine in the floor shouted before his demeanor shifted once again. Shu-Takii shook his head, “not fast enough Captain, “he responded.
The voice of the marine in the floor quietly whispered, this time it was full of pity and sorrow, “please get me out of here” he added, his one eye briefly connecting with Razzik’s gaze. The sight of a pleading marine disgusted him.
Razzik waited for several heart beats before he flashed an icon to the sergeant of squad Rimsin. “You have done your duty marine,” Razzik said to the marine in the floor. Shar-Takazz knelt opposite Razzik behind the marine. Curved twin lightning blades surged with power as Shar-Takazz got closer. “It is time for your final journey,” Razzik continued with a slight nod.
The small glimpse of the sane side of the tortured marine vanished and the shouting returned. Shar-Takazz grasped the top of the marines head with his right hand and then sawed through the marines neck and bionics with his lightning claw. The motion was swift, but the shouts of the dead astartes lingered well after Shar-Takazz stood, head in hand.
“Shu-Takii, secure the head. Protect it at all costs.” Captain Razzik took a final look at the corpse in the floor. Signals were sent to the members of squad Plafwu back at the wall that they were returning with their objective in hand.
A sudden crash was heard in the room with them. Captain Razzik spun around and saw the form of Vetov picking himself up off the floor. The quartered marine had a massive banner draped over his shoulder and a collapsed shelf to his left, several space marine helmets were strewn across the isle. A bare spot in the patch work of banners showed a red light quickly fading to black.
Captain Razzik gritted his teeth in anger and stormed down the isle towards him. The other marines followed him towards the exit.
* * * * * * * * * *
Inigo heard a crash from behind him in the room with the Captain. He was about to turn to determine what happened when the nearest giant began a low growl. It wasn’t moving, but Inigo knew it soon would. The growling began to get louder, several bucket sized vials of lime green liquid emptied into the giant’s chest. A red eerie light began to ooze out of its helmet. Slowly, as if it were attracted to him, the giant turned its head over then down to stare directly at Inigo. Behind the giant the menacing red lights of others slowly turned to locate their prey. The growling began to grow the death machines were activated. Inigo found the weakest spot on the giant and prepared to strike.
“Captain, I suggest an immediate departure” Brother Balathu hastily said through the vox. “More are awakening. In fact, all of them are awakening.”
Indeed! What surprises still wait for Razzik and the 2nd company?
Thanks for the grammar catch. I don't know how I missed that one.
The writing of this section did bring up an interesting conversation between a friend of mine and me. AI's are banned in the Imperium. Computers have been replaced by servitors. What kind of info would they be able to retrieve from a dead man's cybernetic implants? Everything? Nothing? Where would brain implants become too mechanical for the Empire?
“YOU FOOL! Do you know what you’ve done?!” Razzik shouted as he shoved Vetov towards the door. The Emperor’s Tear stumbled back, oblivious to anything other then the banner in his hands that he had recently torn down.
Ice Angels slowed behind Razzik waiting for orders as the Captain watched Vetov. The marine held up the banner and finally met the stern gaze of Razzik. “Do you know what this is?”
“I DON’T CARE what it is; you woke up the entire facility!” Razzik began to respond as he got closer to Vetov, his temper quickly dissipating.
“DON’T CARE?! This is the banner of my chapter, the banner of the first company! It is more valuable........” Vetov retorted.
“Then my MEN?! NO, it is not!” Razzik responded while approaching him once again.
Vetov pointed at Razzik with the banner draped over his shoulder. Before he could speak, Razzik punched him in the chest with his powerfist. No power was behind it but it shoved Vetov further back towards the open double doors.
Razzik quaked with anger as he took a deep breath, he paused a few steps away from Vetov who was beginning to return the furious glares. “We are leaving Vetov and you will not take that cursed banner with you.” The growling from outside the room was getting louder. A score of high pitched claps went off as the installed grenades went off. Falling body parts echoed through the room for a brief moment, but the growling continued to crescendo. Razzik knew that they were quickly running out of time.
“You don’t command me Captain,” Vetov spat “The Emperor brought me here. The Emperor knew I would find my banner. He knew I would return it and my chapter back to their former glory. You don’t understand, Captain. You have no faith!” Vetov began to step back towards the door arms spread wide looking up to the ceiling. He halted a few steps from the threshold and gave a final glare back to Razzik over his shoulder, “You will not separate me from this Razzik. I will not let this banner out of my sight, not again. This is a sign.”
Vetov then turned towards the door. Razzik quickly stepped after him, his temper lost at the disrespect Vetov was showing him. Razzik reached out to grab him as Vetov reached the threshold. As he did a sharp crack echoed through the wall as long spears pierced the ceiling downwards at incredible speeds. A blinding flash tossed Razzik backwards off his feet. A split second later he was on his back looking up at Nefas and Zaduga. The two marines assisted Razzik up into a sitting position where he stopped them. The flash was from the iron halo fused into his helmet, the protective field shunting him away from danger.
The door way and surrounding area ahead of him were now a jungle of spiked bars that stretched from ceiling down into the floor. Vetov was pinned down in the center of it all, one bar pierced his collar bone and passed though his torso while several others went through his arm and oddly bent leg. He was motionless in an unnatural near squat position.
Razzik shook off the marines trying to help him and looked at the mortally wounded Emperor’s Tear. Vetov was held in place by the bars, his body unable to cope with the damage and quickly shutting down. Razzik expected to hear some final words, some grunt of defiance, perhaps even a prayer, but instead he heard only a final wheeze from his shredded lungs. Vetov stared at his bloody banner willing his one functioning eye to stay open even as death came for him.
You know, I really liked the Vetov character and I had really good ideas for him but as I looked back at my fluff Vetov was hardly ever mentioned. I didn't really do a lot with him. I feel like he only became the character I wanted him to be after they landed in the crater topped mountain. For a character with such an important role originally, he turned out very different in the long run. I don't know how you guys feel but I was almost surprised when I killed him in that last scene.
Well... it's kind of a Catch .22 situation. If no marines die, then there's no realism or suspense, it's just a dungeon bash. By the same token though, when you kill off a character, you lose whatever that character was from the mix. Unless you want to do the Start Trek thing and bring in a bunch of disposable red shirts... you're kind of forced to lose a character once in a while.
IceAngel wrote: He was motionless in an unnatural near squat position.
That's a nice bit of description there. Really captures what happened to him. Very realistic, too; better than having him spread-eagled with spikes through every limb. Very nice... in a grim and somewhat disturbing way.
@ Git - You sir are correct. In all reality I basically have a collection of "red shirts" in the form of the Ice Angels. I don't plan on killing them off each week but it does happen from time to time.
@ Yellowbeard - Thanks YB! I strive to not use the same descriptions or the stereotypical results. It just seems to add so much more when you attempt to keep it as real as possible.
@ Asherian Command - I in fact do have a list of all of the dead marines. I keep a Word document with all of my characters to help me keep track of everything. It contains the names of all of my Ice Angels, their equipment, previously mentioned features, and vehicles, the names of all of the Marine swaps I've done along with all of the PM's I've received in regards to those marine swaps. If you look back to page one of this long thread you'll see a list of many of the characters in my story. If you look back at them you'll notice many names that are now deceased. I don't really want to post that any where though just in case someone knew comes along and they happen across the later post. I don't plan on posting any spoilers!
Razzik closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them he took a final look at Vetov and the horde of metal bars. He would never forget the image of the dead marine, despite the anger he held towards the marine. The death of the Emperor’s Tear, as sudden as it was, seemed to instantly calm him and trigger something in his head. Death indicated the battle, which brought back thoughts of his entire predicament. Suddenly the weight of command forced out any lingering emotions, it was time to act.
A report blinked in his HUD from squad Plafwu, they were under attack. “Status” he demanded.
“Captain, I don’t know what triggered them but all of the bodies hanging from the ceiling woke up and began attacking us.” Sergeant Maranu quickly responded, gunfire could be heard behind his words. Within seconds Razzik also heard gun fire from the other side of the bars.
“Hold your position. We are headed to you with haste.” Razzik responded to Sergeant Maranu, he closed the line before waiting for a response.
Razzik stepped to the nearest bar. He tested its strength with his powerfist. The bizarre metal didn’t move or react despite his strength. He then charged up his fist and punched it. He’d carved through tanks with similar punches but the bars simply sparked their defiance. Not enough time, he thought to himself. Nefas was at his side trying to move another bar while Shu-Takii stood near with the head in a light metallic box.
The growling from the other side turned into incomprehensible roaring. He could see Inigo engaging one of the giants. It was slow and cumbersome but its razor claws carved through the floor as if it were clothe. Other marines were behind muscular corpses attempting the slowly awakening murder of giants that approached from three sides.
“Brother Balathu I need you,” he said as he reached over to Shu-Takii and the box. Shu-Takii handed over the small metal case without question. Razzik held it in his left hand testing its balance. On the other side of the bars Brother Balathu approached stopping inches from the bars.
Captain Razzik took a few steps to his left. There were twelve feet of evenly spaced bars between him and Balathu. With a prayer to the Emperor he lobbed the box through the vertical bars. It flipped end over end centimeters from bars on both sides before being easily being caught in Balathu’s waiting hand. Razzik switched to a private channel with him. “That is our salvation Brother Balathu. Do not stop until command has it.” Razzik switched to an open channel so that all the marines including those at the wall could hear him. “Squad Kujara, Inigo and Jaska, move to extraction point as fast as possible. NOW!” The marines instantly broke into a run, guns firing only to slow down enemies in their path. Inigo and Jaska led the way.
Razzik watched them depart as he continued to speak, “Balathu carries the information we need. It must make it out of this cursed labyrinth at all costs. Squad Plafwu, bring in Rah-Apsu for support and notify Cyaxeres. Hold the wall as long as possible. Squad Rimsin and I must find an alternative route.” Razzik turned towards the six marines in the room with him before speaking to everyone one final time. “If you are overrun at the wall,” he paused, “close the curtain.”
Thanks guys, but you'll unfortunately have to wait a bit for the next update. Don't you worry though, it will be posted as soon as it is ready for your reading pleasure.
The gaze of the captain passed over each of the marines before he spoke, “These bars are going to take more than the two krak grenades we have between the seven of us, but according to Vetov, the Emperor lead us here.” His gaze went down the isle before him, “perhaps we can find something useful. Look for anything we can use to get through these bars and while you’re at it stow whatever relics you can carry without encumbering yourself. “
The marines split up down the isles. He watched them quickly analyze weapons and items. He witnessed Nefas pause in front of a very wide weapon rack. Razzik moved over to the end of that same isle to see what he was examining. On the rack were scores of bolters, each one a master piece in its own right. Nefas knelt down with a large chest open before him. Razzik was intrigued but blinking icons in his HUD tugged at his attention.
He switched his focus when he realized that the servo skulls that were still exploring the vast complex were beginning to die off. The alertness of the compound was total and even the far off servo skulls were being picked off by traps, waking beasts, and tormented people. In the span of a few seconds the number of skulls was cut in half.
Quickly he switched them from their exploration mode to their hidden surveillance setting. Servo skulls still died and disappeared off his HUD becoming only distant way points as they looked for hiding spots in dark areas or recessed ceilings.
Razzik altered and zoomed out of his maps view. He adjusted the settings with practiced blink clicks and attempted once again to gain a better feel for the complex. The numbers of rooms and halls was staggering. The sheer angles and lines of the construction tore out the idea of any ship he had ever seen or heard of. If it were some building he had no concept of how it would support itself. He firmly believed they were underground some where. The number of servo skulls continued to dwindle from his HUD and soon only two were left in addition to the one inside the room with him.
He zoomed back in to look for alternative routes to the curtain when a blade slamming on metal broke the constant growling behind him. Slowly he turned to see one of the giants on the opposite side of the metal bars. It nearly filled the door way. Its helm gave off a faint red glow. Drool or some other ichors dangled from the base of the helm.
The giants hands had been replaced by wide blades, each as long as Razzik’s arm. He watched as the giant hit the bars several more times, sparks illuminating the darkness that surrounded them. The growling grew louder as the bars continued their defiance.
“Captain, “Nefas spoke from directly behind him.
Razzik turned away from the giant even as others crowded behind the first attempting to get closer to the astartes on the other side of the bars. Nefas stood only a few feet away, a bolt pistol was on each hip and a bolter was attached atop his back pack. In his hands he held the unusual custom bolter he always carried.
“How far did your servo skulls explore? I may be able to assist in locating another route, if you would share your information.” Nefas hissed in his quiet voice. Razzik listened to the marine as he happened to glance behind Nefas. The wide weapon rack was void of every single bolter.
Nefas’ question lingered in Razzik’s mind yet his curiosity about the rack tickled the back of his head. “Where did your chest go?” he absently asked, as a chill passed over him.
“Captain, the servo maps?” Nefas asked again, ignoring Razzik’s question.
“Yes of course,” Razzik responded as if in a daze. Seven blink clicks later a copy of the elaborate maps were sent to Nefas. The Sinner stepped aside as Shar-Takazz walked up from the next isle over with a large spiked grenade in his hand.
A smile crossed his face as Razzik took a closer look at the ornate explosive and forgot about his conversation with Nefas.
Shar-Takazz offered over the grenade as he spoke, “Captain, I believe this may be of use.”
“Excellent work Sergeant,” Razzik said in awe as he gently took the artifact. “Rimsin, finish reclaiming your items and move to the back of the room.” He watched as the marines finished stowing their items with care. He saw an ornate glaive, thick cloaks, a half dozen blades, and a pair of volkite cannons Shu-Takii held in each hand. They then swiftly took positions at the end of isles furthest from the bars leaving Razzik momentarily alone.
The blade handed giant was still attacking the bars as other giants crowded in trying to bash, clamp, and drill through the door frame and wall to get to the marines. The attacks from the giant were increasing in tempo. Clearly they were still waking from their slumber.
Razzik looked down at the grenade. He had never actually held a vortex grenade before. In fact his knowledge of how they worked was very limited, only the ancient texts spoke of their uses. As he studied the grenade he recalled the stories told of the simple and total destruction the vortex weapons were capable of. He located the activation switch as he squared up his feet. With a prayer on his lips he looked at the giants once more, their chorus of growling and moaning was intensifying as they returned his vengeful gaze.
It's a good thing I control the outcome of things such as grenades in my writing much more then I do in the actual game. Something I do wish they'd bring back, would be a bit more of that randomness. Any one ever play orks in second edition? Hilarious and a ton of fun to play because you didn't know when you'd kill yourself on accident.
Inigo ran through the darkness with Jaska and the others on his heels. He could feel the release of stimulants in his body as his twin hearts pumped. The giants all around him were slow moving as they woke from their slumber but each one seemed to be faster then the last. With a leap Inigo departed the ground, easily avoiding a side swipe from a spinning blade. His hammer descended into the face of an oncoming giant. Sparks and brain manner exploded outward from the connection seconds before he collided with the hulks upper torso. The hovering behemoth casually floated backwards. Now headless it violently shook, its spinning blade chewing through the floor and a nearby statue of a decapitated feline.
Jaska passed him along with two other Ice Angels as he regained his footing. Inigo paused to assess their situation before moving on and in the split second it took him to regain his gait he found himself at the rear of the pack. Beside him ran a marine with a lascannon. A skull helmed marine took up the rear.
“THUKOO!” the combat leader with the case up ahead shouted. The lascannon marine instantly stopped and shouldered his weapon. The skull helmed marine protected his right flank by deflecting a long metallic whip with his bolter while Inigo found himself batting aside a carapace covered claw from the lascannons other flank. A searing burst of light illuminated the immediate area. Another growling voice turned into a gurgling cry of pain, or was it pleasure, he couldn’t tell.
The lascannon sprinted forwarded once again and Inigo found himself the last in the line of fleeing marines, only the skull helmed marine ran along side him. He laughed heartily as the full effect of his body’s combat drugs filled his senses. The rush of battle always cheered him up.
Up ahead, the first marines were fighting two giants attempting to cut off their escape. The other marines ran past the combat into the hall that led them into the museum. Inigo witnessed a marine fill one of the giants with bolter rounds but in its death throes it lashed out with its drill arm. The marine didn’t have time to dodge or even deflect the oncoming blow. The whirling blade passed through the center of his stomach and out through his back. The bloody drill continued to spin even as the giant collapsed to the floor, its hovering capabilities shutting down.
An Ice Angel paused to check on the fallen marine but the downed Angel waived him on while pushing himself off the now motionless drill bit. As Inigo ran past, the wounded marine drew out his bolt pistol in his bloody off hand and gave covering fire. Inigo expected to hear swearing or praying or general yelling but to his surprise the Ice Angel fired both of his weapons at oncoming giants in cold silence. Death was upon the marine and he knew it. He embraced it with the same efficiency in which he lived, using every moment to the benefit of the chapter.
Inigo entered the wide stair way leading out of the museum. The skull helmed marine still stayed next to him as they ran.
“Angel, what was that marines name?” Inigo asked as they moved.
“Brother Bel-Bwuu” was his short curt response.
Inigo ran on waiting for more but as he realized there wouldn’t be any he spoke again, “I’m Honored Brother Inigo and since we are destined to run together, “he chuckled” I’d like to know your name as well.”
The unit of marines exited the stairs and entered into the next dark hall way before the Ice Angel spoke again, “I’m Mi-Luqua Vaz of Squad Kujara.” They ran on for a moment before he spoke again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Inigo laughed at the absurd timing and politeness of his words.
Without warning the hall way ahead of him erupted with motion. Wide floor tiles shot upwards like pistons in an engine of war. Ceiling tiles plummeted downwards like comets. The unexpected motion caught the marines off guard but none of them were seriously damaged. The blunt force of the tiles wasn’t enough to crack through their power armor, but one marine had his arm pinned to the ceiling while another had fallen and was pulling his leg out from under it. Marines assisted one another as their sudden run was halted by a jungle of pillars.
Inigo and Vaz began to hastily squeeze their way through the pillars as the marines unpinned themselves and continued on. Angels gathered up and began to run again as Inigo wedged himself between the last two pillars. His broad shoulders and massive chest making his progress the slowest of the marines. Jaska and Vaz helped pull him out the last few feet. He nodded his thanks as he heard the tidal wave of growling enter from the stairs they had come from.
The three marines gripped drew their weapons but hesitated to act. Between the square tiles they could see the giants that were chasing them had continued to speed up as their dormant state wore off. Inigo began to laugh despite the sheer ferocity the avalanche of flesh was emitting. “Good luck with that!” he shouted with a chuckle, “Stuck behind their own traps,” he turned to leave as the first of the giants approached the jungle of pillars. His laughing quickly stopped as the sound of retracting tiles filled the hall. He looked over his shoulder at the departing tiles and the oncoming giants.
“Damn,” was all he muttered as he broke into a sprint.
I really like the way you have fleshed out the characters man And you give an even better look on the chapter's character with this installment (ofcimho)
Mr Nobody wrote:Never laugh at the enemy, they will be quick to make you the fool instead.
That is very sound advice Mr. Nobody, but I don't think Inigo would agree with that, lol.
Bobakos wrote:His sacrifice will be remembered.
I really like the way you have fleshed out the characters man And you give an even better look on the chapter's character with this installment (ofcimho)
Thanks Bobakos. That is ultimately why I am writing all of this, to flush out my chapters character.
Gitsplitta wrote:Excellent work. Love the interaction between the marines in combat. Snatching little bits of humanity wherever they can.
Visions of giants disappearing from reality filled his thoughts as he pulled back his arm for his throw. His thumb touched the activation switch built into the vortex grenade. At the pinnacle of the backward motion he pressed the button. His arm began to move forward, but half way through the motion he realized the button hadn’t moved. Awkwardly he followed through without releasing the grenade.
“SHAZBOT!” he swore as he quickly adjusted his footing to keep from falling. He took the grenade in both hands, once again examining it to uncover its secrets. The clanging of blades and flesh on bars and the walls was still intensifying. He activated his helmets audio muffling system so that he could concentrate. It dramatically cut back on the noise as if he was suddenly submersed in water.
The seconds felt like minutes as he closely examined the grenade. A dull crack pierced his noise canceling system and Razzik was forced to look up. One of the bars had been broken, but not like he had imagined. It had been torn out of the mechanism that forced it from the ceiling. The cracking sound was from the metal snapping into pieces. The other giants seemed to take notice and were soon putting forth their efforts at the ceiling of the bars. Several other bars soon followed suit.
Razzik’s sense of urgency wanted to reinstate itself as he witnessed more bars dislodged but before he could look down at his grenade a brilliant explosion of light erupted from behind the giants somewhere in the museum.
Every single giant paused and looked to their right. Razzik ceased the noise cancellation system to try and catch any clues as to what could have created that bomb like light effect. The area had gone deathly silent, even the giants had stopped growling and mumbling with anger. The dark museum was now glowing with flickering light coming from beyond Razzik’s view.
In that silence a yell began, at first he didn’t even register it because of the low frequency but as it grew another voice joined it. The two toned scream had such power that the floor shook. Weapons fell off racks, statues toppled. Non-hovering giants and marines alike adjusted their stances to avoid from falling. Razzik turned the noise canceling back on but it didn’t seem to help. He shut his eyes and screamed in defiance as the trembling rattled his entire body.
When the screaming stopped a rumbling replaced it. It reminded him of a hanger deck when all the ships started their engines. At this point nearly all of the giants were now moving away from Razzik towards the light, their own muffled noises returning as they moved towards the unknown.
Razzik looked back to the grenade still in his hands when he realized he had the perfect window for escape. The flickering lights from in the museum suddenly grew in brilliance. In fact, the museum lit up brighter then when all the glow globes were on. Razzik finally located a hidden ring at the base of one of the spikes on the grenade. With a satisfying click it turned and he was able to press down the activation button. He deactivated his armors noise cancellation system so he could hear the sound of the vortex grenade when he realized an oppressive silence had over taken the room.
Slowly Razzik raised his head. The museum was still glowing but there wasn’t any growling. There wasn’t even rumbling. He stared ahead waiting for some clue as to what had happened to the giants. He scanned his armors sensor settings. Nothing had changed except the amount of light in the area and the temperature.
“Forty degrees?” Razzik thought to himself.
Several deep thuds tore him away from his rising temperature gauge. A distant crash echoed from the hall. The rumbling began again and Razzik witnessed a jet of white hot liquid shoot horizontally across the barred doors opening. Instinctively he shielded his face with his arm. When he lowered it he saw the thick ichors from the jet melting through statues, bodies, and the floor with ease. Razzik’s temperature gauge had spiked again. It was now nearly seventy degrees warmer then when they had entered the room.
The thudding grew nearer and a shadow fell over the door way. Razzik was shocked with awe as a jaw bone and the bottom half of an eye filled the door way. The iris was wider then he was tall and it was looking right at him.
Captain Razzik had battled countless bizarre creatures and not once shown any fear in the line of duty but something about that eye held him in place. He wanted to move. He wanted to throw the grenade right at the reptilian eye but he couldn’t. As he watched the eye move silently away he realized that his death was imminent. The front of the creatures long snout pressed up to the door way. Razzik saw the volatile liquid cascading down the creature’s throat. He saw it erupting into flames between man sized teeth before departing its mouth.
An explosion of light blinded him as heat washed over him, sensors shattered, and several armored systems overloaded. When Razzik opened his eyes Nefas was on top of him and they were across the room in a heap at the base of a shelf. A path of melting shelves and relics was only a few feet away. The bars were gone and the mouth was moving away so the eye could look in once again.
Nefas sprang up off of him and without a word, sprinted along the outside wall towards the back of the room. Razzik saw the vortex grenade in Nefas’s hand as he ran. Razzik began to get back up when the eye peered in once again. It scanned the room before falling on Razzik once again. The rumbling restarted but this time Razzik didn’t hesitate to flee.
With surprising speed Nefas reached the rear of the room. He threw the vortex grenade into the hole that contained the decapitated body of the insane marine. Nefas then dove away as did the other nearby marines.
The thin shaft that had recently held the body of a marine suddenly ceased to exist. A perfect twelve foot sphere of material had, without fanfare, vanished. No noise, no light, no awe inspiring explosion, the grenade simply displaced material to the immaterium.
“CAPTAIN!” Shar-Takazz shouted from the other side of the hole.
Razzik dove forward into a shelf as a jet of lava like phlegm melted his previous position. He rolled over to see that the wall hadn’t even been able to stop the liquid. It destroyed the metal and stone alike. All around him a wide assortment of gear laid strewn about some of which had magnetized to his armor.
“DOWN THE HOLE, NOW!” Nefas commanded as he jumped feet first into the black pit in the floor. Marines scrambled to follow. Shar-Takazz waited by the hole for Razzik to get up as another jet of liquid shot into the room, this time on the other side of the hole. Not needing further motivation he shuffled on all fours towards the hole. He nodded to Shar-Takazz who then jumped into the void. A few seconds later he was doing the same, except head first.
Thanks Git! I want to make up my own 40k swear word but I haven't settled on the right one just quite yet, so in the mean time I'll borrow a word from Mork and Mindy.
After glancing at the dakka fiction section I think you'd be right about me putting out the greatest quantity of fluff. The quality, on the other hand, well that's another story.
A squat beam of light flew over head and the crash of a giant brought a smile to Inigo’s face. He could hear a surge in their angry growling and incomprehensible shouting. Up ahead he saw Thukoo and several other marines pausing by a bend in the hall to provide some covering fire. Thukoo began to move as Jaska and Vaz passed the position.
Inigo chuckled to himself as Thukoo, who was carrying the massive lascannon, began to run faster then him. The marines were now moving in two bunches. The combat leader was up ahead with four others. Inigo was trailing the other bunch with Jaska, Vaz, Thukoo, and another two.
The growling behind the marines began to build. The tsunami of sound continued to crescendo and soon marines began to look around as a two toned roar over came all other sounds. Inigo risked a glance as they ran down a wide hall. The giants behind him were slowing and looking around. Their movements were twitchy as if the scream was overloading their thoughts.
Jaska ran closer to Inigo. He gave Inigo a side glance that gave away his question before he had spoken.
“No, it’s not the giants. Keep running!” Inigo shouted. He didn’t even know if Jaska or the others could hear him but his word and actions seemed to focus the marines nearby. They once again moved ahead as fast as they could even as the crescendo continued and the ground began to shake.
Inigo had no doubt what was making that sound but decided to keep his information private for the time being. It would only lead to more questions.
Finally, without warning or fanfare, the roaring stopped. The sudden lack of ground shaking noise left a dull ringing in his ears.
In the next few minutes they had passed the area that Jaska, Nefas, and he had joined up. It seemed like days ago when they opened that door and entered the lounge area. Inigo wondered how much further they had to go before reaching the wall the angels were heading too.
They rounded another bend into a pitch black expansive area full of chairs and tables that looked diabolical in nature, especially through Inigo’s night vision. He approached Vaz to ask how much further, when torrents of clear liquid began to shoot out from hidden nozzles in the walls and ceiling ahead of them. The front group of marines took the majority of the gel like fluid and they instantly slowed down. Two marines fell over as the thick gunk hardened to a heavy paste, then to a ferrocrete like material in mere seconds. Inigo and his group came out unscathed, at least until the harpoons hidden in the lofty dark ceiling began to drop down.
The forearm sized barbed projectiles fired down in tight knit groups. Thin cords connected the projectiles from their firing mechanisms hidden in the ceiling. The barbs plunged into tables and chairs, armor, and gel. Electrical currents coursed down the long cords and soon sparks erupted as the hardening gel spread the current around to all who stood on it. Those in the front group of marines not breaking free of the gel were now thrashing as the barbs sent their incapacitating currents streaming into their armored forms.
After the burst of energy the barbs began to lift up their hooked victims back towards the ceiling. Inigo and his marines ran in to aid them. Jaska fired his plasma pistol into mechanisms in the ceiling while other marines went about cutting the strong cords with their knives and blades. Inigo used his hammer to shatter the now solid gel that held some of the marines in place.
The marines were sluggish and dazed but quickly recovering as their super human anatomies abolished the after effects. Clearly the voltage of the barbs wasn’t set to handle the modified astartes.
“Maul, you look terrible,” Vaz said to a marine that had an extra layer of armor because of the hardened gray matter encompassing his body. A dozen barbs were stuck in the gel across his shoulders and back.
“Remind me to beat you when this is over,” the marine sarcastically responded as he attempted to dislodge more of the hardened material from his armor. It broke away in large chunks of gray rubble.
“Let’s move” the combat leader said as he picked up the box and unstuck his foot from the floor. The box was surprisingly untouched by the gunk.
“Balathu, movement up ahead,” Thukoo said as the party turned towards their exit.
Inigo didn’t see anything at first but soon pairs of red eyes could be seen in the distant darkness. He slowly moved forward as the gunk covered marines struggled to get to their weapons. As the eyes got closer Inigo began to analyze what they could be. The pairs of eyes were lower to the ground then the giants, many of them weren’t even as tall as a space marine. There numbers were steadily growing as the long hall way ahead of them filled with running humanoids. He drew his hammer as a smile crossed his face, the anticipation of the incoming waves of enemies bringing on a fresh wave of excitement.
The combat leader held the box in one hand and a chainsword in his other. He stepped up behind Inigo, “Son of Hades, would you clear us a path?”
“Absolutely,” Inigo grinned.
Without waiting for further word he jogged forward. The people running at him were similarly masked but not as modified as the giants. They were scantily clad and wielding cruel blades and hooks. As they entered optimal range, bolter and pistol fire streamed around Inigo. Inigo surged forward as the dead collapsed in front of him.
He stomped over several of them and let his hammer crush the life out of the next. Inigo rolled forward like a boulder down a mountain, it didn’t matter what part of him hit mindless aberrations, they were knocked aside with crushed limbs and shattered bodies. Each of his side swipes would hit multiple enemies before he reversed his flow and swung back around. Despite the damage he was causing, the drooling men and women continued their onslaught, jumping and stabbing with reckless abandon. They scratched and clawed, stabbed and jabbed, as they died. Inigo took dozens of glancing hits in the first minute before a systematic burst of fire began to match his swinging rhythm of attack.
Inigo smiled as he realized the Ice Angels had been studying him to better determine how to accompany his method of combat. Well placed gun fire always covered his exposed flank at the extremes of his swings or when he altered from side to overhead attacks.
The battle waged on for minutes as they fought through the torrent of bodies. Inigo didn’t waiver or slow as he forged ahead like the prow of a ship cutting through waves. The hall turned into a foyer with multiple exit halls and paths. Glow globes were still lit above him in the lofty ceiling. The sterile light surprised Inigo, up until the gun fire started.
The marines had broken into the room, fanning out like a wedge. Thukoo and a marine with a plasma gun held back taking aim where their superior weaponry was needed. Inigo hadn’t seen the gun positions until it was too late. Crystal shards, razor thin discs, and all manner of coated projectiles flooded the room at random from hidden alcoves in the walls and above the halls.
The scantily clad horde was only a diversion. They had walked into another trap. Inigo witnessed waves of the weapon wielding humanoids fall over from the sporadic fire. He brought up his hammer to protect his face as a stream of crystal shards passed over him. The projectiles broke apart upon impact, only one pierced the joint by his elbow. A moment of searing pain made him grit his teeth before the pain was removed from his thoughts.
For a moment Inigo had no immediate targets. He scanned the room and saw the number of gun nests surrounding the room. Each was a separate alcove with a person physically attached to their weapon. Guns and flesh had melded into a bizarre amalgamation of pain and pleasure. Some were bent back in ecstasy as if firing their weapons was some sort of release. Others were screaming their hatred through long barrels that spat all manner of projectile. Inigo couldn’t understand their words but he could feel their intent. He once again cursed whoever did this to these creatures that were once human.
Another shower of razor discs hit the floor next to Inigo. He dove to the side to avoid the torrent of spinning metal. He heard the continuous thumping of metal on floor before a change in tone made him look back. The Ice Angel plasma gunner had taken several to his leg and back as he fired at the alcove behind them. The marine fell face first to the floor.
“Inigo, Jaska, Venthu, Vaz, clear out that hall,” Balathu, the combat leader said as he pointed towards their exit. Fire continued to rain down on them as more crazed people ran at them. Thukoo and the others systematically took out the gun alcoves while assisting the fallen plasma gunner. A handful of guns had already been silenced but dozens still fired, their streams of death hitting marines and enemies alike.
Jaska ran forward with Vaz at his side, Venthu was right behind, his green glowing powersword crackling with pent up energy. Inigo moved to follow as more twisted humanoids ran into the room from side halls.
The four marines fanned out and met them with the Emperor’s fury in their hearts. They slashed and hammered, shot and pummeled the crazed minions that assaulted them from three sides.
Corpses quickly piled up around them and the floor was thick with bodily fluids. Inigo swept his hammer out in a wide arc to keep some minions at bay. Vaz was to his left reloading his bolter. Once he was done the marines pushed forward once again. The path exiting this room was another twenty feet away.
With an overhead smash Inigo crushed the skull of an incoming woman with two curved sickles. She collapsed next to Inigo but before her body hit the ground a skinless feline barreled into Inigo.
He crashed to the floor and slid into a pile of body parts. The feline bit down on his forearm as it tried to pin him to the floor. In such close quarters his hammer was worthless so he punched and kicked and tried to roll out from under the cat. In response, the feline lashed out with an extra pair of arms that ended in long sword like talons. One hit the floor but the other pierced Inigos backpack right past his head.
The red eyed cat let go of his forearm and bit at his face but a razor disc from an unknown gun ricocheted off the floor near him and into the side of the cats face. The feline tumbled away from the hit. Inigo didn’t hesitate to get up and finish the cat off.
“Where in Hades did that come fro…..” Inigo shouted before another cat barreled into him and knocked him back over.
This time Inigo continued the roll and ended up on top of the cat that lashed out with four paws and two talons. Inigo concentrated his effort in destroying the cat’s throat. When he finally hit his mark his fist past through the skinless front of its throat and he crushed the spine of the cat into the floor.
Getting up again Inigo saw Vaz shooting in short bursts into incoming creatures while Jaska held his flank. When his gaze passed over Venthu, he knew it was too late. A pair of quadruped avians had surrounded him and when he darted forth with his sword, a quick snap of a beak separate his hand from his arm. He cried in pain as he fired off his bolt pistol, but without the blade the birds easily moved in for the kill.
Inigo could only shout in frustration as the two birds removed his other arm and then began to eviscerate his chest plate. He ran over to him as Vaz and Jaska moved to assist. Inigo and Jaska dealt swift revenge to the birds while Vaz knelt down and held Venthu’s head with one hand. The marine tried to spit out a few final words but could only twitch as his body hemorrhaged blood and organs onto the floor. Vaz gently laid his head back down as the fallen marine went limp.
Jaska jumped back to block another incoming cat as Vaz stepped over to retrieve the fallen power sword. As he did another stream of crystal projectiles frantically passed over the area. Two hit Jaska in the back pack while another pierced Vaz’s shin guard where he had previously been damaged.
The sharp whine of venting plasma cut the air nearby. Inigo turned to see Balathu and Thukoo, but Thukoo was wielding a plasma gun. The cords from his lascannon were shredded and dragging on the floor behind him. One more marine, the one Vaz had called Maul hobbled right behind him with an unconscious marine was over his shoulder.
“We need to get out of here!” Inigo shouted as he turned once again towards the exit. Waves of enemies still ran out of the various hall ways towards them and he prepared to repel more skinless cats, scantily clad crazies, and gawking razor beaked birds.
The marines were in a loose configuration around the wounded when the ground began to shake. The twisted creatures continued to advance but the shaking slowed them down.
“By the throne!” Balathu shouted as he tried to stabilize himself while shooting at the enemies that moved in to surround them. A group of crazed humans with whirling flails stumbled at him from one side while a pack of cats assailed Inigo and Jaska from the other side. A larger then normal avian rushed in from behind with a trio of smaller birds. Vaz and Thukoo combined their fire at them to keep them at bay.
Inigo crushed the skull of the first cat but took deep slashes across his right leg and arm from another. Jaska’s chainsword cut off the arm of the first cat in a shower of sizzling blood but the cat batted aside the follow through. Jaska put two rounds in the cats head before another cat leapt into the air at him.
The ground continued to shake as Thukoo was knocked aside by a flail and stomped on by bird, he stabbed at the birds flank before firing a super heated blast of plasma into its throat. The plasma gun was smoking, its barrel and coolant systems on the verge of over heating.
Inigo slew the last cat in the immediate area and stepped over to help Balathu who single handedly fought back a gaggle of the drugged people. Inigo took several blows from curved blades and spiked flails as he intervened but each swing of his hammer shattered the bodies of the enemy.
The ground a dozen feet away from them began to change in hue. Steam began to hiss out of unseen cracks and stress fractures that grew by the second. Light broke through the ground and shot up into the room. Without thinking Inigo turned and grabbed Balathu as he did. “GET BACK!” he screamed as loud as he could.
An instant later molten lava spew into the air. Chucks of the floor melted in the air as a creature of epic proportions penetrated the room. Inigo and the other marines were washed away by the surge of rubble and debris. Heat poured over them as if the door containing a ships plasma generator had been flung open.
A two toned booming scream issued from the monsters two heads. Super heated liquid shot out of its mouths and covered scrambling enemies and the gun alcoves. Inigo and the other marines got up and witnessed the monster partially emerge itself from the floor. It easily reached up to the ceiling, its massive body dominating the room. Horns and bony ridges adorned its expansive hide. Its dark carapace was back lit by an internal furnace. It seemed as if its skin was so hot it was made of lava and some how contained by the bony plates that covered its body.
Thukoo jumped up and raised his plasma gun to fire. Inigo pushed it away so he couldn’t take the shot. “Wait,” he spoke. At the sight of the magnificent beast, calm over took him. His blood lust was sated and he could only stare open mouthed as the Linnorm melted half of the room with one head while consuming birds, cats, and people alike, with the other.
Not knowing what he was doing Inigo stepped forward. Jaska reached out to stop him, “No my friend, its okay.” Inigo said as he glanced back at the red armored marine.
“How do you know that?” Jaska retorted.
Inigo thought on that a moment before responding, “I don’t.” He chuckled at his honest reply, then turned and slowly stepped towards the giant reptilian behemoth.
The eating head tossed back the corpse of the large bird and swallowed it whole. When it was done it quickly swung back and stared at Inigo. The other head spat out one last blast of lava like phlegm before it too swung around and stared at Inigo.
Inigo could feel the unease of the marines at his back. He didn’t know why he was approaching the Linnorm, yet he kept taking steps towards it. One of the heads was sniffing at him, smoke billowing out of its nostrils. The other head shook in the air as it stepped up and down with it’s front claws. The ground shook at the movement. When the two heads reconvened they were side by side. It was like staring down two landraiders with all their guns pointed at him.
Cautiously he took another step. The heat was intense. His armor was running at maximum capacity attempting to keep him cool. Sweat poured off his brow and he wanted to remove his helmet. One of the massive heads stretched a little closer, its forked tongue whipped out of its closed mouth. In the blink of an eye the tongue passed on both sides of Inigo. He stopped and stared, unsure of what else to do.
“What are you doing Inigo?” Balathu quietly spoke, concern dripped in between his words. Inigo hadn’t realized how far he had walked. The combat leader was fifteen paces behind him.
Without answering Balathu, Inigo raised his hand out just like he had before. The two heads of the Linnorm continued to stare. With one rumbling step the monster got closer and the giant maw of the nearest head turned so that the massive reptilian eye could look at the marines and Inigo, without its snout in the way.
The eye itself was taller then Inigo. In that eye Inigo saw his reflection. His armor was heavily damaged. Shards and discs were embedded in his gray plate and blood splatter covered his entire body. Behind him he could see the handful of remaining marines, each sporting their own wounds. When he saw the box still tightly held in Balathu’s hand, he tightened his jaw and stood tall. He attached his hammer to his back and with both hands removed his helmet. Sweat poured off his face into his matted beard as the intense heat pummeled his skin. When he looked back up he stared at the Linnorm. He knew what he had to do.
“I don’t know why I know this, but I know you can understand me.” He began, his deep booming voice echoing in the suddenly quite room. “You’re going to help me.” He demanded.
The two heads recoiled and shook the room as they bellowed. Fire spat into the air. The simple motion seemed to ignite something deep within Inigo. He felt a surge of energy within him like nothing he had ever felt.
Inigo drew his hammer back out and with two hands slammed in onto the floor. Sparks shout out as mason cracked and splintered. “I FREED YOU BEAST! YOU OWE ME!” Inigo screamed, his voice overtaking the searing noise caused by the two spitting heads.
With unnatural speed the two heads flung back to face Inigo. Lava dripped out of one of the maws and sizzled on the floor. The other head laid itself on the floor and slid closer to Inigo, the sound was like rubble tumbling down a hill. The eye looked right into him as the head rested. Inigo felt like his soul was being laid bare before the beast, but instead of waiting for the Linnorm to finish its examination Inigo stepped forward and touched the beast like he had when it was at rest. This time, Inigo thought about what he wanted to happen.
The fall was short. In Razzik’s mind he expected to be tumbling into another large cavern. Instead it was quite the opposite. After crawling and diving into the hole in the floor he fell into a small tunnel. Blinking lights along the tunnel illuminated the quiet space.
Razzik lifted his head to take a quick scan of the filthy tunnel he was laying in. One hand went to his shield as a precaution. Squad Rimsin was all around him picking themselves up or examining the gear they had recently relinquished from the room above them, only Zaduga and Nefas stood sentinel watching down the thin tunnel they were in. Shu-Takii was sitting with a volkite cannon lying across his lap. Shar-Takazz stood over Razzik with a hand out.
He took the hand and as he got up he noticed the complex set of wires, tubes, and boxes that were magnetized to his armor. He ignored them and studied the area around him. The smooth walls were dotted with machinery and equipment. It reminded him of the small places between rooms on starships, the hidden areas between decks. Razzik could easily reach out with both hands to touch both walls simultaneously. The smell of stale air and dust twirled in the air. Clearly no one had been in here in a long time.
A slight tremble rattled some of the machinery. Every marine in the tunnel drew weapons and pointed them up. The hole above him was still glowing from the melting equipment and walls. None of them breathed or moved, until the glowing seemed to subside and the trembling seemed to dissipate.
“What the jek was that thing,” Zaduga whispered. When Razzik looked back at him he met his stare. Zaduga was one of the many Angels that hailed from the tribes of the Shatt-el-Hai, a gigantic asteroid belt in the same system as Shattermantle. The old term was one of the few things that they held onto after becoming marines. After a second past Zaguda added “Sir” to his lingering question.
Razzik chuckled at the old expletive and ignored the formal “sir”. Despite his rank he still felt more like a sergeant then the captains he’d fought under for decades. Captains like Tarvu, Shar-Vashu, and Ruusa, for a fleeting moment Razzik wondered if he’d ever be revered like they were.
“I don’t know Zaduga, but I plan to get out of here before we find out more about it.” Razzik said as he regarded his HUD map to determine where they were. According to what he was seeing they should be standing in a room the size of a hanger deck, not a filthy tunnel. “That’s bizarre,” he spoke to no one in particular.
Assuming there was some sort of error, Razzik found the nearest space between rooms that could contain a tunnel such as this. He created a simple path towards the nearest stairs upwards which should take them near the museum. From there it was back tracking to the curtain walls. As Razzik examined the path he realized just how much further they would have to go in order to get back. “Time to move out Rimsin, we have a long way to go in order to get out of here.” Razzik took a step towards where Nefas was standing.
“Captain,” Shu-takii began from his sitting position. The volkite cannon was opened in front of him, “may I have one more minute before we leave. I believe I can get this operational if I….”
“No,” Razzik interrupted. “Time is dwindling and we need to get back to the….” His voice trailed off. He stopped moving and witnessed some of the wiring that was magnetized to his chest plate was twitching, like a leech looking for a patch of skin.
“Captain, that wiring harness is moving across your back pack.” Shar-Takazz said from behind him. Razzik could hear the slight scraping of metal on ceramite.
Slowly Razzik raised his white powerfist. There were several ornate tubes connected to the wires and they were rearranging themselves. Intrigued by what he was seeing he stood still. His first reaction was to shake his hand and try to remove them but as the tubes connected to one another a symbol started to form on the tubes. A black skull within a pointed circle, pale green lights studded the skulls eyes. The plates that created the symbol on the tubes began to reorganize themselves and the symbol began to morph. The sight peaked his curiosity.
A high pitched whine suddenly pierced the thin tunnel. Everyone turned to regards Shu-Takii. He still sat on the floor with the volkite cannon in his lap but the dark weapon was now vibrating with new life. A volatile glow illuminated Shu-Takii as the coils along its back seemed to suck in the light from around him.
“Philosir will be excited to see these, “Shu-Takii said as he closed up the panel on the guns side. He drew out a cord from a rear panel and plugged it into his chest. Lights blinked momentarily and he reached down to flick one switch on the side of the cannon. Silently the ancient weapon floated up and hung in the air at elbow level. Shu-Takii stood up next to the gun. He turned and picked up the other identical cannon that had been lying next to him.
“Less then sixty seconds and I’ll have the other one operational Captain.” The Techmarine in training stated.
Impressed by Shu-Takii’s skill and speed he nodded an approval to the marine.
“Zaduga, scout down the tunnel and see where it leads. Nillahfin, head the other direction and do the same. Report back in sixty seconds.” Razzik commanded. Instantly confirmation blips crossed his HUD as they silently moved in opposite directions. Shar-Takazz and Barru stood on opposite sides of Shu-Takii. Razzik gave a glance to Nefas who was by himself standing between two machines the jutted out of the wall. He was motionless as if deep in thought.
A click on Razzik’s fist made him look back down. Five barrel like tubes were now side by side along the outer side of his powerfist. The skull symbol was gone and now a blue winged ice shard adorned the tubes. The Ice Angel chapter symbol was a perfect replica of the one on his chest.
I must have missed where all this new stuff came from... I mean it must have come from "the collection" but the thing on Razzik's PG (digital weapons or grenade launchers?) I don't remember him obtaining at all. Like I said... I'm sure you covered it, I've just missed it.
Gitsplitta wrote: I must have missed where all this new stuff came from... I mean it must have come from "the collection" but the thing on Razzik's PG (digital weapons or grenade launchers?) I don't remember him obtaining at all. Like I said... I'm sure you covered it, I've just missed it.
Ah no problem, just check out the section where Razzik dives into the hole away from the Linnorm. One of the last sentences I added just a little blurb about equipment magnetizing to his armor when he was on the floor. Prior to that when squad Rimsin was running around looking for explosives to destroy the bars they were also pilfering some toys for future use.
IceAngel wrote: The fall was short. In Razzik’s mind he expected to be tumbling into another large cavern. Instead it was quite the opposite. After crawling and diving into the hole in the floor he fell into a small tunnel. Blinking lights along the tunnel illuminated the quiet space.
Razzik lifted his head to take a quick scan of the filthy tunnel he was laying in. One hand went to his shield as a precaution. Squad Rimsin was all around him picking themselves up or examining the gear they had recently relinquished from the room above them, only Zaduga and Nefas stood sentinel watching down the thin tunnel they were in. Shu-Takii was sitting with a volkite cannon lying across his lap. Shar-Takazz stood over Razzik with a hand out.
He took the hand and as he got up he noticed the complex set of wires, tubes, and boxes that were magnetized to his armor. He ignored them and studied the area around him. The smooth walls were dotted with machinery and equipment. It reminded him of the small places between rooms on starships, the hidden areas between decks. Razzik could easily reach out with both hands to touch both walls simultaneously. The smell of stale air and dust twirled in the air. Clearly no one had been in here in a long time.
A slight tremble rattled some of the machinery. Every marine in the tunnel drew weapons and pointed them up. The hole above him was still glowing from the melting equipment and walls. None of them breathed or moved, until the glowing seemed to subside and the trembling seemed to dissipate.
“What the jek was that thing,” Zaduga whispered. When Razzik looked back at him he met his stare. Zaduga was one of the many Angels that hailed from the tribes of the Shatt-el-Hai, a gigantic asteroid belt in the same system as Shattermantle. The old term was one of the few things that they held onto after becoming marines. After a second past Zaguda added “Sir” to his lingering question.
Razzik chuckled at the old expletive and ignored the formal “sir”. Despite his rank he still felt more like a sergeant then the captains he’d fought under for decades. Captains like Tarvu, Shar-Vashu, and Ruusa, for a fleeting moment Razzik wondered if he’d ever be revered like they were.
“I don’t know Zaduga, but I plan to get out of here before we find out more about it.” Razzik said as he regarded his HUD map to determine where they were. According to what he was seeing they should be standing in a room the size of a hanger deck, not a filthy tunnel. “That’s bizarre,” he spoke to no one in particular.
Assuming there was some sort of error, Razzik found the nearest space between rooms that could contain a tunnel such as this. He created a simple path towards the nearest stairs upwards which should take them near the museum. From there it was back tracking to the curtain walls. As Razzik examined the path he realized just how much further they would have to go in order to get back. “Time to move out Rimsin, we have a long way to go in order to get out of here.” Razzik took a step towards where Nefas was standing.
“Captain,” Shu-takii began from his sitting position. The volkite cannon was opened in front of him, “may I have one more minute before we leave. I believe I can get this operational if I….”
“No,” Razzik interrupted. “Time is dwindling and we need to get back to the….” His voice trailed off. He stopped moving and witnessed some of the wiring that was magnetized to his chest plate was twitching, like a leech looking for a patch of skin.
“Captain, that wiring harness is moving across your back pack.” Shar-Takazz said from behind him. Razzik could hear the slight scraping of metal on ceramite.
Slowly Razzik raised his white powerfist. There were several ornate tubes connected to the wires and they were rearranging themselves. Intrigued by what he was seeing he stood still. His first reaction was to shake his hand and try to remove them but as the tubes connected to one another a symbol started to form on the tubes. A black skull within a pointed circle, pale green lights studded the skulls eyes. The plates that created the symbol on the tubes began to reorganize themselves and the symbol began to morph. The sight peaked his curiosity.
A high pitched whine suddenly pierced the thin tunnel. Everyone turned to regards Shu-Takii. He still sat on the floor with the volkite cannon in his lap but the dark weapon was now vibrating with new life. A volatile glow illuminated Shu-Takii as the coils along its back seemed to suck in the light from around him.
“Philosir will be excited to see these, “Shu-Takii said as he closed up the panel on the guns side. He drew out a cord from a rear panel and plugged it into his chest. Lights blinked momentarily and he reached down to flick one switch on the side of the cannon. Silently the ancient weapon floated up and hung in the air at elbow level. Shu-Takii stood up next to the gun. He turned and picked up the other identical cannon that had been lying next to him.
“Less then sixty seconds and I’ll have the other one operational Captain.” The Techmarine in training stated.
Impressed by Shu-Takii’s skill and speed he nodded an approval to the marine.
“Zaduga, scout down the tunnel and see where it leads. Nillahfin, head the other direction and do the same. Report back in sixty seconds.” Razzik commanded. Instantly confirmation blips crossed his HUD as they silently moved in opposite directions. Shar-Takazz and Barru stood on opposite sides of Shu-Takii. Razzik gave a glance to Nefas who was by himself standing between two machines the jutted out of the wall. He was motionless as if deep in thought.
A click on Razzik’s fist made him look back down. Five barrel like tubes were now side by side along the outer side of his powerfist. The skull symbol was gone and now a blue winged ice shard adorned the tubes. The Ice Angel chapter symbol was a perfect replica of the one on his chest.
IceAngel wrote: I'm glad you like Alie. That was actually one of my first ideas for loot they would find.
Well as far as I understand it, he has something similar to a multimelta hovering next to him. I find that incredibly cool. Does he even have aim it, I wonder?
Broken sentences pierced the vox. Razzik tried to respond but he had no way to tell if anything was being received.
“……traps……” was the last he heard before the vox cut out. The crossed head set symbol blinked by Balathu’s icon along with all the other icons for squad Plafwu, Kujara, and Inigo.
“We shouldn’t be out of range. What is happening?” Razzik asked to the marines around him. No one answered. Shu-Takii was rapidly resetting and activating the second cannon. Razzik watched his docile fingers delicately replace several parts and in less than sixty seconds the second gun was floating in front of the Ice Angel. Two cords connected the guns to the user.
The second whined as it charged up. Shu-Takii tinkered with some settings while Zaduga and Nillahfin reported back.
“Tunnel continues on Captain, no exits.” Zaduga replied first.
“The tunnel continues on this way as well Captain,” Nillahfin began, “but I’m hearing activity up ahead.”
“Elaborate Nillahfin, what do you hear?” Razzik requested. He was already heading that direction. Shar-Takazz and the others moved to follow.
“Sounds like ships and” Nillahfin paused mid sentence, “and screaming?”
The marines hustled down the tunnel. They passed bizarre bone colored machines, rings of pastel light, and panels of exquisite detail. Occasionally shafts of light would pierce the fabric of the walls and ceiling. As the marines ran on, the thin corridor became round, then triangular, then to a wide oval shape. Through out their traveling Razzik studied his HUD map trying to determine where they were located, but the further they went the less accurate he felt the maps were.
Eventually they rounded a bend and saw Brother Nillahfin. The area of the tunnel he was in was shorter then he was tall so he was kneeling with his helm up to a panel covered in dull gems and rows of concave glass inserts.
“I don’t hear anyth…” Razzik began when Nillahfin raised his hand to silence the captain.
For a moment the marines stood in silence. Razzik closely regarded the tactical marine as he waited. His bolter was mag-locked to his lower back with the standard issue combat blade at his hip. On his other hip was a trio of very small pistols, to small for astartes hands, but incredibly ornate. One looked similar to a needle pistol; the other two were unknown designs. Across Nillahfin’s chest was a bandolier with various knives and daggers, each one looking more ceremonial then functional. Razzik began to kneel down when he caught a glimpse of a hilt on the opposite side of Nillahfin’s backpack. He stopped when the whine of engines crept in from the distance.
He hesitated as the engine sounds grew and separated. They sounded close and there had to be several dozen of them. Razzik narrowed his eyes as he ruled out the engines being Imperial. They were high pitched whines of xenos make, not the rumble of an Imperial vessel.
The engine noises suddenly died down and several voices began to yell back and forth. Razzik didn’t know what dialect they were speaking but it was fast and it oozed through the air like a poisonous cloud.
“Eldar,” he sneered.
“Dark Eldar,” Nefas corrected. His voice was a hissing whisper in the claustrophobic tunnel.
Razzik turned to look at Nefas but the shoulders of his men blocked the view of the Sinner marine. “Do you speak it?” He quietly said over the vox.
“Some. They speak of intruders in the,” he paused, searching for the right term, “masters hall.” Nefas said the word with disgust; clearly what they said meant more then just a master.
The engine sounds whistled with renewed power. They sped away as quickly as they arrived. For a minute the marines knelt, quietly listening for more.
“Nillahfin does the panel move?” Razzik finally asked. Nillahfin responded by reaching out and trying to shift the panel. He pulled, pushed, and tried to slide it in every direction he could think of. The panel didn’t budge or give. Nillahfin grunted with effort as he tried to push it open with both hands, his feet were braced against the other side of the tunnel behind him.
“Captain, may I try?” Nefas hissed through the tunnel.
Nillahfin stopped trying the panel and gave a side glance to Razzik. With a simple nod Nillahfin shuffled further into the tunnel while staying in his kneeling position. The other marines parted to let Nefas through. He knelt before the panel and closely examined it. For a minute he didn’t touch anything, he simply studied every detail of the dull gems and the glass inserts. A cool breeze wafted through the tunnel as Razzik watched Nefas.
The Sinner marine cocked his head, as if reading something side ways. He reached out with both hands and carefully splayed them across several gems and a glass insert. He didn’t touch any of them until his hands were arrayed just right. With steady hands he pushed forwards into the gems, his thumb was the last to touch and he applied minimal pressure to a glass insert with it.
Gems pulsed with an inner light for only the briefest of moments before the panel split into a handful of jagged pieces. The pieces were still attached at the edge of the panel to the wall and they opened like a flower at dawn, hinging outwards and spreading out to reveal another tunnel, a much larger tunnel.
Where an ornate panel once was, an opening into another passage way now loomed. Nefas looked back to Razzik before he stuck his head out. After a quick look around he came back in, “Looks clear, I don’t see anyone but there is another tunnel nearby that is well lit.”
Razzik didn’t want to go through that panel. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like this entire situation and the fact that Nefas knew how to open up that panel didn’t help. It led to more questions he was saving for a future conversation with the Sinner marine. Tactically he knew he should explore around this opening to try and find a way back his other marines but he still didn’t like it.
With reluctance Razzik gave the order, “Fine, Nefas then Nillahfin, standard breach protocol, now.”
Nefas pulled himself through the portal with Nillahfin right behind him. Razzik saw hesitance in Nillahfins movements and that was very uncharacteristic of any Ice Angel. Standard breaching tactics were drilled into every Ice Angel. The training was ingrained into the chapter’s soul. A tactical Ice Angel mastered the techniques before branching out to any other specialty.
Yet as Razzik moved to follow he couldn’t help but have a mental flinch as he saw Nillahfin pull himself through the portal and stand on the wall surrounding the portal. Peaking his head out, Razzik saw Nefas was already moving towards the next tunnel along the wall while Nillahfin waited for Razzik to fully emerge.
As more then half of Razzik’s body exited the smaller tunnel and entered the larger, gravity seemed to alter itself. It was a subtle difference but when Razzik stood up and looked down, the floor contained the portal.
An opening in a wall opened through the floor in another area. Razzik’s head swam with the impossibilities of it all when Nefas vox clicked twice. He had spotted something. Razzik quickly looked around before moving. The tunnel was wider then a land raider and full of curves. There wasn’t any dirt or rocks or markings of any kind. In both directions the tunnel twisted giving him very short visibility, possibly 100 yards from one curve to the next.
Now that Razzik was out Nillahfin moved to follow Nefas. Shar-Takazz emerged next. One by one they cleared the portal and followed Nefas. Shu-Takii and his floating cannons came through last.
Silently they approached the open chute in the floor that Nefas was kneeling by. He signaled three hostiles. Razzik peered over the lip to confirm. Twenty yards away along the walls of the chute stood three spindly dark eldar. One was twirling a hooked sword in the air while another watched. The third paced back and forth. Gravity was clearly working in mysterious ways in these tunnels.
Razzik slowly lowered himself and looked back at his marines to issue orders through hand gestures. He began to point when movement caught the corner of his attention. The portal they had come through was gracefully closing back up. He could do nothing but sigh as the petals of the portal sealed themselves back up and disappeared into the wall. After he blinked there was no sign that there had ever been an entry point through the floor behind him.
With a mental sigh Razzik issued his orders with quick efficiency. Already Shu-Takii’s cannons were silently floating towards the edge of the chute.
Across the vox Razzik began to explain to Nefas his role in capturing one of the eldar, but before he could finish. The discharge of ancient cannons ripped through the silent corridor. The sound was a mix of a plasma hiss and a scream of terror.
Nillahfin, Zaduga, crested the lip with Shar-Takazz as Razzik looked over to Shu-Takii. Two bolt shots rang out at the same time, before a clear signal was issued. There were no survivors.
The entire exchange took less then four seconds.
“hmmm, “ Shu-Takii said with surprise, “ the system these Volkites use to handle mental commands needs some fine tuning. That or they have very aggressive machine spirits, or both.” He turned to Razzik as the guns lowered closer to the ground like whimpering pets. “I apologize Captain.”
Razzik didn’t respond, merely walked over the edge of the tunnel into the chute to look at the sizzling remains. Two eldar had been reduced to smoking armored legs while the third had taken two bolt rounds to the midriff. Three spiked boards lay inert not far away from the corpses. Razzik had seen Eldar ride the bizarre contraptions into battle before. The absurdity of them made him shake his head.
“Zaduga and Nillahfin, scout ahead and find out what’s creating this light.” Razzik commanded as he got even closer to the corpses. The scantily clad dark eldar wore turquoise bits of armor on their shoulders and tattoos on everything else. With one last head shake he began to jog away, the others followed suit. Nefas stayed a moment longer to dirty his armored fingers in the Eldar’s blood.
After ten minutes the voice of Zaduga calmly spoke through the vox. “Captain, you won’t believe this.”
Knightley, thank you very much. I spent a lot of time reading and rereading this last section. I've found that whenever there is a similar situation in any book I've ever read, it can easily become overly confusing. I tried to keep it simple without going into to much detail yet still convey their situation.
Mithami, welcome to the thread! Don't worry, the long read is worth it. Currently its only 259 pages in word, which in book format would be about 518 pages. It shouldn't take you to long to catch up to where we are at today. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
Not really. I did submit my story to the black library during their open submission period, but that didn't happen. This is really the only writing I've done though.
Today is March 13th, and I declare it to be, name an Ice Angel day!
I have approximately 15 Ice Angels that I have not named yet their squads have been mentioned. I always like to see what you guys come up with.
Guidelines.
1. It has to sound like it would be an Ice Angel name. Feel free to use, Bel, Tock, Shar, or Shu in front of the name, similarly to how the Irish use Mc, or O' If you need a reminder of previously named Ice Angels refer to page one of the thread where I listed out all the previously mentioned Angels. For those of you who missed a previous conversation about this, there are two groups that Ice Angels are recruited from, one is a group of space faring tribes. There names all end with a vowel. The other group is from the city hives in Shattermantle. They typically end with hard letters like X, and K.
2. No more then five names per person.
There are no losers in this, please post any names you have. If I don't feel its an Ice Angel like name, I'll simply use it for something else if I like it. Thanks guys, I look forward to reading what you come up with.
Damn it. Now i have to catch up after i get back from school. Thus far i love it. You kind of became my inspiration to make my own short stories, set in my own universe. I borrowed your sort of writing style. FYI.
I have to admit, this one took me awhile to get, but is probably my favorite.
@Bobakos - welcome back, thanks for name. Are you all caught up now on the fluff or do you still have a ways to go?
@AsherianCommand - cool, its nice to hear that I've inspired anyone to do much of anything. Good luck with the writing. It can be a daunting task but very rewarding, especially when people take time to comment on it!
Anyone else have any names they'd like to suggest?
Our list so far, minus the funny ones. They are all going to be used and will be assigned to marines. There will be a couple minor adjustments to several of them but I'll try to keep my alterations to a minimum. Thanks everybody for the suggestions, if at any point you come up with more please let me know. I have a whole chapter to name and then rename when I kill them off, I'll always appreciate suggestions.
The rubble strewn cave was silent. When Squad Rah-Apsu first arrived and orders were given they quickly made a chest high wall of stone while vigilantly monitoring the black curtain at the other end of the cavern. The racks of cages hung vacant across from them and the only movement was the occasional visit from a member from Squad Plafwu.
Sergeant Shu-Baranathi had been trying to piece together what was happening on the other side from these visits and relaying the information to Chaplain Cyaxeres. It didn’t make any sense to him so he repeated the information verbatim and kept his mouth shut as Cyaxeres retaliated with questions he couldn’t answer.
“I do not know Chaplain, “he repeated countless times before Cyaxeres would close the channel.
In between the visits, the silence of the cave would set back in, like an oppressive blanket trying to smother the flames of his soul. Shu-Baranathi would speak to his men and pace back and forth but he always ended up back in the center of the line, feeling the same annoying silence.
Finally Brother Harcos from Squad Plafwu broke the black plane and alerted them to an alarm triggered on the other side. Enemies were dropping from the ceiling and springing from walls. Shu-Baranathi responded with an affirmation that he understood and forwarded the message. Finally he would have something to take out his annoyance on, yet after Brother Harcos disappeared back into the blackness nothing came through the wall. Harcos returned several more times to relay vital information about the retreat and the order to call in the Frozen Rage. After each visit Harcos would turn and vanish back through the curtain.
This entire situation reminded Shu-Baranathi of a combat simulation, except this simulation was all build up, a slow patience testing build up. He knew there was a serious battle on the crater toped mountain above him. He knew there was a serious battle going on only sixty yards ahead of him on the other side of the curtain, yet here he stood, in the annoying silence. His mind began to wander as he waited. He could sense the agitation in his men, even from Old Telqla who was fidgeting with his heavy bolter.
Without warning or cause, Shu-Baranathi’s gaze was drawn up to the glowing crystal high up the curtain wall. “Did something change?” he thought to himself. “Was it pulsing with purple light before, or was it blue?”
As if the crystal was answering his questions the racks shuddered and moaned, like a chill had passed over them. Shu-Baranathi leaned forward over the impromptu stone wall; his backpack mounted signum pivoted back and forth looking for targets.
The marines to his right and left seemed to tighten up. The agitation was instantly replaced by the battlefield calm they were trained to reach instantaneously. The racks shuddered once again and began to retreat back into the curtain. They rumbled and scraped rock as they slowly retreated.
“Oh, this can’t be good,” Telqla spoke.
“Bel'Dingethe and Tock'Menuri, move up to the wall to assist Plafwu’s fall back.” Shu-Baranathi quietly commanded.
The two marines stepped around the rock wall and jogged down the slight decline towards the retreating racks. They stood next to one another at the end of the center rack and slowly followed it.
A screaming humanoid passed through the wall between the left most isles. A heavy bolter round exploded in its chest before it had taken its second step into the cavern.
“First blood,” Vadàsz said to Old Telqla who responded with a grunt. The younger marine was about remind Old Telqla of his current kill tally when two Ice Angels broke the curtain.
Brother Harcos was supporting a wounded Angel. Bel'Dingethe and Tock'Menuri were at their sides protecting them within seconds.
“We’ve been overrun.” Harcos stated as he began to climb the hill with his wounded brethren.
Shu-Baranathi was about to ask several questions when the wall rippled at one end with more of the crazed humans. Gunfire erupted along the line as the remaining marines from Squad Plafwu exited the wall. Sergeant Maranu was last to come through the wall and he did so on his back with two tortured souls on top of him.
He crashed onto the ground while gutting one of the humans with his chainsword. The other was knocked aside and taken out by a bolt shot. The racks were now half way back through the curtain.
“Where’s the Captain and the others?” Shu-Baranathi asked Sergeant Maranu as the waves of enemies continued to push through the wall.
Maranu parried several jagged blades while he responded. “The Captain was separated with Squad Rimsin. Combat leader Balathu has the information we need but we lost contact with his squad only seconds ago.”
As the heavy bolter fire quelled the scantily clad humans Squad Plafwu made a defensive ring as they fell back towards the hill and the rock wall.
“How did this rabble force you to fall back?” Old Telqla gruffly added in between bursts of heavy bolter rounds.
“These aren’t the problem,” Sergeant Maranu retorted as he skillfully carved the head off another victim.
Through the wall came another wave of enemies, this time floating giants joined them. Shu-Baranathi didn’t need to issue orders or mention what needed to die first. The six men in his unit all targeted the nearest giants and opened fire. Squad Plafwu continued to fall back up the hill firing on the faster running humans. By the time the first giant had fallen, the drugged humans had already reached the retreating marines.
Shu-Baranathi tossed one of his frag grenades before reloading his bolt pistol. The quiet cave was now full of screaming people and weapons chatter. He analyzed the scene of carnage before him as a small part of his brain wished the annoying silence would once again return.
Oooh, the new boys have names, and heavy weapons. What I can gather is about two have HB's not sure what else is in their arsenal but can't wait to find out what else is in store.
Bets on how long till the first of this new batch lasts before one is claimed?
Squad Rah-Apsu has two heavy bolters, no other heavy weapons at this time. There are only seven active members at this time.
We shall see how long they last. I generally don't plan out deaths except for major characters. The others all depend on whats going on and how I'm feeling.
The crashing of stone on metal, the brief screams from the dying as they were melted from molten phlegm, the constant intense heat that oozed up from the linnorms body in air rippling waves, Inigo’s senses were assailed by a riot of noise and visual confusion. He lay on his side behind a bony ridge that crested the front of the linnorms back, like a castles notched battlements. To his right Jaska and the other marines did the same.
After the marines climbed the thunderhawk sized creature, it bellowed and took off down a small side hall. The marines braced for impact as it crashed in the smaller pathway but the creature pressed through the hall, melting the walls and pushing everything out of its path.
As the monster created its own path the marines spoke to one another over the vox. Inigo didn’t pay any attention to their words. His focus was lost to the rhythmic undulation of the linnorms long body. From his vantage point Inigo could watch the simple yet incredibly powerful motions of the six legged creature. The bony plates protecting its armored back fit together like a loose puzzle and as some would spread apart others would tighten together. The super heated flesh under the thick plates glowed dimly through the cracks.
The crashing sounds the linnorm created slowly faded away. The screams of the crazed people, rabid avians, and other monstrosities sounded like a world away. Inigo felt his sweat beading up all over his body as his power armors cooling system failed to maintain its combat temperature. Inigo chuckled to himself as the familiarity of these sensations clashed with the absurdity of it all.
One of the floating images the linnorm had forced upon him lingered at the edge of his consciousness. He couldn’t grasp the image or fully recall what it was, yet something taunted him like an unseen sniper.
Inigo’s vision suddenly darkened like a long blink without him closing his eyes. The linnorm took several more steps and screamed out both heads before abruptly stopping. Inigo slid up against the battlements.
“Hold your fire!” Balathu commanded across the vox.
The marines to Inigo’s right stood one by one. Inigo was the last to move. He grasped the bony ridge and pulled himself up. The two heads of the linnorm were flanking an Ice Angel position. From his elevated position he could easily see the 11 marines that held up bolt weapons of various calibers from behind a raised rock wall. Three wounded angels were propped up against a back wall, only one was conscious enough to wield his bolter. The corpses of giants, floating monsters, crazed humans, and drugged avians were piled up outside the wall.
“Care to explain what this is Combat Leader?” one of the sergeants asked.
Balathu began to speak but Inigo interrupted, “Sindithaxinum is his name.”
Every marine on the back of the linnorm slowly turned to regard the Son of Hades marine. Inigo wanted to say more but he was still shocked he knew the linnorms name. Jaska was the only marine that didn’t seem to give him a questionable glare.
One by one the marines turned back towards each other or the marines down below behind the rocky wall. The two heads of the linnorm lifted up to look at the marines on its own back, at least that’s what Inigo thought. A crackling sound, similar to vox static came from behind him. Inigo turned to see the floating crystal in the black curtain pulse thrice; each pulse a different color. It was then smoothly pulled back into the black curtain. A light hiss filled the air for a brief second as the curtain collapsed around the point in which the crystal departed.
“Captain…..” Inigo heard several marines mumble as the portal ceased to exist. The light from the crystal was now replaced by the dull glow from the linnorms super heated body.
Casually, one of the linnorms heads moved closer towards the marines on the hill. Its forked tongue darted at the end marine. The marine still held his heavy bolter pointed at the linnorms gigantic maw in a motionless pose. The other head began to smell the air with his tongue as well, but it was above the marines sniffing at some of the chutes in the ceiling.
The marines on the back of the linnorm began to climb down while the linnorm tongued in every direction. The giant heads twitched. Inigo stayed atop the linnorm staring at the emptiness the curtain had left in the vast cavern. He began to chuckle to himself as a feeling of excitement oozed up from the linnorm below him. Jaska glanced once again at Inigo before stepping closer as if to speak.
“Jaska! Inigo!” Balathu shouted from below.
The shout tore the emotion out of Inigo. He looked back over the bony ridge in front of him at the marines.
“You entered the complex through another portal didn’t you?” Balathu asked as he looked up, the box containing the head was still firmly held under his arm. The other marines were gathering up the wounded and preparing to move back to the surface. “There may yet be another way that Captain Razzik and the others can escape,” Balathu continued.
The Son of Hades thought back to their descent into the mountain. It seemed so long ago but it had been only this morning. He recalled some of the twists and turns of the descent and them fighting off the flying bats and a pair of quadruped avians. As he ran through their path a moment of clarity hit him. He turned back around towards where the curtain once was. It now revealed the other half of the cavern, the half that Jaska, Nefas, and he had entered through.
“We entered through the same portal, but from the other side,” Jaska began before Inigo could speak. “That tunnel over there is where we came through,” he added while pointing to the far side of the cavern.
Slowly Jaska lowered his arm and turned back towards the Ice Angels and Inigo. “It saddens me greatly to say, but I do not foresee how Nefas and the others will ever be able to escape that place.”
Jaska’s blatant statement sucked any hope the Angels had out right out of the cavern. Inigo saw the despair hit several of them for only a fleeting moment before their focus was turned back to the task at hand. With renewed speed they picked up their wounded and began to head back up the tunnel in which they had entered.
Inigo watched them leave. None said another word. None even looked back at Jaska and Inigo as they stood atop the protective back of the linnorm.
“Well Son of Hades, shall we follow?” Jaska asked without removing his gaze from the tunnel the Angels had filed out through.
Inigo pondered the question while a tingle coursed up his back. He reached up and removed his helmet. He mag locked it to his upper thigh and then ruffled his sweat soaked beard. The two heads of the linnorm looked to one another in silent conversation and when one of them looked back at Inigo, that feeling of excitement returned. This time an insatiable hunger accompanied the sensation. His mouth began to salivate.
“I think we will meet up with the Angels in due time,” Inigo chuckled. “I think Sindithaxinum would like to feast on some greenskins first.” In response the linnorm screamed another one of its two toned earth quaking calls. Jaska and Inigo both fell from the vibrations of the armored body they had been standing on. Before either could think about getting back up it leapt forward at one of the tunnels. Inigo took one glance at the confused marine next to him before letting out a deep belly laugh.
“This day continues to get more interesting, doesn’t it?!” he shouted as the linnorm burrowed itself out of the mountain at a steep upwards angle.
After Sindithaxinum broke the outer crust of the mountain, it paused, partially exposed to the cool mountainous air. Inigo and Jaska both pulled themselves up so they could attempt to ascertain their location. Inigo used visual keys and his memory to determine what side of the mountain they had emerged from. Jaska used his highly advanced HUD system, similar to what the Ice Angels used.
A deep calm voice spoke through the vox, “Are you able to take out the road that rings the slopes of the mountain?” Chaplain Cyaxeres asked.
Inigo laughed heartily to Jaska and himself, he then spoke directly to Jaska, “not even a welcome back or what are you riding? These Angels are a bit stiff, aren’t they?”
For a moment Inigo thought he was going to get a chuckle from Jaska but the Marines Chrysemys simply looked back at him and then out at the view. The linnorm had broken out of the mountains earthen hold about seventy yards up its side. The sun was setting and dusk was already upon them. The valley was laid out before them in the dimming light. Greenskin landers and wreckage were randomly strewn about. The hordes of infantry and vehicles were moving at various speeds towards the small access road that spiraled around the mountain off to Inigo’s right.
The linnorm was sniffing the air. Its tongues rapidly sampling the particles in the valleys cool air. One head turned towards the nearest concentration of greenskins heading towards the road. The other pointed towards a giant squiggoth that stood motionless amongst the waves of xenos. A fortress was strapped on to its back, turrets and what looked like a trebuchet dotted the bricked platform.
“Chaplain Cyaxeres, I’m not sure our companion here can be controlled, but I’ll try.” Inigo eventually responded.
“Sin?” Inigo started, unsure if the linnorm minded a nickname, “do you think you can take out that road over there to help protect our compatriots at the top of the mountain?” One of the heads casually gave him a one eyed glance as Inigo pointed to the road. Phlegm drizzled out of its mouth and struck the ground, melting through a boulder.
The other head shot a pillar of flame into the darkening sky. The six legs propelled the linnorm out its newly created tunnel. Inigo and Jaska held on to the bony ramparts as the behemoth ran down the side of the mountain. In seconds it had covered the seventy yards, crashing through scraggly trees and knocking boulders out of its way. A mild landslide followed it down the hill.
As they reached the valley floor, Inigo could still see the thousands of lights from ork vehicles and the mobs of greenskins streaming to his right. Inigo couldn’t see the base of the road any more but he knew where it was.
Both heads were now closer to the ground as the linnorm continued to move. The heads were both pointing them towards the giant squiggoth. Guns started to light up from dozens of vehicles as they fired and tested their range against the linnorms moving position. “Not going to take out the road is he?” Jaska asked when the first set of shells erupted nearby. Dirt and rocks were flung into the air.
“Nope,” Inigo responded to Cyaxeres and Jaska as the linnorm reached the first group of orks, eating pairs of them with each bite while the other head melted off the front of a battlewagon from twenty yards away.
The battle cries of the greenskins as they charged the massive two headed linnorm were soon replaced by screams of panic. Sindithaxinum hardly slowed down as he cleared a flaming path through hordes of orks and vehicles that didn’t get out of its way fast enough.
The giant squiggoth slowly turned its massive horned head towards the oncoming linnorm. It bellowed a deep tone as it began to move towards the linnorm. The gun emplacements on its back opened fire. Inigo and Jaska ducked down behind the bony ridges as several shells hit the linnorm. The rocky plating that covered its back cracked and buckled. The linnorm gave a grunt after the impact but didn’t slow down.
As the distance closed the linnorm increased in speed. Within thirty feet the squiggoth lowered its head to swing up its heavily spiked horns. The linnorm didn’t give it a chance. One head spat forth its lava phlegm while the other bit at the squiggoths neck with surprising quickness. At close range the guns on the squiggoths back were all but useless except for the forward mounted short range cannon. Inigo saw the barrel being lowered. He could almost hear the orks shouting to adjust the gun faster. A split second before the gun fired the linnorm belched another round of lava directly at the cannon, the resulting explosion blew off the front of the platform.
With its face melting and its neck shredded on one side, the squiggoth gave a gurgled gasp before beginning a slow collapse onto its side. Orks jumped off the platform many of which were then crushed by the falling creature or the tumbling fortress.
The linnorm began feasting before the body had settled. With brutal efficiency the linnorm consumed the body of the giant squiggoth. Inigo was disgusted and impressed by the sight but he didn’t have time to ponder the rhino sized bites before screaming engines erupted around him.
Jaska fired his plasma pistol into the air as ork boys on crude jump packs landed in droves on the back of the linnorm. Inigo removed his hammer and smiled as the familiar weapon hummed with life. In seconds the two marines were in hand to hand combat with a mob of greenskins. They came at them with short barreled guns that made more noise then damage, sharpened blades of all designs, and even the occasional powered tool.
“Explosives!” Jaska shouted as he shoved a dying greenskin off his gore covered chainsword.
Inigo crushed the skull of another greenskin before getting the opportunity to see the orks clamping a pair of demolition charges onto the linnorms back. There were too many orks between the astartes and the charges and neither Jaska nor Inigo had any grenades or anything useful to stop them.
Three more orks charged at him. With his back against the bony ridge he could do nothing but bat aside there attacks and counter with his humming thunder hammer. Images of the charges tearing through the linnorm’s backside filled Inigo’s head.
He shouted the linnorms name, “SINDITHAXINUM!”
The dim light of the valley was then brightened as twin jets of burning death spat a cross pattern across the linnorms back. The two heads were flanking Jaska and Inigo and they were shooting their molten flames at chest height. As quickly as they arrived the orks were knocked off.
Jaska ran forward at the flames. Inigo stood in shock but the linnorm adjusted to miss the red armored marine. A lone ork was laying down on the linnorms back, grasping onto one of the plates and attempting to set off the charge. With a low swipe Jaska carved the orks skull in half as he slid into range.
Casually he walked back towards Inigo while he wiped off his chainsword. “It seems Sindithaxinum is not immune to its own breath.” Jaska stated. The twin heads turned back towards their meal.
A loud crunch echoed from behind them as the linnorm tore a leg off the squiggoth. Inigo ignored the sound as he pondered Jaska’s words.
Jaska put his chainsword away and checked his plasma pistol as he looked out at the dimming valley. Orks were now in a panic as they ran in various directions. The largest were attempting to regain control but for a moment the linnorm was free to consume.
With a side glance Jaska sighed, “If the linnorm was immune to its own breath it would have spat its death all down its own back to cleanse it of the orks. Instead it shot at a level that would allow it to hit them but not its own hide.”
Jaska then squared up to Inigo and grasped the bony ridge with his right hand, “More importantly, it is listening to you. Your warning probably saved its life.”
Inigo grunted in agreement to all of Jaska’s statements before turning to regard the twin heads at their meal. What remained of the squiggoth was a bloody stain on the ground, some iron covered horns, and a melted face.
The heads once again sniffed the air. Inigo braced for the sudden movement he now knew would follow.
“How long until the Frozen Rage arrives?” Inigo asked.
Jaska held his hand to his helm as the linnorm took off towards a smaller group of giant squigs and their handlers. Ork guns were beginning to fire again as some control was regained in a corner of the valley.
“Around twenty seven hours,” he responded before grabbing onto the ridge with both hands. Riding the linnorm was proving to be much more treacherous in the open valley.
Inigo responded with his standard chuckle, “Perfect! Plenty of time to eat some more greenskins, eh?”
All through the night and the following day Sindithaxinum rampaged and feasted. Inigo grew more accustomed to the movement patterns of the linnorm and by the following dusk he was able to predict the linnorms movements by watching the twin heads bob and weave. Meanwhile, Jaska concentrated on the battle atop the mountain. Throughout the day he relayed the information to Inigo.
The Ice Angels had secured an ork land train that had a void shield generator. They were using it to protect the ground forces. The Ice Angel air force had strategically with drawn in mass. Their return would coincide with the arrival of the Frozen Rage.
As the sun began to touch the mountains in the horizon the linnorm took a long pause. It found an area that was getting hit directly with the suns rays and sprawled out. Both of its heads faced directly into the sunlight.
Inigo and Jaska looked around for orks or any sign of a threat before they too took a moment to relax. They had been on this planet for more then thirty six hours now and hadn’t rested or eaten.
Jaska instinctively cleaned his plasma pistol while consuming a nutrient enriched wafer, his red helmet was mag locked to his thigh. Inigo slowly walked around Sindithaxinum. He examined the linnorms armored form and saw all of the damage it had taken throughout the night. Cracked armored plating, several deep gashes, and wounds that oozed a bright orange fluid, adorned its body.
Despite all of the wounds the linnorm received, it hadn’t slowed down or given any signs of pain. As Inigo passed under one of the necks he saw another deep gash, but this one had a piece of metal stuck into it. Inigo reached out to grasp a metal spike that was painted red. It looked like it was from the front of a tank.
Using both hands Inigo pulled the arm sized metal piece out from between two pieces of carapace. One of the heads gave a slight hiss but showed no other sign of discomfort.
“Inigo, “Jaska began, “Cyaxeres requests we join up with them on the mountain. I’ve sent for a pick up.” Inigo didn’t respond but continued his tour of the linnorms massive form.
Jaska watched the Son of Hades marine for a few minutes before going back to his diligent weapon cleaning. His chainsword needed some new teeth and the handle was bent. After seven minutes of adjusting he revved up the chainsword once again. It was better but far from perfect.
In the sunlight he could see a bizarre triple winged plane. The Emperor’s Coinpurse was heading his direction. Jaska paused as he watched the plane approach. As it neared it effortlessly spun around and opened its rear hatch only a foot off the ground. Jaska stood on the back of the linnorm and put away his weapons.
“Shall we?” he asked as he took twenty steps and leapt off the back of the linnorm.
“I think I’ll let you go alone this time Jaska.” Inigo said. The words seemed distant and Inigo’s voice seemed confused.
Jaska halted his approach to the waiting ship. He didn’t turn back to regard the marine, “are you positive?” He asked over his shoulder, hoping for a different response.
Inigo chuckled, “positive? No, but Sindithaxinum is. We have work to do here on Glossinai.”
After several breaths Jaska took the final steps towards the yellow and pink quartered vessel. As he stepped into the vessel it lifted off once again. Jaska turned to look at Inigo one final time. The Son of Hades marine was standing by the linnorms flank, staring off into the distance.
“Honored Brother Inigo, it has been a pleasure,” Jaska said as the door closed.
Inigo didn’t respond he merely nodded his head. Deep down inside he knew he had made the right decision yet a part of him still wanted to leave with Jaska.
His thoughts wandered around the visions he had seen and the decision he had made when dusk ended and night fall settled in. Inigo could hear the roar of thunderhawks and the weapons fire from orks chasing after them.
A flash of light from up above made him look up. Sindithaxinum did the same. A previously unseen ork space vessel erupted and split in two. The pieces slowly tumbled into the atmosphere and plummeted into the distance. Inigo stared into the night sky trying to spot the Frozen Rage, or gleam any sort of insight to the battle in space but a dark cloud was hanging over the mountain top before him. Flashes of lightning danced throughout the billowing mass.
“That’s no normal cloud,” Inigo murmured to himself.
As the sections of the cloud gave away, a black vessel could be seen entering the atmosphere at a slow descent. The atmospheric disruption gave it a misty veil and an eerie glow, but as it ceased its decent it held its position above the crater toped mountain.
In the moon lit darkness Inigo could see the magnificent Ice Angel vessel. It was wider then the mountain top and had a smooth long prow. The entire top half of the vessel was adorned with gun towers, landing platforms, observation decks, and other countless buildings. The sides of the ship were smooth and only broken by shallow turbines each the size of a landing bay and parallel to the ground. The underside of the vessel was a jungle of weapons platforms all streaming fire down around the mountain top.
The floating city held still amongst the clouds as the Ice Angels retreated from the mountain top into its many holding bays. In between flashes of light Inigo could make out giant cords lifting up damaged vessels, land raiders, and other heavy equipment the Angels had brought to the planet. For fifteen minutes he stared at the city amongst the clouds.
Another flash from space heralded another falling ork vessel. This one was much slower in its descent but Inigo could only smile as gravity won its tug of war versus the space faring ship. The graceful destruction was peaceful from this distance. The explosions were silent and the plumes of fire were various shades of blues and oranges. For many minutes the ship cascaded into the atmosphere, a tumbling jumble of ever growing debris.
As the ship broke into countless pieces Inigo looked back to the floating city. The cords were being recalled into the vessel and the gun fire was intensifying. The scene was eerily familiar.
After many more minutes Inigo finally took his eyes off the action in the air. The linnorm had ceased watching some time ago and was now observing Inigo.
“Sin, I don’t know what I’m doing here, but something tells me you do. There is nothing in regards to giant ancient lizards in the Codex Astartes so I hope the Emperor sanctions the use of linnorms.” Inigo said. He laughed at his own comment but was slightly disappointed when the linnorm slowly turned away to regards the floating city without any sign of amusement.
Inigo chuckled to himself once more before sitting back behind the two heads. He looked down at his damaged armor and his faithful thunder hammer. He had no remaining grenades and only a single clip in his hardly used bolt pistol.
Without any other words the linnorm slowly picked itself up and turned around. From Inigo’s sitting position he witnessed the last glimpses of the flying city as it left the atmosphere. With methodical steps the six legged linnorm continued its slow pace around the mountain. Inigo thought on the Ice Angels he had fought with as he stared up into space. He remembered each of the marines that had fallen, but most of all he thought of the fleeting images his mind couldn’t hold onto. For the briefest of moments he thought he could hear the cries of the weak and the prayers of the faithful. The sound of shackles echoed in his mind.
With the sounds lingering in his thoughts, Sindithaxinum sped up its pace and burrowed into the ground.
@Gitsplitta - Fair enough. When this is all done, do you think I should include some of the random writings at the beginning of this thread or actually just have a pdf with the actual story?
@Knightley - Yes indeed Knightley. It was meant to be the end of a chapter. Next is to finish off with Razziks little adventure, then complete the book.
I think you should do a preface as with a proper novel. I've read some that are quite long... just say what you need to in order to explain the project.
Gitsplitta wrote: I think you should do a preface as with a proper novel. I've read some that are quite long... just say what you need to in order to explain the project.
I apologize for missing your comment Git, but I like your suggestion. That does make a lot of sense. I could even have two copies, one with my story as I now see it in my head and the other as my actual writing project with the preface. First things first though, I need to finish my story. As soon as I can pull myself away from all of my modeling projects I'll produce the next section.
The captain’s quarters were cluttered with piles of books, star charts, xeno’s trinkets, and dirty laundry. An unmade bed was built into the corner of the room. A lone blue light illuminated its empty sheets. Several dusty weapons hung in a wall mount not far from a giant wooden desk. The dark wood of the desk had a deep sheen with purple hues. A dozen drawers of various sizes perched on each side of a simple wooden chair.
On that chair a man sat.
In one hand was a mechanical device no larger then his palm. Its screen was dominated by the current time in a greenish light. In his other hand he held a pic screen. The frame was well worn and chipped but the glass was meticulously clean. On the screen a five second image played, over and over. A beautiful woman was flanked by two giggling children. A swaddled infant was in her left arm. At the three second mark she leaned over to kiss a handsome man with tiered red facial hair and a sly grin.
At the five second mark the man smiled and gave her a side glance.
The image then reset and the giggling children began again.
The man in the chair stared at the picture. His thoughts were jumbled and confused. His emotions were lost and distant. The morning was always the hardest.
The device that glowed with the time switched to read five o’clock. For a split millisecond it rang, but the man in the chair was prepared and had his thumb on the button to halt its morning audio attack. He took several deep breaths to focus his attention to his morning rituals.
He sighed as other devices in the room activated and began their morning rituals. Lights in the room began to slowly brighten. He set down the timing device and gingerly placed the pic screen back on his desk. With both hands he then grasped one more frame. This one contained a still picture, old style, as his crew called it.
A shapely woman in a gray flight suit stood smiling. Her red hair was tight in a bun atop her head and the slightest crack at a smile dotted the corners of her mouth. A single medal adorned her simple flight suit, a red circle with a blue diagonal line.
The man smiled at the picture and then rubbed his thumbs across the raised writing on the frame, “Captain, My Captain” it said.
Gently he placed the picture down next to the pic screen and several others. He leaned back in his chair as a cup of Trinian Kik hovered across the room towards the desk. The smell of warm fortified grits wafted through the air as a wall panel slid open to reveal his piping hot breakfast.
He sipped his Kik as he retrieved the grits. The large wooden desk lit up with internal lights as his morning report arrived. A red circle with a blue diagonal line dominated the first screen as it waited to be activated.
A confirmation blip flashed on the screen before a plethora of charts, space maps, inventory checklists, and crew vitals popped up all over the top of the wooden desk. From the captains seat they seemed to float above the table. He glanced across them as he shoveled the bland grits into his mouth. After he finished he gave several hand gestures too slide aside the nonessential information. What were left were the star maps and a list of messages from his crew.
“Right on schedule,” he said to himself as he examined the map.
With a smile he stood from the desk, the screens sank back into the top of the dark wood. He didn’t stay to watch the system go into hibernation; instead he walked across his quarters to pull out some clothes.
He grabbed a pair of gray slacks, a black belt, and a well worn shirt. After he donned his apparel he opened up a taller wall locker. He grabbed several items to stow in his pockets. As he grabbed a time piece on a chain he paused. Hanging in the locker was his dress suit, a royal blue dress coat with matching pants. He reached out and felt the end of a sleeve, memories flashed across his mind.
He turned his head to look into a small mirror attached to the back side of the locker door. For a moment he saw the man he once was, spiked red hair, exotic facial hair, sharp chin, and sly grin. As he chuckled at the mental images of how he once was, he blinked and he saw an old man staring back at him. The red in his hair was fading and his sharp grin was now hidden under a bushy beard that reached the top of his chest.
“Oh Fybblywhyp,” he said as he looked back to his captains dress suit, “it’s our last mission before retirement. I think we need should finish this like we started.”
@Knightley, I actually laughed while writing that password. All of those are great questions, some of them will be answered soon enough. STAY TUNED!
@Gitsplitta - enticing isn't it. Sometimes writing about marines all the time gets a bit stale so I decided to create somebody new to talk about.
Mr Nobody wrote:How do you pronounce "Fybblywhyp"?
I pronounce it as Fibble(like dribble)whip. For whatever reason I just replaced the vowels with y's. I think it looks more amusing that way. It also rolls off the tongue. Fybblywhyp Quip. Captain Quip. Good name indeed!
@avatar 720 - Let me know if my pronunciation guide helps, lol.
Radio silence was something Razzik often appreciated but as he traversed the downward slope of the tunnel he wished there was some other noise to distract him. Ahead of him the tunnel flattened out and a soft glow illuminated the jagged rocks. Razzik couldn’t see the marines that were hidden ahead of him but the combination of their response and the radio silence had set him on edge.
Nefas and the others felt it to. No commands were necessary when this level of dread dominated everyone’s attention. They weren’t afraid, that emotion was robbed from them along time ago, but the sense of danger was hovering thick in these sharp rocks.
Silently they carefully descended the tunnel. Stones protruded from the floors, ceiling, and walls like jagged teeth. Cover was plentiful but as the tunnel ended and the next cavern began he wished he had more.
Zaduga and Nillahfin were well hidden between boulders and rocky outcroppings. Both were on the shadowy side of their respective rocks and kneeling as low as their super human frames could get. To their left the cavern opened up into unimaginable proportions. The bottom was too deep to see and the distant cavern wall was lost in darkness. Glowing towers that hung from the ceiling could be seen in the gloomy distance. The spires reminded Razzik of the hive worlds he’d seen and fought on countless times.
To their right the smaller cavern opened into a spiky rock garden that ended at a glossy black wall several hundred yards away. The wall was glowing with turquoise runes and dotted with massive circular bladed doors. A handful of them were opened, revealing well lit hangers. The ceiling before the wall was covered with millions of barbed chains. The chains swayed in the casual breeze of the tunnel.
Razzik thought he could make out people in those chains but he didn’t have a chance to further examine them. Zaduga clicked his vox as he spotted an intruder. Everyone melted into cover.
Sixty eight seconds later a ship flew past. With surprising speed and agility it flew towards the wall and into the largest of the walls opened doors. The deep maroon of the ships hull seemed to bleed into the air as it flew. Its six wings each ended in graceful hooks that looked capable of tearing through other vessels. Front hull mounted thrusters kicked in as it disappeared in the wall.
Zaduga crept over from his hiding spot and quietly spoke, “I believe that wall is the outside of the complex we were just in. I’m picking up the faint signal from a skull.”
Razzik switched his attention to his HUD map. He saw it too. The dark unmapped area that showed his current position was now aligned with the distant sensor edge of a servo skull. He blinked clicked the map around to gain some better perspective. One of the lower open doors contained the lone servo skull.
“How is that possible?” He whispered to himself. He zoomed out of the map and let it do some physics recalibrating. The vast complex was now being bent in unnatural ways in order to compensate for the side tunnel he and his marines had taken.
The hand of Nefas reached out and rested on his shoulder, “Captain, this will become much easier if you stop trying to make sense of it all. Not all laws of physics apply in this place,” he hissed.
Razzik looked over at the hand as he thought on Nefas’ words, “This can’t be the warp. We’d all be dead. What other place is capable of ignoring the laws of nature?”
Hmmmmm yes. That is great that you didn't expect it, but more importantly, does it now make more sense? I hope it was like a, "AH HA!" moment, not a "wtf?" moment.
It's very difficult dropping enough hints to give you that right impression without giving it all away. When its all done, you should be able to look back and go, "Oh yeah, I see why he did that or said that."
“MOVE” Razzik shouted as another volley of crystals, discs, and black globs of destruction were sent their direction. Shu-Takii’s volkite cannons laid some suppression fire as the six marines broke from cover while the fire lessoned.
Razzik didn’t know how or who had spotted them but before they had even reached the wall, gun fire from above had highlighted their position. Within minutes all manner of Dark Eldar were descending upon them. Razzik had to force out the questions lingering around Nefas’ response as he focused on surviving this situation.
They had entered through a low level hanger door with Nefas and Razzik in the front. A trio of lithe warriors in turquoise ornate armor met them. The front woman twirled mid air and was about to slash with her sickle like blade when Razzik barreled into her. Nefas sent two shots into the chest of a male that held a long barreled rifle that smoked with a purple haze. The third lashed out at Razzik with a long whip as the Captain punched his powerfist through the females face into the floor. The whip coiled over Razzik’s back pack before the tip dipped down and scored the side of the Captain’s helmet. Nefas adjusted his sight as Nillahfin lunged past him with a long shafted power axe. The dark eldar leaned away from the slow attack. There was a loud shunk as the power axe bit deep into the floor. The lithe xenos laughed but before he could send the whip forward again Nillahfin struck with a left hook. The dark eldar collapsed to the floor from the solid hit.
WHOOSH
The sound of Barru’s missile launcher filled the hanger as Nillahfin pried his axe from the floor and then decapitated the injured dark eldar.
“We need to keep moving,” Razzik said as he quickly got up, his powerfist crackled as the gore and blood was fried off the oversized gauntlet.
Zaduga ran past with Shar-Takazz by his side. Nefas and Nillahfin were next. Captain Razzik waited for Barru to finish reloading before they too ran away from the hanger door towards a side hall.
“We’re almost there Captain. Where shall we go once we’re there?” Shu-Takii asked.
Razzik pondered the question as he ran. He glanced at his HUD map at the lone servo skull in this sector that they were approaching. The shouts and whoops from behind them were closing much faster then he would have preferred. Racing against any kind of eldar was always a bad idea.
“Riders incoming, “Barru stated as he turned around and tucked himself up against the wall. His missile launcher fired a frag missile as the first rider flew around the corner. Barru missed but the missile detonated against the door frame and shattered into the next two riders.
The first rider stood on his hover board and sped up as he first made eye contact with the marines. His skill was truly amazing. He managed to jink past the next bolter shots and zoom forward perpendicular to the ground. The rider headed straight towards Captain Razzik. Razzik raised his storm shield and prepared for the imminent impact but the rider less hover board flew over him down the hall. When he lowered his shield he saw Barru wielding his newly acquired hooked glaive. The hook was embedded in the dark eldar’s chest and the xenos was violently shaking as electricity fried every nerve in his body.
The next group of riders was met by the increasingly dangerous fire from Shu-Takii’s cannons. When a rider, board, or wall was hit by the volkite shots, fire would burst forth and shower the surrounding area. Flaming riders screamed as they spun out of control and slammed into the walls of the wide hallway.
The screams continued as Razzik continued his run. They ran up an incline in a loose formation. At the top of the smooth incline they stood in a wide circular tiered room. It looked like a staging area that led to several other hangers. Statues of helmed dark eldar dominated the dimly lit room. Floating, hidden amongst the equipment that lined the ceiling, was the lone servitor.
Razzik wanted to study his map to try and decipher their quickest escape but Dark Eldar were every where and more were coming. He briefly thought of what he had seen as they reentered the complex. Clouds of raiders and even larger vessels were headed towards the glossy compound wall.
Shaking the memory from his mind he concentrated on the task at hand.
The tiered room had over a dozen different entrances, each was larger then a land raider. Two entrances were large enough for warhound titans to march through. Razzik headed towards the nearest statue for some cover as he examined his HUD. Only half of the tunnels had been explored before the alarms had begun and the floating servitors had gone into hiding.
Nillahfin, Zaduga, and Shar-Takazz opened fire at enemies at the bottom of the incline they had entered from.
“Captain, the foot soldiers are arriving in mass. We need to move.” Shar-Takazz said in between his plasma pistol fire.
“Yes thank you Sergeant,” Razzik said through gritted teeth mildly annoyed at the obvious statement. “Hold them off for just a moment. I need to find the nearest portal.”
Barru sent a frag missile at an upper tier entrance as a gaggle of masked screaming humans came pouring forth.
Shu-Takii walked towards a separate side entrance as sounds of more Dark Eldar echoed. He held up his combi-bolter as his volkite cannons hovered above his shoulders. As one the three guns opened fire.
Frantically Razzik studied his HUD map. He panned over and out. He looked for any sign of a similar room or similar design, anything that would give him a hint as to where they needed to go. He thought about just randomly picking a side hall that hadn’t been explored but this complex was simply to vast, too much was at stake.
A cold chill passed through Razzik while weapons fire spattered off the statue he was hiding behind. A flash of light from an explosion made Razzik blink several times before a moment of clarity washed over him. He saw a side door several floors up flanked by the same glass panels. He marked it on his HUD and sent the servitor to scout as the weapons fire around him increased.
Razzik lifted his shield and ran towards the next statue to look up at the exit. A dozen warriors were taking position to the left of the exit.
“BARRU!” Zaduga yelled. Razzik turned to see the heavy weapons marine get showered with crystal shards. He fell to the floor as several punctured his power armor.
“Shu-Takii clear us a path towards that exit,” Razzik commanded as he moved towards the fallen Ice Angel. Barru reached out for his dropped missile launcher as Razzik arrived. Another volley of shards approached but Razzik protected them with his storm shield. Flashes of light burst forth as the force field engaged.
When Razzik looked up he saw Shu-Takii quickly moving to adjust his heavy weapons. Razzik pulled Barru into cover, he was injured but he’d live. The weapons fire from around the room suddenly ceased.
“Do we have any targets?” Razzik commanded as he scanned the massive room and its many entrances.
Five negatives blinked across his HUD. Razzik responded by setting a new way point.
Shar-Takazz, Zaduga, Nillahfin, and Shu-Takii ran full speed towards the nearest stairs to begin their ascent to the level that would lead them away. Razzik magnetized his shield to his back and picked up Barru.
He ran after them. The marines took steps three at a time, leapt over bodies, and rubble from a statue. In less than sixty seconds they were up three floors and heading towards the appropriate exit.
That was when the roar started. From nearly every tunnel the sounds of screaming, excited xenos echoed. Razzik risked a glance down below as swarms of dark eldar on hoverboards first entered the massive room. Hordes of foot soldiers came next. Razzik then saw the tunnels on the second floor spew forth warriors and scantily clad women that danced as much as ran.
Ahead of him Nefas arrived at their tunnel first. He dove across the entrance of the exit and sprayed full auto down the tunnel. He slid the rest of the way across the entrance on his side. The return fire was sporadic.
Shar-Takazz and Zaduga didn’t slow as they rounded the corner firing snap shots. Shu-Takii and Nillahfin followed right behind. A few seconds later under a hail of fire from nearly every direction Razzik entered the same tunnel.
The dimly lit path was full of bodies. The tactical unit was still pushing forward cutting down the xenos with precision fire. Twenty feet away, Nefas knelt in the center of the hall way with a closed chest before him.
“Nefas, get up. There isn’t any time for this,” Razzik shouted as he ran. Nefas didn’t respond as he whispered some unknown words.
With a quiet prayer Nefas opened the chest as Razzik approached. “Captain, I will hold them off. I will then be right behind you. Do NOT look back.”
Razzik didn’t dwell on Nefas’ words. Instead he shook his head and ran on as fast as he could. Carrying Barru his heavy foot falls crushed the fallen dark eldar beneath him. At the end of the tunnel he nearly slid in a slick puddle of ichor.
“By the Emperor,” Barru said, his words trailing off as the lights dimmed around him. Razzik noticed that Barru was looking behind him down the hall towards Nefas.
Before Razzik rounded the bend he paused long enough to look back. The Sinner marine stood in the hall with his hands held outwards. All around him scores of bolters hovered in the air as even more hovered out of the open chest on their own accord. As the hall fell into darkness Razzik noticed a faint red glow that connected each of the bolters to the open chest on the floor before Nefas.
Screaming Dark Eldar on hover boards swarmed the entrance like a cloud of flies descending on a corpse. As the first xenos entered the tunnel, the bolters in the pitch black hall opened fire.
No amount of jinking could save the Dark Eldar against the wall of bolter fire. Razzik stood in amazement as the hall way lit up from the hundreds of bolters that now hovered and fired at the incoming xenos. The sound of so many firing weapons engaged his sound dampening system. In near silence he watched bodies, hover boards, and alien devices get torn apart by massed fire.
“I told you not to look back,” Nefas hissed across the vox.
Razzik whipped his head to the side to see Nefas standing a foot away from him in the darkness. His eye lenses were glowing with an inner red light.
The cacophony of bolter fire continued down the hall as the two marines stared at one another. Barru looked back and forth between the two.
“What just happened Nefas?” Razzik began.
“What does it look like?” Nefas retorted as his eyes continued their glowing. He then stormed off after the tactical marines.
“Looks like you’re still full of surprises,” Razzik said to himself. He watched Nefas move down the hall between the corpses. He then looked back at the floating bolters. He exchanged a glance with Barru. The injured marine shrugged his shoulders. Without wasting any more time they followed the other marines. Up ahead, Shar-Takazz and the others were still fighting.
Lavilla, thanks for commenting on my thread. I always appreciate everyone's feedback. Try not to let a name ruin it though. It's just a name. Plus, at the rate people die off in this story he may not be around long any ways, lol.
Three more halls, then they were at the area Razzik hoped would lead to their escape of this nightmare realm. Razzik couldn’t hear gunfire behind any longer. He wasn’t sure if he was to far away now, or if the floating guns had ceased firing. What he did know was that nothing had come up from behind them. He thanked the Emperor for that as he ran up a steady incline.
By the time they passed the first side hall the path had slowly become less and less building and more and more rock. The dull glow globes were becoming fewer and the space between them greater. An occasional door was built into the wide stone pathway, but all were closed and silent.
When they reached the second hall no source of light could be seen ahead of them or behind them. A distant echo of the pursuing Eldar occasional bounced off the walls, catching up to the retreating marines.
While running Razzik took the time to further examine his map. This side hall actually looped back around to another section of the main complex, but their destination was near the loops furthest point. An unfinished area on the map met the apex of the loop and Razzik began to wonder what killed the two servo skulls that met their demise at the cavern just past the hall he hoped would be their exit.
Razzik thought on the wide list of enemies he’d seen in this complex when Nillahfin, who was running point, skidded to a halt. Their destination was in sight. Using the dark vision his armor granted him he could easily see banks of glass panels that were stacked on top of one another, several of which were open and vacant. Opaque octagons lined the ceiling above them. Wires dangled in the corners of the rocky ceiling. In between it all was a double door, nearly identical to the one they had exited through earlier in the day.
Nillahfin reached down and picked up half of a servo skull. It had been cleaning sliced. The other half was ten feet away in pieces. Many of the mechanical bits had fallen off after being sliced.
Cautiously, but quickly Shar-Takazz and Zaduga moved forward. Shu-Takii moved to Nillahfin to take the servo skull. After a quick scan he dropped it to the floor. “Not enough to salvage or even get an idea what killed it Captain.”
Razzik nodded as he pressed forward, Barru was still in his hands. They took a defense formation around the double door as Razzik set the wounded Barru down. The marine had lost feeling in his legs but he still gripped the missile launcher and was very alert. Razzik hoped he’d be able to get him out of here before the combat stims and pain killers wore off and the coma set in.
Zaduga checked the door. It didn’t budge. Shu-Takii stepped up to try. Small tools and camera’s emerged from his armor. Razzik watched him work as he concentrated on the silence.
Nefas stood nearby staring down the hall ahead of them. The darkness seemed to get even thicker past the furthest glass panel. Razzik switched through several settings trying to get a better view but it appeared that patches of the wall and ceiling had been replaced by a black nothingness.
A lone grunt from Nefas was all the warning he heard before figures leapt out of the inky darkness before them. Men, at least in form, silently moved towards them at astonishing speeds. Their skin was broken by trenches of inner light and dull flames of green and purple danced about their coal black skin.
The marines opened fire, but many of the shots hit nothing but ghosts and shadows. The few rounds that hit flesh dissipated their targets with a burst of inky blackness. Within seconds the rune skinned eldar and the black armored Ice Angels were in hand to hand combat
Razzik barely blocked the first swing with his shield as a long hooked broadsword came whistling down at him. The Dark Eldar’s white hair dangled over his face. Razzik caught only glimpses of the dark voids where his eyes should have been.
The deep purple hues of the warriors runes flashed randomly as the two fought. Razzik continuously blocked with his shield but every time he attacked with his powerfist the warrior would dodge or jump aside.
A grunt of pain came from Razzik’s right. He risked a glance. Zaduga was on the ground with frosty patches on his black armor. The Ice Angels leg had been cleanly severed just above the knee.
As the shadowy Dark Eldar leapt into the air to finish the kill, a red ball of death collided with him. The vile xenos disappeared into shadow but not before flames erupted from the collision.
In that brief shower of fire, Razzik saw how vastly they were outnumbered. The broadsword wielding Eldar began to speak as if he saw Razzik’s thoughts. His voice was only a whisper in the air, but despite the discharge of weapons and the clanging of weapon, he could hear the words clearly.
As his smooth words corrupted the air, Razzik was grateful he couldn’t understand him. A phlegm filled cackle gurgled out of the Eldar’s mouth as he leapt back away from Razzik. Instead of launching a counter attack he stood waiving his sword around, attempting to taunt the eleventh captain of the Ice Angels.
A long burst of bolter fire dissipated a group of approaching Eldar from Razzik’s left. Nefas ejected a round drum that clanged off the floor. Razzik heard him reload but didn’t get a chance to see it before three dark skinned warriors materialized out of the darkness between them.
Nefas took a deep gash across his upper thigh as he fell away from their attackers. Razzik gritted his teeth as a vibrant green blade bit through his shoulder pad into his upper arm. The wound was minor but the pain was intense.
Razzik swung out with his powerfist and followed with a shield bash. One of the creatures fell back with a shattered face but disappeared before it hit the ground. The hook bladed warrior lunged at Razzik once again. They collided and tumbled to the floor. They fought to get a hold of one another on the floor for a brief moment before the warrior launched himself off of Razzik. He tucked and flipped in the air. At the top of the maneuver he straightened out and pointed his sword down at Razzik. As he fell back towards the Ice Angel Captain, Razzik punched forward with his powerfist.
The series of tubes that now adorned his powerfist erupted with bolt fire. Many of the rounds past through the dark figures body as if it weren’t there at all, but the other exploded upon impact, shredding the Eldar’s body back into nothingness.
Without warning the hall way erupted with bright blinding light. The marines kept firing with closed eyes as their vision adjusted. All of the dark skinned warriors were gone. There were no bodies, not even weapons. Razzik blinked several times before turning to the source. Barru was still leaning up against the wall on the floor. He had sustained yet another wound and his missile launcher had been cleanly sliced in half. Next to him on the floor was an object glowing so powerfully he couldn’t look directly at it.
“Neat….” Barru began as he slumped to the side unconscious.
Nillahfin was quickly by the downed marine’s side and his new contraption. The marine had sunk into a coma from the fresh wounds and the dissipating drugs.
Click click, chink. The hall way echoed. Shu-Takii stood back from the double doors, his tools returning to their positions. “We’re open,” he stated.
Nefas stepped past Shu-Takii and threw open the doors. The Sinner marine limped into the room with his gun at his side. Razzik sighed as he saw a similar crystal floating in the room.
“Everybody in. Shu-Takii get that crystal operational. Shar-Takazz, lets bar this door,” Razzik commanded. Everyone hustled to their tasks as they sent affirmative blips through Razzik’s HUD. Zaduga and Barru were carried into the room. Lastly Razzik came back into the hall to grasp the glowing device. As he turned it in his hands he saw what looked like a modern flash grenade but it had a built in pedestal with a series of dials lining the base. With a twist the device shut off, allowing the utter darkness to return. Instantly the coal back Dark Eldar reappeared and ran forward. Razzik spun the dial back and they disappeared as fast as the light cleansed the hall. For a moment he looked down both halls. A distant whine of hover boards and the patter of running feet could be heard echoing off the long halls.
Cautiously Razzik stepped into the room. The double doors closed behind him.
The first few minutes in the dusty, unused room, were spent looking for anything and everything that can be used to barricade the doors. Zaduga and Barru were placed by Shu-Takii who was so intently focused on a group of control panels that even his cannons were now resting on the floor. While he focused on trying to activate the crystal high up near the ceiling, Shar-Takazz, Nillahfin, and Nefas ran around moving crates and putting as much between them and the door as possible. Razzik started to move an object when something in the deepest darkness of the room seemed to shift and solidify. Without a second thought Razzik reactivated the light Barru had used only moments ago.
The lock was broken from Shu-Takii’s entrance but the doors were heavy and barbed. Multiple heavy metallic crates were pushed up against the door when the first xenos attempted to get inside.
Nefas reached for his weapon but for the moment the doors didn’t budge. As the Dark Eldar shouted and the number of attempts increased, the marines gathered whatever else they could. Several gun shots punched the door but they held.
Tension in the room was mounting as the number of objects they could move and set against the door dwindled. In under three minutes, crates, cages, desks, and chairs were pushed up against the door. One metal table was on its side to protect Shu-Takii while he worked. The marines were then spread out around the room, preparing themselves.
Outside the door, the shouting was replaced by a quiet conversation that only the super human ears of an astartes would be able to notice. It was too quiet to understand but Razzik could only guess as to what they were planning.
Captain Razzik scanned the room closely as he whispered an old Blood Angel hymn to battle the Ice Angels taught their neophytes. Sergeant Shar-Takazz, who was closest to the door, paced back and forth. He was moving silently, flexing his lightning claw and twirling his combat knife. He had a cloak folded up under his back pack and a large satchel full of rectangular shapes, most likely books. At one point Shar-Takazz stopped mid step, his knife effortlessly slid back into its sheath and his hand reached for his holstered plasma pistol. For a moment Razzik expected an explosion or something to happen to the door, but before it did, the Ice Angel sergeant resumed his pacing.
Over the decades with the Ice Angels, Razzik had heard of Squad Rimsin and its honorable sergeant, yet they had never fought together. Often Razzik thought many of the stories of the sergeant were blown out of proportions, as they often do when a group of astartes get together, but as he thought back to the fighting he had seen with Shar-Takazz lately, he was beginning to believe in more of the tales.
With that thought he looked over to Nillahfin. The tactical marine was kneeling near several open glass panels. They offered little protection but did block line of sight to most of the marine. The marine had his bolter up to his chest. In a split second, he could be sighting down his bolter. Another clip was in his other hand, waiting to be loaded.
As the Captain’s gaze passed Nillahfin and moved towards Zaduga and Barru, several loud thuds were heard on the door. They only had a few more seconds before the charges were set and exploding.
Razzik was aware he didn’t need to ask, but he did any ways, “How close are we Shu-Takii?”
The tech marine in training was standing behind one of the metal tables, Nefas was at his side. The two were conversing about the control panels. They seemed to be having a heated debate. Razzik studied Nefas as he watched them converse. He opened his mouth to speak when a voice from outside the doors began to speak. It was in High Gothic and spoken perfectly.
“Astartes! There is no escape from the room you’re hiding in.” The male voice continued. Razzik clenched his fist and drew his shield as the person went on. “You can not expect to defeat me,” the voice chuckled.
Razzik looked over to Nefas and Shu-Takii. The Ice Angel was working the panels; several buttons were now lit up. Nefas met Razzik’s gaze and motioned to respond.
A smile crossed Razzik’s face as he drew breath to speak, “and why not? We’ve defeated everything else we’ve found in this vile complex of filth. What makes you so special?”
The voice beyond the door laughed heartily at Razzik’s response. “I could bore you with my title and tell you about the hundreds of marines I’ve slaughtered but something tells me, you, like all the rest of your dim witted kind, won’t be able to pay attention long enough to understand it. So I’ll cut right to the point.” He spat.
“You can not escape, you have no where to go, BUT you don’t have to die here,” the voice stated. Razzik was turning towards Nefas as the voice continued to babble about offering them a chance to fight for glory in the gladiator pits.
“Will this work?” he whispered.
“Maybe, but it will take time to charge.” Nefas stated.
“How long?” Razzik asked.
“Unknown,” Shu-Takii responded.
“Any idea where this will take us?” Razzik added.
“Negative,” Shu-Takii stated while Nefas shook his head.
When Razzik turned back towards the door he realized the voice had ceased talking.
“How much time do I have to think about it?” Razzik calmly asked.
A growl of frustration came from beyond the door, “I just told you.”
“My apologies, I wasn’t paying any attention to what you were saying,” Razzik stated. “Can you repeat all of that again?”
Curses that began in Gothic and turned into xenos were spat against the door. Razzik got a moment of satisfaction before sounds of grinding stone were heard from around the room. He didn’t have a moment to focus on the sounds when the charges around the doors went off.
The majority of the doors melted under the charges while the debris fell back into the room.
Captain Quip stood in front of the small mirror for several minutes staring at himself. His old captain’s coat fit perfectly just like the first time he put it on. His beard was now neatly trimmed and tidy. It took him several extra minutes to achieve the desired effect but once he was done his sly grin turned into a chuckle.
“This suit is still ridiculous Captain,” he said to himself sarcastically. After a long pause and a plethora of lost thoughts he stared at himself once again.
“It’d be a shame to not get at least one more use out of it,” he said before he enthusiastically retrieved his necessary items, tools, belt, las pistol, collapsible carbine, and customary rapier.
As he strapped on the various belts and pocketed the assortment of gadgets he reached into an inner jacket pocket. In it was a ring. He slowly removed it from his pocket and exhaled.
The ring was simple, a red metal band. It had signs of minor wear and a pair of dents on opposite sides.
“yeah,” he shook his head, “I’ve put this off long enough.”
He slid the ring onto his index finger and strode out of the room. He still had a handful of things to do before he could fully retire. “Time to get the hardest one out of the way,” he said as the door silently slid open.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Three monitors, 178 buttons, seven switches, and one microphone. Kavu knew what every single one of them did, most of the time he didn’t even look at the buttons any more. He had studied them and experimented with all of them until he was their master.
People were always telling him how he should move to a bigger ship, he could easily work for any of the outer rim corporations, but he always laughed at the notion. “Their all daft and proper,” he always said. “None of them will let me drink on the job any ways,” he’d always say with a belly laugh.
Now he reclined with his feet up on a side panel. A mug of “xenos piss” balanced on his overly large gut. In a half daze he would dream of what could have been, what should have been. Then he’d snort and remember how much he hated to work. Slowly he reached to his dark yellow drink. He stared down into its shallow depths.
“Why did you have to ruin my life?” he asked. With a single gulp he finished his drink, the all to familiar burn soothed his throat. “Why do you have to taste so good?”
The time on the center monitor flipped to five. A series of automated systems ran their diagnostics. Kavu didn’t bother to watch them as the reports came in. Nothing had changed. He could tell. He always knew if something was wrong long before the computers told him. The ship would tell him if it was in pain.
After the final diagnostics had completed three quiet chimes rang. Out of habit Kavu turned to regard the final report. Everything looked normal. They were right on schedule.
“Hey Fatty!” a voice from up above shouted.
Kavu rolled his eyes at his companion’s words, “What is it now Vard?” He looked at his empty cup wondering why it was still empty.
“Did you run the extra scan for the Captain?” he asked as he peeked down from the balcony above him.
Kavu smacked his lips lazily and continued to roll his eyes, “No, I don’t see the point of it. The rock didn’t get up and move.”
“It may not have moved, but what if its been run over by stealers, or greenskins? You don’t want us to land on an infested station without being properly prepared. I mean what if…” Vard continued.
“ALRIGHT. Shut up already. I’ll run your damn scan.” Kavu responded.
He mumbled continuously as he pressed several buttons and flipped a single switch without looking at his station. When he was done he got up off his well worn seat and slowly meandered over to the cabinet near the entrance. The shelf at one time held weapons. Now it was full of empty bottles of various size and shape. A lone dark green glass bottle held a slosh of alcohol.
“Come to me my precious,” he said as he poured out the last of its contents into his mug.
Three chimes alerted him to his completed scan. With one hand rubbing his chin he returned to his chair. With a side glance he checked the report.
“There’s nothing on your damn sca…” he said before his brain realized other wise. “Really,” he whined, “so much for a quick final stop” he mumbled as he leaned in to reread the report.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“There is no way you can beat me again,” he said behind his bulbous helmet.
His muffled voice was met by a muffled laugh. “If you’re so confident put some money down,” the other helmed figure said. Her laugh continued when his muffled taunts suddenly ceased.
“50 clinks,” he spat.
“Wow, 50 clinks. I could probably find that in the lounge between the seats,” she said as she crossed her arms. “You’ll give me 1,000 clinks after I whoop you,” she then took her seat at the end of the thick table. Lights lit up as her armored gauntlets fell into place and all of the nodes connected. The other nine chairs blinked, waiting for any one else to take a seat and join.
The man across from her stayed standing. He looked down at the woman as she prepared for another round, “and what do I get when I soundly crush you? I know you don’t have 1,000 clinks to spare.”
“Listen crop duster, there is no way you’ll defeat me.” She said as she leaned back getting into position for her chosen suit.
“That didn’t answer my question Sybyl,” he said as he assumed the same cocky position she had just held.
“Whatever Zim, you can call whatever you want. I don’t care,” she said. She chuckled at the thought. They had played every version of this game and the newest one had proven to be even more addictive then the others. The two of them were evenly matched but she was on a hot streak. She wondered why he was being so ridiculous all of the sudden. He rarely took any bet that she often threw at him.
Slowly Zim adjusted his helmet and took a laid back position at the other end of the table. He paused with both hands above their needed connections. “Okay Sybyl, after I defeat you….” He paused mid sentence as he connected his gauntlets to the chair to start the simulation, “you have to take me on a date.”
“Wh......bu….. hmmmm,” a plethora of broken syllables escaped her lips as she tried to conjure up a witty retort, but before she could think further the game started. She felt the cool breeze on her skin as her consciousness was inputted into the game. Her mind raced on Zim’s words. They had known each since they were little kids, why had he suddenly asked her for a date.
She powered up her battlesuit and took the first few steps forward as her suits systems checked off. She tapped three buttons on her left wrist to choose her weapons.
A plasma blaster, burst cannon, and a missile pod materialized on her arms and left shoulder. All guns, she thought to herself. It was her favorite way to play.
Sybyl jumped her suit from roof top to roof top, scanning the cyber cityscape after each landing. She knew he was hiding somewhere. It was his favorite tactic. He’d hide with his shield drone and twin linked missile pods and wait until he had a lock.
Using her heads up display she had picked out his most likely hiding places but each one she checked left her empty handed. He was purposefully hiding from her longer then usual. Zim knew how much she hated to wait. Patience was not a virtue she had an over abundance of.
“Damn you Zim, quit toying with me,” she whispered to herself. “Show yourself Zim!” she shouted after checking yet another empty position.
His response was a simple chuckle. She was tempted to detach from the game, walk across the room, and punch him but she would loose the bet if she did.
Instead she went back to her scanning and patrol of the city. As she walked across one of the larger buildings in the sector she caught a glimpse of movement in a cathedral several blocks away. She stared in the direction of the movement before plotting her course. She launched herself into the air and across the street. She ran across the roof and jetted over to the next building. Her burst cannon spun up to speed as she made her final jump off the building down into a courtyard. She took cover behind an ornate tomb that glistened in the cyber sun.
The office building in front of her had massive windows that she could easily fit through in her bulky suit. She spotted something moving in the shadows from inside. She readied herself to attack, when a shadow passed over the reflective surface of the tomb she was using as cover. Instinctively she dove to the side.
A loud crack rang from her previous position. Sybyl spun to see Zim in a similar suit but wielding a sword and a fusion blaster. He was already aiming his blaster when Sybyl dove again, this time behind a vehicle half the size of her suit.
“Tricky bastard,” she mumbled to herself.
As the small two wheeled vehicle vanished before the blast Sybyl darted for better cover. She returned fire with her burst cannon as she made several jumps towards better cover. Zim silently charged after her.
Sybyl ricocheted off a building to hide behind a large transport vehicle. She peaked around the front end to see Zim heading right at her. He fired his blaster and melted the front end of the vehicle.
Instead of fleeing Sybyl leapt straight up to land atop the back half of the transport. She fired her plasma and missile’s at him. The plasma blast took off his suits fusion blaster arm and the missiles erupted at his feet. He dove past the ruined transport she stood on into the nearest building.
He crashed through wall on his side.
Sybyl burst into laughter at the sight.
“I hope you have those clinks ready Zim,” she chuckled.
“I’m not dead yet Sybyl,” he retorted.
She sighed, “Fine, I’ll just….” She began as carbine fire erupted across her back.
Her missile pod went inactive from the fire as she jumped forwards and spun around midair. A gun drone was floating out of the building next to the courtyard. She smiled at the ingenuity of her friend.
She got into a position to take out the drone when Zim burst through the same wall but farther down. Sword high he pounced on her.
She contorted just in time to avoid the killing blow but lost a leg in the process. Her suit shook from the impact and when she tried to jump away her trajectory was all wrong. She hit a building three stories up before plummeting to the ground.
The gun drone began to fire again after she crashed to the street. Her heads up display erupted with a light show that spelled her imminent doom.
She growled as she tried to scamper away but her systems were failing faster then she could move. Suddenly she was crushed down into the road. Zim was standing atop her suit.
“Game over Sybyl, I hope you’re ready to pay up,” he said as he lifted his sword.
“I’m not dead yet, “she retorted.
“You’re both dead,” another voice kicked in. Zim was blasted right off of her and another blast completed destroyed her suit a moment later.
As their scores were posted they felt the release of the games life like restraints. Their heads up displays vanished and they were once again back in the gaming room aboard their ship.
Sybyl’s eyes met Zim’s before they both turned to see at the table between them a figure in a royal blue dress suit. He removed his helmet so they could both see his sly grin.
“Wow kids, great game,” Captain Quip said sarcastically.
“Shut up dad,” Sybyl said as she took off her gauntlets.
“Good idea with the drone decoy Zim,” Captain Quip said after laughing at Sybyl.
“Thank you Captain, “Zim said with a slight head bow.
Fybblywhyp stepped around the table and placed a hand on Sybyl’s shoulder, he opened his mouth to speak before looking back at Zim.
“Zim, can we have a minute,” he asked?
“Oh, ah, yes, certainly Captain,” he responded while frantically looking around for his morning brew and his tablet. “Sybyl, I’ll..” he paused, “I’ll talk to you later.” He quickly departed the room almost tripping on a chair leg in the process.
Sybyl chuckled at the clumsy departure of her long time friend, “after all these years he is still intimidated by you,” she said before returning to gaze at her father.
“I don’t know why, he has been a part of this crew longer then most and I treat everyone on this ship like family.” Fybblywhyp said with a shrug.
“It may have to do with the fact that over the years you’ve killed many of the people in your, family.” She responded with a raised eye brow.
“Unfortunately my crew has grown substantially over the years, and you know how I feel about liars and traitors,” he said with a sly grin.
They both chuckled and for a moment they fell silent. Captain Quip thought back on all of the people he had executed. He hated that part of the job, but being a successful Captain in the rim systems had always been tricky. Respect and family, those were two ideas that he strived his crew to emphasis on but despite working for a such a reputable corporation he still had to set an example from time to time.
“I don’t know how you do it dad,” Sybyl whispered. Fybblywhyp refocused on his daughter. “You’ll figure it out Sybyl. They respect you just as much as me.”
She scoffed, “I’m sure some of them do but how do you get eight hundred men, women, kroot, tau, mutant, and whatever Huvv is, to follow you like they do. They adore you!”
Captain Quip grinned, his red tiered facial hair turned up making the grin even bigger. He leaned in to get closer before looking around to see if anyone was around. Sybyl leaned in to listen when Fybblywhyp finally spoke, “I have no idea.”
She rolled her eyes again before they both broke into laughter.
As they laughed, Sybyl caught sight of the red ring on his finger. She reached for his hand to inspect it. She looked at him with a question on her face. Fybblywhyp took a deep breath to release the story he had been practicing for the past several decades when his wrist device pinged, “Captain, you need to see this immediately,” the voice of Kavu spat.
Sybyl’s eyes lit up with excitement. Fybblywhyp sighed. His speech will have to wait a little longer. Together they turned towards the door to head through the ship towards the bridge.
“Good idea summoning everyone Kavu,” Captain Quip said as he glanced around the tiered bridge to all of his senior officers. On the main monitor the entrance to the Elsy’vesith loomed. Parts of the large broken moon had been sculpted into colossal alien artwork. Before the Tau had ever discovered the gas giant that the moon orbited, something had dwelled here, but despite all the research and investigating from all the races in the Tau Empire, no one knew anything other then the broken moon and its “art” were ancient beyond all reckoning.
The two halves of the moon were connected by flowing stone pillars thousands of kilometers long. Cracked and damaged pieces jutted out into space as if they were reaching for the other pieces of the destroyed moon that still floated nearby. Every time Fybblywhyp looked upon them he saw something different. Some almost looked like arms or legs, others looked more like maws on long necks.
Surrounding the main entrance were countless vessels. It was the most traffic Captain Quip had ever seen at this moon. The majority of the vessels were of Tau make but several were from other races that dotted the fringe system.
Fybblywhyp could easily waste an entire day studying the ships that moved around the entrance, but he had cargo to drop off and he was on a schedule.
“Kavu take us in,” Captain Quip commanded.
Kavu responded by spinning in his seat and massaging the buttons before him. The ship purred as they picked up speed towards the gap that formed the entrance to the Elsy’vesith.
“Sybyl, take Huvv and the entire Juv’sep La’Rua to secure payment. Driln, prepare all the cargo for deployment and get every ship mobile once she gives the word,” he smiled at his daughter who nodded at Driln, the grumpiest yet most efficient Tau pirate he had ever met.
“Boolosh, see what we can get for those artifacts we found on Wefnef IV and see what jobs we can pick up. Rekk,” Captain paused as he looked at his chief engineer, “get what ever it is you need,” he said as he waived his hands in the air.
“How much can I spend Cap’n?” he asked with a gleam in his eyes.
Captain Quip tilted his head, “Rekk, buy what we need to keep the ship at optimal efficiency.”
Rekk gave a sloppy Imperial salute, still smiling from ear to ear.
“Oh and Rekk,” the engineer stopped smiling as if he had been caught doing something wrong, “no more missiles, bombs, or explosives.” Quip said while pointing his finger.
Rekk sighed; he gave a look like his favorite kroot hound had just died. “Fine,” he spat.
The lone kroot on the bridge was taller then all of the humans on the ship and, like always, he was in the darkest part of the room, watching. Captain Quip turned to regard the shaper for the small contingent of kroot that worked for him. “Thead, bring four of your kindred. You’ll be with me.” The kroot gave a nearly unperceivable nod.
Captain Quip gave a long sweeping look at his senior officers and the members of his bridge. He had personally recruited each of them. They came from different worlds and different races, yet they all worked side by side under his command. His unique crew was the reason for his success and he knew it.
After this week long stop at Elsy’vesith he planned on handing over command to his daughter and retiring. “Retiring,” he thought to himself with a chuckle. He had made enough money to settle down on some quiet corner of the universe. He hadn’t decided where yet, but he was already excited about starting up another garden. His last garden was the talk of the town, up until the Imperium came and destroyed nearly everything he loved.
“Clearly we’ve arrived at Elsy’vesith at a busy time. This may be my last stop as your Captain but that doesn’t mean you can get sloppy on me.” He paused and gave another glance to Rekk. “Dismissed,” he stated with a clap.
He fiddled with the ring on his finger before Thead stepped into the middle of the room to stand before Fybblywhyp. The kroots plumes were adorned with gold and black jewels. He wore a bandolier of knives and a pistol that was shaped like an axe. His lanky body was hidden under custom black armor that Boolosh had made for him years ago.
“Captain,” he began with a nod. The room fell silent as the Kroot Shaper spoke in his thick accent, “you have been an excellent employer.” He offered up a four fingered hand that the Captain shook with a grin. “I am glad I have not had to eat you,” he added as they released the forearm to forearm shake.
Thead gave another slight nod before turning to depart the bridge, his long strides quickly leading him out of the room. Fybblywhyps grin grew even larger as members of the bridge and several senior officers snickered at the Kroots bizarre compliment.
The next several minutes were filled with other compliments and kind words before each member of his senior staff left the bridge to their assigned duty. When only the two dozen bridge staff remained, the Captain walked over to the railing before the main monitor. The pillars of Elsy’vesith were looming around them as their ship navigated the wide shipping lane. After they rounded one of the largest pillars that connected the two halves of the broken moon, the vast station of Elsy’vesith could be seen sprawled out before them. Lights of all colors dotted the various habs and domes that the Tau had built, but they only covered a small fraction of the ruined labyrinth that first attracted the Tau to this shattered rock.
Fybblywhyp often wondered who built them or why they were ruined, but he was content with the knowledge that he’d probably never find out.
As they approached their assigned location, several side monitors awoke. Images of departing vessels flared to life on each one of them.
“Captain,” Vard spoke down at him, “you were right. I found the Fragrant Eclipse on the far side of the main lane.”
In response, another side monitor altered to show a distant Tau Il’porrui class starship. The Fragrant Eclipse was a beautiful vessel of sweeping lines and elegant curved wings. He always marveled at the flagship that his old friend O’Foosho had obtained.
Fybblywhyp snickered at the upcoming conversation he knew he would be having with O’Foosho.
“He still can’t believe you’re retiring, can he?” Vard asked as if he could read his mind.
“Not at all,” Captain Quip responded.
“I’m sure he’ll give you the whole, for Greater Good speech again, won’t he?” Kavu said in his Tau mocking accent. Other members of the bridge crew snickered at Kavu’s words, but Fybblywhyp knew he was absolutely correct.
“Wish me luck,” he nodded as he turned for the bridge door.
Ahahah O'foosho Loving the name and pondering where this could be going, is this crew destined to engage with the Ice Angels? or along side them, I would think not along side due to the whole penance crusade thing going on at the same time.
As always you keeps us enthralled and waiting on baited breath for your next installment.
Captain Quip walked alone through the halls of his ship. He was lost in the thoughts of future conversations as his body carried him to the shuttle that waited for him. The walk took fifteen minutes but to him it seemed like he had blinked only once before arriving. After that last blink he paused to regard the shuttle that was warming up before him. He grinned as he thought of all of the missions he had run with that piece of junk. The Final Wisp was its current name, but that changed every time he was spotted doing something illegal in the Imperium.
At the loading ramp Thead and several other Kroot were clicking and twitching at one another as they entered. Quip only understood a handful of Kroot phrases but it was physically impossible for him to say anything in Kroot other then “Go Away!” which sounded to him like a sneeze.
Fybblywhyp attempted to take a step forward when his palms began to sweat and he went rigid. He was instantly agitated as he stood unable to move any muscle in his body. He gritted his teeth as he tried to force his way out of it. His eyes began to rapidly blink and he slowly regained control of his upper body. He closed his eyes and concentrated.
“You’re almost there Captain,” a sweet voice said from behind him. He could feel the light touch of finger tips on his shoulder.
The Captain began to growl as he strained. Suddenly he lurched forward. His body was once again under his own control and he panted for several seconds before turning to see Sithri patiently waiting behind him. The small beautiful woman wore her usual black leather tunic, black cape, and black combat fatigues. An excessive number of straps and buckles adorned the outfit. A simple gray bag was hanging over one shoulder.
“You really are improving Captain,” her silky voice purred.
“It only took me ten years to get this far,” he said as his grin returned. She returned the gesture with a simple nod and a sinister smile. Her amber eyes demanded his attention for a fleeting moment. Captain Quip was about to ask what she was doing when she turned back towards the hanger entrance. The quiet sounds of drones approached.
Six floating drones entered the hanger surrounding a robed figure. The robes were brown and non-descript. His face was hidden beneath the heavy fabric.
“Fybblywhyp,” he said with a raised hand to interrupt any spoken words. The dark leathery cracked skin of his palm was briefly seen before disappearing beneath his robes, “before you lecture me again about my importance, I must tell you about…” he began with his high pitched voice.
“Yes you can join me Jecht,” the Captain spoke over him.
Jecht fumbled and swallowed the next few words before giving pause. He was clearly caught of guard by the Captains willingness to allow the ships lone navigator to leave.
“Thank you Captain. I brought my drones and asked Sithri to join me as added protection.”
“Very wise as always Jecht,” the Captain said with a nod. He then stepped back and motioned for them to pass. Sithri and Jecht walked towards the shuttle with the hovering drones.
The Captain took a deep breath as he watched them board the vessel. Those two individuals had been paramount to his success over the years. Jecht was the sole reason he was able to traverse the warp. Something that O’Foosho and every Tau captain were very envious of. Sithri, well Sithri was a psyker that scared the heebees out of him. Her mere presence was often all that was needed to make negotiations go his way and more then once she had saved his life.
Despite all of her value he often wanted to get rid of her completely. Psykers were dangerous. He had seen what they were capable of. Yet every time an opportunity presented itself that would get him as far away from her as possible he resisted. Not only was she part of his crew but she reminded him of his past well before all of the smuggling.
A chill passed over his body as the screams of his dying wife and kids bubbled up inside of him. He clenched his fists and fought his tortured memories. Tears welled up in his eyes. He felt the red ring on his finger and concentrated on it. The screams dissipated and the parting images of the black ships and burning continents scampered out of his mind.
A lone tear slid down his cheek as he regained his composure. He realized he was staring at the deck ahead of him. He glanced to his left and right to see if anyone had seen him. He was alone in the hanger besides the waiting ship, at least he thought. He hesitated after the first step as he met the amber gaze of Sithri who waited at the base of the ramp.
She knew his past. Whether he wanted her to know or not, she knew. For the longest time it pissed him of to no end but now, now he felt sorry for ever having to share his burden.
Tau... not dying... not sure if i can agree with this. Kroot and drones everywhere?! people with character.. will that guy get his date?! To many subplots i say.
Personally, I feel that the tangent story is too different from the rest of the novel. Up to this point it has been a gritty marine story, while this new development is lighter and something of a more "slice-of-life" story. We have been following the same group of marines around, and to have new characters (that I assume you will want to develop more) pop in gives the reader a bit of literary whiplash. I think at this stage of the first story that its too late to add in characters, especially the varied cast we have on Quip's ship. Also, regarding the names, I feel they're a bit silly, though that does fit with the more light hearted storyline.
If I might make a suggestion: Close the arc that the Ice Angels are in now, then end "Book One". Keep Captain Quip & Co., but shift them to "Book Two" of your story. This will allow you to start fresh, so to speak, and have the focus on this crew, if that was a direction you wanted to head into. You could do something of a twin storyline, One with Quip, the other with marines, and throughout the book slowly bring them closer together until the storylines overlap and entwine.
I don't mean to offend in any way, and Im still loving your writing. Merely wanted to throw my 2 cents in. ^^
Ramos Asura wrote: Personally, I feel that the tangent story is too different from the rest of the novel. Up to this point it has been a gritty marine story, while this new development is lighter and something of a more "slice-of-life" story. We have been following the same group of marines around, and to have new characters (that I assume you will want to develop more) pop in gives the reader a bit of literary whiplash. I think at this stage of the first story that its too late to add in characters, especially the varied cast we have on Quip's ship. Also, regarding the names, I feel they're a bit silly, though that does fit with the more light hearted storyline.
If I might make a suggestion: Close the arc that the Ice Angels are in now, then end "Book One". Keep Captain Quip & Co., but shift them to "Book Two" of your story. This will allow you to start fresh, so to speak, and have the focus on this crew, if that was a direction you wanted to head into.
You could do something of a twin storyline, One with Quip, the other with marines, and throughout the book slowly bring them closer together until the storylines overlap and entwine.
I don't mean to offend in any way, and Im still loving your writing. Merely wanted to throw my 2 cents in. ^^
No offense taken. I love the feed back. I can see where you are coming from, but this little tangent is a side effect of my ever evolving writing progress. Captain Quip and his crew will become very important here shortly and they'll help actually end my first book which in turn will set up book two! When my rough draft of book one is all done, I'd most likely introduce Captain Quip WAY earlier in the story so that you don't get such a solid chunk of him at once. That was actually the plan from the get go but I was incredibly focused on the Ice Angels that I couldn't get my creative juices to drum up anything else. The problem I've run into now is that I can't finish the Ice Angel section without bringing Captain Quip up to speed. Once I finish book one I plan on doing a massive edit and rearrange so that Quip's story line is intermingled a bit more.
I don't have that many funny names do I? I only have one more awesome one to reveal, then I'm done. I SWEAR!
Slight side note. Lets say I finish book one. I then rearrange and edit book one. What should I then do with said book? Should I go back and redo everything I've written in this thread? Or repost the entire story at the end of wherever this thread is at that time? Should I just post a link to download the file of it all? Should I start a new thread and post the entire story out? I know I'm getting a bit head of myself but the end is closer then you all think!
That does make a lot of sense. And I guess not too many, but the ones you have are quite silly Fybblywip Quip, O'Foosho... But like I said, they do work in the atmosphere.
As to what to do with it later, I definitely would like to see an edited and "improved" version all together. I think the best way would be to have a file all compiled together available for download.
if you do decide to post out the whole story, I wouldn't do it in this thread, as I think that this thread is more of a place where we get the story piece by piece.
Create a new thread if you want to pop the whole thing up. Otherwise let us download it ^^
Holy crap! I have today off and the house all to myself. I decided to sit down and do some writing. 10 pages later! Prepare for a massive entry in the VERY near future. Get excited!
Elsy’vesith was an ancient ruined labyrinth that countless races had investigated and built upon. When the Tau had arrived an abandoned Imperial outpost became the beginning point for their small trading outpost. Now the station was a sprawling maze of compartments each connected by shuttle tubes or long halls that vehicles traversed so they could quickly move between the ancient chambers built within the rock of the broken moon.
After docking and disembarking Captain Quip and his conglomeration of escorts headed straight into the commons, an oblong room that was attached to every other major center of the station. Along the way O’Foosho had requested a meeting with his usual verve. As the party past through a maze of bulk heads and past a Fire Caste security check point they finally arrived in the commons.
The chamber was full of people of all races. Lines were formed by the various exits as tau, humans, slaan, zentaurs, and kroot alike waited for the hover trans to return or waited for the Crawler Tour to start its daily run around the outside of the station. Tau Fire Caste security held several check points and hundreds of drones hovered above the crowds.
In the center of the chamber, around several kiosk map drones, a Riptide stood tall. The dark brown suit occasionally turned to look around the room. It dwarfed everything around it; even the vehicles that carried dozens of people at once looked small next to the armored behemoth.
Seeing the Riptide along with so many drones made Captain Quip pause, it was very rare to see this kind of security at the trading center. Then again, Elsy’vesith was substantially more crowded then usual. Scenarios as to what could cause such an influx of traders came to mind as a shout pierced the nearby crowd.
“Here he comes Captain,” Sithri stated well before anyone could see the portly Tau.
O’Foosho was floating forward in a reclined chair drone. Several drones flanked him with cool refreshments. A dozen Tau in dark brown fatigues jogged around him forming a perimeter that soon included Captain Quip and his escorts.
“El’Quip, it is SO good to see you. It truly has been too long,” O’Foosho began with large hand gestures that almost looked like he was trying to fly.
“Indeed,” Captain Quip responded with a bow. Despite the flamboyant behaviors of O’Foosho, he always paid him as much respect as he could muster. O’Foosho did lead the entire water caste for this sector, which often meant Captain Quip was employed in one way shape or form by the heavy set Tau.
“PAH, enough of that,” he said with a dismissive hand wave. “Come come come, you and your crew are all welcome at my tower for as long as you’re staying. We have much to chat about and I have a fresh shipment of Wasa’Voo.”
Before Captain Quip could even respond, the floating Tau turned and headed towards a lavish hovership that several score of people could comfortable embark upon. Along the way, a member of the Tau fire team handed him a tablet drone. The flat device gave out command codes and keys for all of Captain Quip’s crew so they could all enter and enjoy the hospitality of O’Foosho freely.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The grinding sounds coming from the wall grew in volume and pitch as the Dark Eldar poured through the hole where the doors used to be. Shu-Takii with his Volkite Cannons and Zaduga with Barru’s missile launcher fired into their midst. Shar-Takazz leapt into action engaging the few that survived the initial heavy weapons fire. Nillahfin patiently waited taking shots to help cover Shar-Takazz. Razzik stood with his shield up and watched.
In the first seconds scores of Dark Eldar had perished but they kept coming and Shar-Takazz was forced to fall back. The volkite cannons floated high above Shu-Takii’s head to fire down into the incoming xenos. Fire was now burning all around the blasted door and along the corpses of their enemies.
The smell of weapons discharge and burning flesh quickly thickened in the air. Razzik saw cracks beginning to form along the wall on opposite sides of the blasted door. They would be through in less then a minute.
Nefas was suddenly at his side modifying his gun with amazing speed.
“I’ll handle this side Captain,” he said as the barrel in his gun tripled in size and a belt dropped out from his back pack. Razzik responded by shouting and charging to Shar-Takazz’s side.
“FOR THE MANTLE AND CAPTAIN RUUSA!” he bellowed as he crashed into a group of heavily armored Dark Eldar that had gotten around the whirling form of Shar-Takazz. The white helmed black armored Eldar carried long curved blades with multiple grips along the dull side of the blade. They were incredibly fast and agile like everyone in the Dark Eldar race, but just like their rest of their xenos kind, they died quickly within the powerfist of Captain Razzik.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fybblywhyp stood outside the orange and teal hovership listening to O’Foosho brag about his trading exploits while his guards and drones loaded up the vessel. Thead and his Carnivores sniffed the air and paced nearby. Sithri was speaking with one of the Tau Fire Warriors with Jecht and his guard drones standing right behind her.
The sounds of O’Foosho began to blend into the ambiance of the room as Quip scanned the vast chamber before them. He spotted groups of his crew efficiently moving about their business, boarding various vessels, and chatting with traders. At one of the cargo control desks he saw his daughter along with Zim and their guards. He swelled with pride as he noticed the confused look from the Tau water cast employee and the wide smile coming from his daughter.
O’Foosho began to lift into the air as the hover drone he sat upon raised up to enter the craft. Quip watched the chair drone enter along with several Fire Warriors. He turned back to his own crew to gather them in when he saw Blind Jecht, the navigator, pointing out into the crowd with a sense of urgency. With his other hand he tugged on Sithri’s tight leather sleeve.
Captain Quip tried to spot what he was pointing at but he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
Sithri was listening to the old navigator before she turned to look past Jecht at Quip. She shook her head in confusion.
“Jecht, what are you so excited about?” Fybblywhyp asked as he approached. Thead stalked nearby to listen in.
“No, it can’t be. It isn’t possible. How could that show up? Was it always like this?” Jecht was rambling incredibly fast. “We should leave. Nothing good could come from this.”
Fybblywhyp concentrated on the robed navigator before meeting Sithri’s gaze. She looked just as confused as he felt.
“Captain,” Jecht shouted as he spun around and got within inches of his face. Thankfully his heavy robe covered all of his face except his mouth. His breathe smelled of cinnamon and dough. “Something is happening. We have to seek shelter immediately!”
“What are you talking about?”
Jecht growled with frustration, knowing that they couldn’t see what he could see with his third eye. “I can’t explain it but something is about to break through the fabric of space in this chamber. “
“Have you seen anything like this before?”
“Only in my nightmares,” Jecht frantically responded.
At this point Jecht was nearly hysterical and Captain Quip was scanning the room trying to find some clue or hint as to where this tear in space could appear. Thead and his carnivores were already loosening weapons and preparing themselves for anything. This in turn alerted the Tau Fire Warrior Guards.
“El’Quip,” the mellifluous words of O’Foosho came from behind him, “What is going on?”
* * * * * * *
“It’s opening!” Shu-Takii shouted as he picked up the unconscious form of Barru. The crystal above them was casting shades of teal and turquoise as a black curtain appeared as a line from the crystal to the floor. It was only as wide as a hair at first but it was steadily growing.
Captain Razzik didn’t have time to extrapolate the speed in which it was opening. He was busy fending off the nearly endless stream of Dark Eldar that were screaming into the room.
To his left the sounds of grinding stone ceased as a drill bit the size of an astartes chest burst through the wall. It pulled back and was replaced by giant claws that began to tear down the stone wall. Nefas targeted the opening and fired four grenade sized shells in rapid succession through the hole. Beams of bright light flashed from the hole as one the claws fell into the room without the rest of the body.
“Pain engines are coming through the walls Captain,” Nefas hissed as he adjusted the belt feed for the next four rounds.
Captain Razzik blocked another two strikes from the long blades of his opponents as he protected Shar-Takazz’s flank. The lightning claw and plasma pistol that Shar-Takazz held were both smoking from use and his armored form was covered in deep scratches and embedded shards from Dark Eldar weapons.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“THERE!” Sithri spat as she pointed to a point near the Riptide.
O’Foosho and everyone else looked in that direction to see a floating crystal seem to pierce reality and hover perfectly still in mid air. The map kiosk drones and the Riptide were both oblivious to the crystal at first but a Fire Warrior beneath it pointed up to it and within seconds a wave of alertness washed over the Tau of the fire caste.
“We need to clear this room immediately,” Captain Quip stated as he looked away from the crystal at the groups of his crew scattered around the giant room.
“But El’Quip, we don’t know what it is or even what is does,” O’Foosho began as he pressed several runes on his floating chair. “Perhaps this is another of Elsy’vesith’s mysteries opening up before us.”
“Nothing good comes from these Captain, nothing.” Jecht reiterated as his voice trailed off. He rubbed his hands together anxious as to what may come next.
“We should clear the room O’Foosho until we know what we’re dealing with,” Captain Quip demanded as he spotted his daughter from across the room.
“Bah!” he dismissed with a hand wave, “Let us see what happens shall we,” O’Foosho said as he floated his chair up to get a better view over everyone’s heads.
Captain Quip gritted his teeth and quickly alerted his entire crew through his wrist communicator. He saw heads turn throughout the room as the various crew members acknowledged the message and quickly began to head towards the shuttle bays.
“Let’s get out of here,” Captain Quip commanded to his companions.
Sithri and the Kroot were all taking their first steps when Jecht cried out, “IT’S TOO LATE!”
A black beam shot from the crystal straight towards the floor. It stopped at the floor and began to widen like a curtain opening at the beginning of a show. People nearby began to back up cautiously. The Riptide stepped away as its weapons loaded themselves. The handful of Fire Warriors took cover behind several drone kiosks.
The first thing through the portal was a floating skull. It hovered near the crystal. Guns from across the room trained on the skull and waited but before commands could be given it reversed back into the black wall.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Atmospherics check out Captain,” Shu-Takii stated as he hefted the body of his fallen comrade.
“Get to the curtain and out as soon as we can fit!” Razzik commanded as he began to fall back. The Dark Eldar were still pushing forward. Streams of fire bounced off his armor and off his shield. To his left Nefas was firing his last group of shells at the next pain engine that was squeezing through the wall. The grinding noise on the far side of the room was stopping.
Nillahfin got up from his crouched position and moved towards Shu-Takii and the curtain as a screeching orb came out of an unseen weapon. It hit the brightly glowing grenade that was providing the protective light in the room.
A single blink later and they were plunged into darkness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fybblywhyp pulled up an open link to his crew members on Elsy’vesith and on his ship. “This is your Captain, red alert. Commons has been breached by an unknown force. Everyone back to the ship!”
The voice of Kavu was the first to respond, “What was that?” he casually asked.
“Kavu get my ship to combat alert NOW!” He wasn’t in the mood for his back talk.
The curtain was widening at an alarming speed. Across the oblong room people stared dumb founded by the bizarre appearance of the wall and crystal, only Fybblywhyp’s crew were moving away. At least until the first poisonous shard pierced the curtain and embedded itself in the chest of a nearby trader.
As the Tau grasped at the shard and looked around in shock, a heavily armored form slumped through the curtain.
Captain Quip gasped at the sight of the fallen space marine. He was the only one in the entire room that had seen one in real life. The Tau were aware of their existence but only Fybblywhyp had seen what they were capable of.
He raced over to O’Foosho and shook his chair violently. The floating drone purred in agitation as it tried to keep the leader of the water caste level, “FIRE EVERYTHING INTO THAT PORTAL!”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After Shu-Takii tossed Barru through the curtain he turned around to help Zaduga. Nillahfin covered them both at the very edge of the darkness. Shar-Takazz continued to back up at Razzik’s side when a Dark Eldar flipped over them both. The tightly armored Eldar wielded a chained segmented sword and a curved dagger. Skulls and bones were woven into his lavender cloak.
At the site of this figure the Dark Eldar pushed the attack, heedlessly throwing themselves at the space marines. Razzik side stepped a downward slice away from Shar-Takazz. He could have slain the white helmed Eldar but instead took the split second to see what the cloaked xenos was doing.
Nillahfin was falling back through the curtain with several deep gashes in his chest and helmet.
Shu-Takii was grasping Zaduga and was about to push him through the curtain as the Dark Eldar kicked aside Zaduga’s bolt pistol with impossible speed.
Razzik took a cut to the leg as payment for his distraction. He had let the sight pull him away from the immediate threat. He cursed his failure to concentrate as an unknown weapon round passed between him and Shar-Takazz. The blast vaporized a row of Dark Eldar all the way back to the door.
“That came from the curtain,” Razzik said to himself.
Both Razzik and Shar-Takazz leapt away from the curtain towards Nefas. Razzik turned to see the cloaked Dark Eldar’s segemented sword tighten up to form a solid blade. He then plunged it through Shu-Takii’s chest.
Zaduga was prone next to Shu-Takii. The volkite cannons fell to the ground at the death of their user.
The Dark Eldar stood near the curtain and smiled at the three standing marines. Weapons fire erupted from the curtain behind the Eldar, but he seemed to not mind. The unknown weapons fire tore through the other xenos behind him but it only seemed to excite them. The survivors ran at through curtain. A pain engine pushed through the wall towards the opposite side of the curtain to vanish within its black depths.
Razzik eyed the Dark Eldar. He could sense the marines at his side. He could almost taste the fury that Shar-Takazz was emitting at the loss of his squad mates. He whispered through his vox, “We must get through that curtain.”
The Dark Eldar continued to smile as he gracefully fell into a combat stance. Shar-Takazz growled and leapt at him. Nefas moved to flank and Razzik charged forward with his shield and white clenched powerfist.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The fire power that a Tau force could muster was a sight to marvel at but the fear of seeing a space marine still chilled Captain Quip’s bones. Two dozen fire warriors, forty or so traders, and the lone Riptide fired at the curtain from opposite sides. Drones were entering the chamber and heading towards the black portal.
The return fire was sporadic at first but then a floating twisted aberration exited the portal on the side opposite the Riptide. People screamed and fled at the sight. The Fire Warriors stood their ground at first, but when their weapons seemed incapable of slowing it down, they too began to retreat.
Finally the Riptide’s missiles took down the floating beast, but this distraction allowed many screaming men and women to exit the portal and into the front ranks of Fire Warriors.
Captain Quip watched the unfolding battle but couldn’t get the image of the space marine out of his thoughts. He ignored the incoming messages from his officers. He forgot about his daughter and his crew as fear gripped him. It was a primal fear that shook him to his core.
The memories of a red armored space marine walking through fire paralyzed him. The red armored marine was ignoring the fire that burned all over the building and around him. He stepped up to Fhybblywhyp and looked down upon him. He felt like a child at the presence of the gigantic engineered super human, “We’re taking your wife and children,” the marine said in a deep voice, “if you refuse,” he paused and leaned closer, “millions will suffer.”
Fhybblywhyp couldn’t move or speak, he could hardly think.
A distant voice trickled into his dream like state, the voice was familiar. “Captain,” it whispered. “Captain, come back to me,” it demanded. Finally the memory broke as his genitals exploded with pain.
He was curled on the floor holding himself, rocking back and forth. Sithri stood over him.
“Sorry Captain, you didn’t respond as quickly as I would have preferred,” she said over the din of gun fire.
Captain Quip grunted in pain, “did you have to kick my first mate?”
She gave him her usual sinister smile, “it worked didn’t it?”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Dark Eldar ducked under Shar-Takazz’s lightning claw upper cut and stabbed him in the side. Shar-Takazz stumbled into another Dark Eldar and they both fell through the curtain.
The cloaked Dark Eldar broke apart his sword back into its segments and sent them wrapping around Nefas’ gun. When the Eldar yanked it back, the gun fell into shredded pieces. Nefas screamed in defiance as he slashed with his combat blade. The Dark Eldar laughed and deflected the angry slash.
Razzik then barreled into the Dark Eldar and they slid across the floor. He tried to get a hold of the Dark Eldar with his powerfist so he could crush the life out of the xenos scum but the Eldar was simply too fast. He was always able to dodge, block, or parry any attempt he made to reach him. Before they could slide to a halt the Dark Eldar threw the heavier astartes off of him. He passed through the curtain and crashed to the floor on the other side.
On this side, Dark Eldar were fighting Tau, humans, and kroot in a massive chamber. A space marine hand was dangling through the curtain in front of him. The hand wasn’t moving but Razzik grabbed it and pulled with all of his strength.
The collapsed form of Shu-Takii and his deactivated cannons were pulled through the curtain. To his right Zaduga dragged himself through. Captain Razzik didn’t know how the marine was still alive.
It sounded like Dark Eldar were still pouring through the other side of the curtain. Razzik attempted to determine what to do next when he was knocked over as the flying form of Nefas exited the curtain right into him. The two of them tumbled to the floor. Nefas was on top of him and was motionless. Razzik didn’t have time to examine him before the smiling cloaked Dark Eldar casually walked through the black wall. Other Dark Eldar ran past them towards the scrambling Tau.
The cloaked Dark Eldar stepped onto Nefas with one leg which in turn pushed down on Razzik. In perfect high gothic he spoke, “You would have had so much fun in my gladiator pishhhhh.”
His sentence was interrupted by the swift foot of a giant mechanized suit that punted him back through the curtain. Razzik, at first, thanked the Emperor. He then regarded the massive suit that stood before him. It pointed a gun the size of a rhino APC down at him when a thought came to Captain Razzik. He pointed at the crystal and shouted. “SHOOT THE CRYSTAL!”
He hoped it understood his words.
The small camera like head of the suit swiveled over to the crystal. It brought its massive gun to bear and in a flash the crystal ceased to exist along with the wall of blackness.
Dude, that was awesome! so many perfect points in that passage! I laughed at fibb getting his "first mate" kicked, I was sad to see another marine fall.
Then the riptide kicking the gak out of that DE was the cherry on the cake!
Thanks Mr. Nobody. Sorry Gitsplitta, Fybblywhyp is turning out to be a good character. I may keep him around for awhile. I may also be saying that just to spite you, lol.
HEY! Somebody post a response so i can put up more story without an auto update!
Captain Razzik stood passively amongst the bodies of his comrades. The battle quickly faded around him as the Dark Eldar were out gunned by the Tau and the other forces in the vast chamber. The giant mechanized suit before him kept its rectangular barreled cannon aimed at him while he watched.
“If I die before the hands of my enemies,” Razzik began to recite a verse from the litany of death to himself as the suit vigilantly watched him and his gaze returned to the large weapon.
Razzik studied his HUD while he recited the words. His armor had sustained multiple breaches but his iron halo was still functioning. His faith in the Emperor told him it would protect him, but he wished it wouldn’t need to be tested verse the cannon that was held before him.
According to his HUD Barru, Nefas, and Nillahfin had succumb to their regenerating coma’s. Shar-Takazz and Zaduga were both conscious but heavily wounded and laying on the floor. Shu-Takii was their only loss.
As the minutes rolled by the number of guns aimed at Razzik steadily increased. He was soon surrounded by a mixed force of Tau, humans, and other xenos he had never seen before. They all kept their distance and formed a large circle around him and the tall Tau battle suit.
Finally a smaller battle suit leapt over the wall of warriors into the circle. It was still taller then Captain Razzik but substantially smaller then the giant suit he first encountered. It was the same dark brown as the others but it had additional stripes painted on the camera like head and chest. A gun was strapped to each of its arms and a cluster of antennas were clustered on one of its shoulders.
It moved gracefully across the floor towards him. When it was within three paces it stopped and raised up one of its weapons.
Razzik continued to stand casually.
* * * * * * * * * *
Fybblywhyp stared at the astartes. From his vantage point he could easily see the ever increasing ring of guns that surrounded him. Quip had stood silently watching the battle unfold while trying to control the emotions that boiled inside of him. O’Foosho hovered nearby and was speaking Tau into one of his communicator devices when several phrases tore Fybblywhyp’s gaze away from the space marine.
“You’re going to do what?” Fybblywhyp asked as he reached for O’Foosho’s chair drone.
“Think of it El’Quip! We have a live space marine. One of humanities finest warriors! We could learn so much from it.” O’Foosho excitedly rambled on while Quip shook his head adamantly. Seeing his head shaking O’Foosho turned his chair to look directly at Captain Quip.
“How can this NOT benefit the Greater Good?!” O’Foosho loudly retorted.
The question echoed around the two of them. Fybblywhyp took a step back as his mind raced. He looked left to see Blind Jecht and Sithri. The psyker nodded her head. She knew what he had to say. He looked back to O’Foosho when he heard hurried footsteps from his right.
“Father,” Sybyl said as she burst through the crowd. Her guards were right behind her and she looked unharmed.
“I told you to get back the ship,” he quietly spat as she hugged him.
“We were cut off by the Tormenters and I can handle myself just fine,” she said with a cocky grin.
Fybblywhyp glared at her with look she had rarely seen. She took a step back, confused by his reaction. Without further comment he turned back to O’Foosho.
“O’Foosho,” he took a deep breath,” you do NOT know what you’re dealing with,” he began.
The floating Tau waved his hands dismissively and looked around, unphased by his words. He attempted to turn his chair drone away when Captain Quip grabbed it with both hands and pulled at it so he could get closer to the leader of the water caste. O’Foosho’s guards raised weapons at the disrespectful display.
“LISTEN TO ME!” he shouted.
Taken back by the sudden change of mood by one his favorite traders O’Foosho waved off his guards and looked at Quip.
“If you harm those astartes, the others will find out. It doesn’t matter how safe you think you are. It doesn’t matter where you go. The rest of them will come for you,” Quip quickly spoke.
O’Foosho absorbed the words for a moment before quietly responding, “I know you humans are raised on stories of their powers and capabilities but most of them must be myths. They are no angels El’Quip.”
Captain Quip let go of the chair drone and looked down at the floor. He breathed heavy and clenched his fists as O’Foosho hovered nearby. The red ring on his finger caught a flicker of light and he took a side glance at his daughter before looking back at the heavy set Tau.
“No O’Foosho, they are no angels. That’s true. They are demons. Terrible creatures designed to do nothing but destroy. If you do not let them leave…” he paused as his hands trembled, “they will destroy your family, your home, and the planet you live on. AND that is not some story or some fable. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!”
Captain Quip was quaking with emotion. He barely could contain the hurricane of fear, anger, and remorse that stormed in his soul. Tears swelled in his eyes and hatred filled his fists. After a few silent moments he regained a miniscule amount of control over his emotions. He knew his reaction was creating a profound effect on those around him.
He heard the gasp of Sybyl and several others. He reached out to grab his daughter’s hand. She was the only thing that he had escaped with all those years ago. He couldn’t stand the thought of watching so many people he cared for taken away from him. Not again.
“Please,” he whispered as he shook his head. “How would that benefit the Greater Good O’Foosho?”
The sector leader of the water caste sat back in his chair and tapped his fingers together. He chewed his lip deep in thought. The emotional display from the most successfully trader he knew had surprised him.
For what felt like an eternity, the Tau pondered what to do. He looked over to the lone standing space marine. The black armored super human could help them better understand the human elite that often stepped in to defeat the Fire Caster when battles erupted between the Tau and Imperium, but then again, what if El’Quip was right.
“Very well El’Quip,“ he said with another hand flourish. “I agree that they should leave unharmed.”
Captain Quip sighed and visibly relaxed.
O’Foosho then smiled and leaned forward, “Where do you plan on taking them?”
O’Foosho didn’t need to explain himself once the shock of the question wore off. There was no ship faster then the Benevolent Aberration and Captain Fybblywhyp Quip specialized in trading with the Imperial worlds that bordered the Tau frontier. He was the ideal candidate for the task.
Before he left the presence of the Tau leader he snapped out a string of orders to his officers. The storm of emotions had now vanished from his façade as the job was suddenly laid out before him. Sybyl and her guards completed their trades and paid extra to have the goods moved immediately. Blind Jecht along with the majority of the other crew members still on Elsy’vesith finished their tasks and went back to the ship.
Sithri, Thead, and a score of his best soldiers stayed to meet the Space Marines that were still surrounded by the Fire Warriors.
The standing marine had hardly moved since his arrival. Even after two of his comrades slowly rose from their prone positions, he stayed passive.
As Captain Quip strode through the Commons his mind focused on what he should say to the genetically modified super humans. He wondered what approach he should take. He didn’t want to show any fear but he wasn’t sure he could hide it from the armored monstrosities. On several occasions he had to force himself to continue moving as he neared the marines. They were huge and imposing figures. Fybblywhyp would have trouble reaching to the top of their wide shoulders without the use of a stool. Their black armor was damaged and scorched, dented, and broken. Some of their injuries looked fatal yet they still stood defiantly before the masses. Xenos blood caked all of them and if he hadn’t seen one of them killed all those years ago he would have thought them unstoppable killing machines.
The marine that had been standing the entire time watched over his comrades before turning to regard Fybblywhyp. The black armored marine didn’t appear to have any weapons other then a white powerfist but that seemed to make him even more imposing. He showed no fear despite being surrounded by enemies with nothing but his fists. Captain Quip was only a few steps inside the ring of warriors but he felt like a naked child before the armored warrior before him. The Tau battle suits stepped back as Captain Quip and his posse approached.
He got as close he dared before stopping and looking up into the purple eye lens of the marine.
“Greetings space marine, I am Fybblywhyp Quip, Captain of the Benevolent Aberration.”
He paused hoping to get a response from the marine but the armored super human continued to silently stare down at him.
“Ah…. very well, I’m heading to Imperial space as soon as my ship is ready. I’m assuming you’d like to return to wherever you’re from…” Fybblywhyp thought about being a bit more diplomatic but realized it probably wouldn’t help… “So I’ll be taking you with me.”
The room was ghostly silent for the next minute until finally the marine took a final look at the battle suits and Fire Warriors around him then to Quip.
“That would be excellent. Thank you Captain Quip,” the marine gave a slight nod while his deep voice boomed.
Captain Razzik assisted Zaduga into the webbing on the wall of the cargo hold. He strapped him in and whispered some words of encouragement. The marines leg had been severed just above the knee in addition to a handful of bullet wounds. The bleeding had stopped within seconds of the leg injury and it was already scabbing over. Razzik knew the marine was heavily drugged but as long as he needed he would be able to count on the marine.
“Just a little longer brother, stay with me,” Razzik whispered through his vox. Zaduga gave a single nod before beginning a meditation to help him focus. As helpful as these traders have been they were still working with xenos and can’t be trusted.
A few spots down Shar-Takazz was secured on his section of the bench. He stared across the room over a floating cargo drone at the humans that were accompanying them. Razzik took a few steps over to the sergeant of Squad Rimsin.
The marine had a nasty wound in his side. His breath was raspy. It sounded like a lung was collapsed. Several armored plates on his arms were heavily damaged or missing. His helmet was smashed in and one eye lens was cracked. Despite all of those injuries Shar-Takazz was still signaling full combat readiness.
With a side glance Razzik looked across the cargo hold to the crew that Shar-Takazz stared down. There were twenty two humans all together spread around the room. Nearly all of them looked like grizzled veterans yet Razzik could sense their trepidation. They hadn’t seen a real space marine before and he could sense their fear.
With a sharp clap the cargo drone ceased moving and sank partially into the cargo hold floor. An aged human with massive fore arms and silver hair got up from his kneeling position.
“There we go,” he said to himself as he pushed aside a silver lock of hair from his face. He checked several straps that were holding the bodies of the injured marines in place before taking his own seat a few places down from Shar-Takazz.
Captain Razzik studied this man closely, Boolosh, was what Captain Quip had introduced him as and he was the only human in the room that showed no fear. In fact, the elderly human seemed intrigued by the super humans and their gear.
“We’re about to take off sir, you may want to take your seat,” Boolosh said to Razzik who was still standing between Shar-Takazz and Zaduga. Razzik stepped over to the palate of unconscious marines, ignoring the words of Boolosh.
Without further warning the cargo ship slowly rose from its position and took off from Elsy’vesith towards their ship. Razzik had no trouble keeping his balance on the rumbling floor as the ship moved from one gravity center into space.
During their short trip Razzik closely examined each marine that lay before him. Nillahfin was deep in his healing coma, but he was struggling. He had many injuries and several wounds didn’t close properly. Razzik knelt closer and smelled one of his chest wounds. The stench of Dark Eldar poison was detected from his suits enhanced systems. Razzik gave a short prayer before he stepped over to Nefas.
The Sinner marine had taken several stomach wounds along with a blade to the base of his neck. Upon closer inspection they looked worse then they really were. Yet Nefas was deep in his coma. He wondered if he had suffered additional unseen wounds or was the victim to yet another unknown Dark Eldar weapon.
Next was Brother Barru who was deep into his trance. He needed medical attention as soon as he could get it or he wouldn’t last. With another prayer he stepped over to the still body of Shu-Takii. “You would have been an excellent tech marine,” Razzik said in the native tongue of Shattermantle. Razzik rested a hand on the marine’s chest as he thought about the pivotal role Shu-Takii had played in their escape. While he was reminiscing, the icon in his HUD for Shu-Takii shifted into a yellow transitional icon.
A smile crossed his face as an encrypted message appeared in a side queue.
“How’s our new med bay coming?” Fybblywhyp asked as he paced back and forth on his bridge. People were hustling all around the crowded collection of rooms that made up the bridge.
After several seconds Vard reported back, “Hygeia stated that it’ll be ready in ten minutes, they are having trouble reactivating some of the older machines.”
Fybblywhyp looked at the cargo ship icon lumbering along its path towards his ship; ten minutes would be cutting it close. He had taken his much faster transport to get things ready for their newest “cargo”. On the screen around the lumbering cargo ship, he could see other vessels were speeding back with there own typical cargo. His crew was handling the sudden change of plans quiet admirably. At least that’s how it looked on the screens. He admired their quick responses but couldn’t help but notice the unease around him on the bridge. He had seen them in many sticky situations but this one was different.
With a deep sigh he resumed his pacing as he ran through his plan once again. He had already plotted their course. Once everyone had returned and the fueling ships were completed they would be on their way. He hated to leave with such haste but the thought of keeping space marines on his vessel any longer then needed continued to unnerve him.
He opened up a private channel to his ships chief Engineseer. “Are we sure the doors will open Rekk?”
“YES! How many times must I tell you? The last repairs I did personally. They will open if you need them too.” Rekk closed the line with disgust.
Fybblywhyp had learned to trust in Rekk’s capabilities but he had a tendency to be forgetful about important aspects of repairs. On more then one occasion plans had taken unexpected twists because of malfunctions that Rekk had claimed to personally see too.
Captain Quip prayed that there wasn’t going to be a need to open those doors, but he didn’t see any other alternative. How else would he be able to kill a squad of space marines?
“Captain,” Shar-Takazz quietly said through the vox.
Razzik opened his eyes from his meditative trance. He looked over to the door to the medical bay where Shar-Takazz was on watch. The space marines exchanged hand gestures. Someone was approaching. Razzik smoothly got up from his seated position and headed over to the door.
It had been 31 hours since their arrival on the Benevolent Aberration. The wounded had all been tended to and they were now resting and recovering. He was greatly concerned for Nillahfin and his grave wounds but he was still hanging on for the time being. Nefas also concerned him, his wounds seemed minor yet he struggled even more so then the others.
After the medical staff had been ushered out of the room the space marines had begun their watch. Razzik expected Captain Quip to visit them but an entire day had passed and they hadn’t been disturbed except when food and drink were delivered to them.
The quiet hours had given Razzik plenty of time to replay the past few days in his thoughts. In chronological order the battles played through his mind. His commands and plans were analyzed and critiqued so he could react faster and more efficient next time.
As he ran through the mental exercise he reread all of the reports he had received before he passed through the first black curtain. He prayed to the Emperor that the remnants of Ruusa’s second company escaped the planet.
“Captain Ruusa, what would you have done?” Razzik asked himself. Captain Ruusa had been an Ice Angel Captain for over a hundred years and he had been elevated all the way through the ranks to second captain. Razzik had been the eleventh captain for less then a year and he may have already destroyed all that Ruusa had created in the second company.
That thought, that burden, weighed heavy on Razzik’s genetically altered physique. “Emperor, what else could I have done?” he repeatedly asked himself. He thought about speaking with Shar-Takazz but the sergeant of squad Rimsin was the very embodiment of cold efficiency. Small talk probably wasn’t tolerated within his unit.
As Razzik reached the smooth silver doors, a trio of knocks sounded from the other side.
“Enter,” Razzik requested.
The doors hissed open and the weathered form of Boolosh stood before them. He was alone and unafraid of the two towering space marines.
“Captain Quip wishes to speak with you, sir,” Boolosh stated.
A moment of silence hung in the hair between them all. Finally Razzik nodded and stepped through the door. Shar-Takazz closed the door behind him. Boolosh motioned with one thick arm which direction to head and he took quick steps to keep up with Razzik’s large strides.
They walked for several minutes without speaking before Boolosh cleared his throat. Razzik slowed his strides to look at the human.
“I hope your men are recovering well,” he hesitantly began the conversation.
“Most of them, yes. Thank you,” Razzik said absentmindedly. His concentration was on the ship they walked through. He hadn’t seen it from the outside and it was proving to be substantially larger then he had first anticipated. It had an Imperial feel to it, but the lay out was heavily altered from any standard patterned ship he knew of. They had also passed quite a few crew men who all stood far off down the side halls. Razzik noticed several of the crew weren’t human. His teeth clenched at the thought of spending time with any xenos.
“Boolosh, tell me about this ship,” Razzik asked
Boolosh gave a short chuckle, “I won’t tell you anything about m’lady without you answering a few of my own questions.”
Razzik stopped and turned on the thick armed human. He looked down upon him. Typically a normal human, even those in the military would flinch or give in at the close proximity to a marine. Boolosh simply grinned up at him and crossed his arms.
“An answer for an answer,” he said.
For a moment the two of them stared at one another, Boolosh grinning with his yellow teeth and Razzik looking down at him like a mountain ready to crush a shrubbery.
The thought of wringing the information out of Boolosh did cross his mind, but given the fact that armed personal were most likely not far away and he was on an unfamiliar vessel he decided against it.
“Very well Boolosh,” Razzik’s deep voice boomed, “me first.”
“Not until you at least give me your name, sir,” Boolosh said with a slight head tilt.
With a sigh Razzik turned back and resumed walking, “I am Razzik, Eleventh Captain of the Ice Angel Chapter.” Boolosh scampered after him.
He grunted with satisfaction as Razzik gave in to his inquiry. It was clear that Boolosh was beginning to enjoy himself.
“My turn Boolosh, tell me about your ship?” Razzik quickly asked.
“That isn’t much of a question Razzif,” Boolosh retorted.
“It’s RazziK,” he sighed, “what class is this vessel?”
“I have no idea,” Boolosh responded.
Razzik spun on his heels to look at Boolosh once again, Boolosh shrugged his shoulders, but under Razzik’s stare he finally sighed and began to cough up at least some information, “Captain Quip found the remains of some derelict Imperial vessels years back and he then spent a lot of time and money rebuilding them into this fine vessel.” He began to raise he hands and shake his head, “I don’t know, we’ll say it’s large. Yes, large class. Not huge or gigantic, but large.”
A group of humans rounded the corner ahead of them and upon seeing the space marine, they turned and fled through the nearest door leaving behind most of the things they were carrying. Boolosh ignored them.
“What exactly do you do on this ship Boolosh?” Razzik asked.
“Whoa, it’s not your turn.” Boolosh glared,” How many Tormentors were on the other side of that doorway thing you came through?”
Razzik smiled in his helmet before speaking, “Countless,” he spat. “What do you do on this ship Boolosh?” he asked again.
“I am a bit of a hoarder, I guess you can say, but I primarily collect relics and then sell things plus I do a bit of cooking and a lot of tinkering,” Boolosh rambled.
They turned into a tall archway into a larger hall. At one end a large group of armed men and women stood along with a handful of Kroot. Each stiffened at the sight of Razzik. He paused in the entry way next to Boolosh.
“This is it?” Razzik asked.
“It’s not your turn Razzif,” Boolosh interjected. He then took quick steps to get in front of Razzik. “Are you going to hurt my Captain?” he asked. The yellow grin had disappeared from his face; an aura of seriousness replaced his previous silly demeanor.
Without tilting his head Razzik looked down, “that depends if I can get what I want,” he honestly responded. He found himself surprised with his own response, “What does your Captain plan for my men and me?”
Boolosh paused and considered the question. He looked over his shoulder at the waiting armed men and women before returning his gaze to the armored giant before him. “Only the Captain and the Emperor know that,” He paused once again before looking past Razzik as if he could see right through him. “What I do know is that the Captain is a good man. He’s been the best boss I’ve ever known and I’ve known many. He treats us right, like family.” Boolosh then focused on the purple lens of Razzik’s helm. “He cares about his crew, just as you care about yours.”
“When the Captain asked me to escort you to the m’lady here, I almost shat in my pants from fear.” Boolosh reached out and tapped Razzik’s armored stomach with his middle finger, “but after I saw you look over your wounded, I couldn’t help but think about all the stories about the Armored Angels of Death and Destruction.” He paused and chuckled, “you don’t seem like any harbinger of doom to me.”
The last phrase lingered between them for a moment. Boolosh seemed satisfied with his response. A sense of disappointment hovered around Razzik yet the fact that Boolosh mentioned the Emperor in that way slightly changed his opinion of the man before him.
“Clearly, I’ll have to work harder to maintain our image,” Razzik said with a slight head nod.
After that Captain Razzik strode past Boolosh towards the ornate double doors at the other end of the hall.
Interesting exchange, I got the impression Boolosh hasn't seen a spacemarine killing, if he had, I believe he may have taken a different route. That is unless he knows his fate and has accepted it. That fate being killed by one of the marines so he's goading him
“The Vezda System! I don’t even know where that is,” Fybblywhyp exclaimed as he scrolled around on his holographic tablet. He could name every system in the spiral arm that he had spent a life time traveling and trading.
Captain Razzik was about to explain where it was when Kavu spoke up, “here it is.”
The hovering image of the spiral arm in which they were currently located panned out and over to reveal that the Vezda system was in the next spiral arm of the known universe. It was further then anyone in the room had traveled, except for of course Razzik.
Fybblywhyp Quip glanced around the room in shock. The absurdity of Captain Razzik’s request was mind boggling. After it finally set in Captain Quip leaned forward. Across from the very large table sat Razzik, twelve feet away. “Do you have any idea how long it would take for us to get there?”
The cold stare from the massive figure didn’t flinch or waiver. He held up the small map before him. “If this time table is correct, then you’d be able to get me there faster then any Imperial vessel that I’d have to wait for at the border colony you proposed to dump me on.”
“There is no way I’m going to,” Fybblywhyp began with a pointed finger.
“How much?” Razzik interrupted.
There it was. The one question all rogue traders and border captains love and hate. To Captain Razzik money was something he never dealt in, he much preferred to intimidate and kill. It proved to be a quicker solution most of the time. He didn’t know what to offer Fybblywhyp so instead of waiting for the conversation to make its way around to this inevitable conclusion he cut straight to the chase.
Fybblywhyp’s brain worked over time. The scale of the trip there and back was longer then anything he had ever worked with and on top of that he would have to deal with the space marines that much longer. He would also be loosing out on countless other opportunities for his crew. “Damn it, I was supposed to retire,” Fybblywhyp thought to himself.
The silence was stifling in the wide conference room. Captain Razzik had already threat assessed everyone in the room. He had created seven scenarios in which he could dispatch everyone with minimal time from start to finish. Every scenario depended on who acted first. He kept his stare on Fybblywhyp but he often found himself listening for movement from the black armored Kroot that paced by the door behind him. The small woman in the far corner also intrigued him. She looked lethal, it was something in her stare. She appeared unarmed but some inner part of him knew she was the most dangerous target in the room.
In the opposite corner another woman stood. She wore a flight suit and carried several pistols. Her red hair was tight behind her head. Razzik put her low on his priority list but at a second glance he noticed a resemblance to the Captain Quip.
Slowly he shifted his gaze over to her. He could see her stiffen at the simple movement. The pacing behind him stopped. The sound of tightening hands on leather tickled his inner ear. Across from him Fybblywhyp glanced over his shoulder at the woman. The tension in the room seemed to grow.
“Captain Quip,” he slowly began, “I’ve already explained the importance of me getting back to the Vezda System.” He slowly stood up. His intimidating form dwarfed everyone in the room. Even the twelve foot wide table looked ridiculous beneath him. “I need to get there as fast as possible, by any means necessary.”
Several crew members scooted back from the table trying to get away from the marine. The one named Kavu spilled his drink onto his lap and his jaw went slack. The smell of urine wafted in the conference room.
Fybblywhyp found himself beginning to relive a nightmare before his words returned to him, “I’ll work up a travel promissory note,” he stammered.
“Excellent,” Razzik stated as he relaxed and casually lifted his hands from the table, “please keep me informed of our progress. I’ll stay with my men during the duration of the trip.”
With that he turned for the door. The black armored kroot eyed him closely as he past.
The words rang in the distant reaches of his thoughts. He wanted to look for the speaker but he felt like he was submersed in thick mud breathing through a tiny straw. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t see. The only thing he could hear was the echo of the sentence in the distance.
“Excellent work clearing out the engine room,” the speaker said again, this time closer.
He struggled and strained to move, to make even the slightest sound. He tried to open his eyes but only darkness was given to him to see.
“The land train will be under our control shortly,” the speaker went on. The monotone voice suddenly sparked an image in his mind. The Tech marine, yes. He knew that voice. The Ice Angel tech marine was nearby. If only he could get to him?
“May the Emperor protect you,” the monotone voice said before the sound of footfalls drifted away from him.
“NO!” he screamed to himself. “You will not leave me like this.”
With renewed strength he stretched every sense to the max. He tried to move every muscle in his body, willing each corded gene altered fiber into action. Slowly, like the beginning of an avalanche, parts began to move. He felt his fingers begin to twitch. They were touching a warm smooth fabric. His left heel slowly slid back as his knee moved and he felt the same smooth fabric. As more and more muscles began to react he felt organs in his chest spasm, his lungs suddenly expanded as he gasped for air. The reaction sent shards of sharp pain piercing his mid section. Through the pain he gritted his teeth and let out a growl.
His ears finally registered the noise and with it a slowly growing collection of hums, whirrs, and beeps.
As the pain subsided and his senses began to return to him he found the voice of his mentor, Darius Stone, returning to him. “Calm yourself neophyte. You must learn to master your emotions. The Mantidae patiently wait for the precise moment to act. Do not forget your anger or your hate, instead control it. Use it. Only when you have mastered this, will you be a true Mantis Warrior.”
Repeating those early lessons, Inushi began to remember. He remembered the fighting. He remembered the orks. He remembered the smoke and the heat. He remembered the words of the tech marine before he walked away and left him.
Slowly, after a long deep breath, he opened his eyes. The smell of incense wafted through the med chamber. Without moving his head he looked to his right. He could see several servitors standing perfect still. One was right next to his bed, tubes and wires exited the servitors body and into his own. His vision trailed to the foot of the bed. A few feet away on the opposite wall a small shrine was built into an alcove in the gray metal of the wall. A handful of melted candles were on its edge. Behind them he saw his sheathed katana leaning in the corner.
To his left by a large open arch way, the cold dark form of a contemptor dreadnought stood. It was gray and unpainted. It had no arms and had no iconography. It was completely inert.
At the sight of the dreadnought he clenched his fists, the pain in his chest momentarily flared up. “Was that suit meant for him?” Dreadnoughts were honored by every chapter. True veterans of countless battles would be interred in them to continue fighting for centuries to come, but no astartes ever hoped for that fate.
As he loosened his grip on the sheets he looked down at himself. He realized he still had both arms and hands, he even felt his legs. He could feel aches from all the limbs he was created with.
The sudden realization that there was way too much of him left to be placed into a dreadnought sat in. He lifted his head to take another look at the dreadnought. “If that’s not for me. Is someone in there?” Inushi thought to himself.
In response the head of the dreadnought looked up from the floor to meet his gaze. The smooth helmet of the dreadnought had yellow tinted eye lenses. After a brief silent exchange it then tilted to look back at the floor.
“I will take your silence to mean that you do not recognize me?”
The familiar voice sent a wave of grief and shock through Inushi’s system. He opened his mouth to speak but paused to think on his words. The transition from able bodied marine to dreadnought has not been known to be easy.
With a forced smile he laid his head back down on the contoured head rest of his bed, “Gray does not suite you, but I do agree on your choice of eye lenses.” His smile turned genuine as he watched the dreadnought lift its head to once again meet his gaze.
“These Ice Angels don’t have anything in pink,” the dreadnought responded.
Inushi smiled again, “it is good to see you Aquilum.”
He waited for a witty response but the dreadnought, Aquilum, only gave a short grunt.
Ooh are you going to paint a pink contemptor dreadnaught?
A good passage Ice, I'm a bit lost. I got the impression Inushi is in a tech bay and not the med bay. I re-read it again and yep hes in a med bay In my mind a contemptor dreadnaught is about 3-4 times the size of a spacemarine, which lead me think he was in a tech bay.
It's all good I just need to not speed read and take it all in
A mercy mini-chapter for Gits.... Thanks Ice. Much as the romping battle scenes and high conflict sections are fun to read. I think I like these quiet, humanizing sections best (Inushi non-withstanding).
Thanks guys. I'm glad you liked it. Sorry if there was any confusion Knightley. I may do some tweaking of that passage to prevent further confusion for my readers.
The room was cold, just like the rest of the Frozen Rage, but the somber sight before them gave the room an even colder feel then usual. Seven ornate coffins lined the center of the storage room. Close and locked chests accompanied several coffins. Every chest and coffin was in its own right, a master piece. The handles were hand carved bone. The sides of each container were etched steel with wooden inserts or elaborate stone work. Each cover was decorated with the motif that best described the marine that lay within. It was obvious they were crafted by true artists.
Despite several of the coffins being empty, the symbolism still hung heavy in the room. A few steps from the wide doorway, two marines stood solemnly admiring and remembering the fallen. Jaska was in a dark red robe, a lone green braded rope held the robe close around his waist. Next to him Inushi stood head down in prayer. The Mantis Warrior was in the green robes of his chapter. It was the first time he had been out of the med bay since his return to the Frozen Rage several months ago. He still ached and moved slowly but he wanted to pay his respects as soon as he was able. The pain reminded him that the Emperor still had things for him to do, while the tasks for the others were complete.
For several minutes Inushi prayed, when he finished he looked up with heavy eyes. He slowly went to each coffin to admire the craftsman ship and think upon the marines that lay within.
“We’ll be back in the Vezda system soon Inushi, do you recall what the Inquisitor asked of us?” Jaska quietly asked.
The question seemed out of place to Inushi. It almost perturbed him how the marine would pollute this moment with a question such as that.
“Of course I remember, I swore to her, same as you,” Inushi eventually responded.
Jaska went down the line and casually looked at each coffin, “I have written up a full report in regards to the Ice Angels and their actions. I also included information in regards to the fallen marines here in this room. I however, did not witness the fall of several of these marines. You were there when Pyrox and Reven fell on the ork transport. Were you near when Brother Desai was sent to the Emperor’s side?”
Inushi tried to hide his surprise at the direct question, the images of the tormented Sky Warden flooded back to him before he could muster an honest response. His regrown heart was still tender from the replacement surgery and the wounds inflicted by Desai had already left their scars. “Yes, he fought with unmatched skill and ferocity before falling amongst the worms and denizens of that cursed planet.” Inushi did not look over at Jaska while he spoke. He kept his gaze on the white and light blue coffin of Desai. Aches in his chest flared up as he spoke. He took several deep breaths to calm himself.
The memory of his last encounter with Desai lingered in his thoughts. He vividly remembered what had transpired. That confused brief moment where Desai turned on him, left him wanting to speak out, but he knew better. Cyaxeres had said enough with very few words. The sense of confusion and the image of Cyaxeres looking down at him brought him back to the present.
Jaska stood on the opposite side of Desai’s coffin. “It will be up to you and I to determine the fate of the Ice Angels.” Inushi finally met the gaze of the Marine Chrysemys. Unanswered questions hung in the air between them, “Nefas is lost to us along with Inigo. Aquilum is going through the traumatic conversion to a dreadnought. I doubt the Inquisitor will accept his words. That only leaves you and I.” Jaska explained.
For a moment Inushi stood and pondered Jaska’s words. “How do you know what the Inquisitor will or will not accept Jaska? And why do you seem so concerned with my part in this. You’ve seen how the Ice Angels fight and act. I’m honored to have fought with them and witnessed their methods. Few could have done what they did and returned with as much. I see no cause for concern with the Ice Angels. I will not brand them heretic or anything but faithful to the Emperor and I don’t see how anyone could say otherwise.”
It was then Jaska’s turn to consider the words spoken between them. He stepped down to the first coffin. It was dark green with a sword wielding robed angel adorning its cover. Brother Evrard was etched into a silver band below the angels flowing robes.
“They hide much from us Mantis,” Jaska whispered. “They have many secrets and…….”
Inushi rolled his eyes and scoffed, “every chapter has its secrets Jaska. Our responses to our Inquisitor should be based around what we’ve seen not the dark unknown that the Inquisitors like to dwell upon.”
“It sounds like you don’t agree with the Inquisitors and their methods?” Jaska retorted.
“We are space marines,” Inushi began, “we fight with bolter and blade. They fight with words and shadows. I do not agree or disagree with their methods. I merely wish to avoid them entirely.”
The finality of his words made Jaska lean back, he took a final look at Brother Evrards coffin before turning for the exit. “Very well Inushi,” Jaska stepped through the door before giving a final look back, “do not forget all that we’ve lost and what we still stand to loose.”
Inushi watched the dark skinned marine depart and leave his line of sight. For several minutes he continued to stare at the open door way. His last statement puzzled him. Jaska and Inushi hadn’t spoken much during their time together with the Ice Angels but he seemed off to him. With a heavy sigh he looked back down at the coffins.
“Evrard of the Dark Angels, Reven of the Blood Angels, Walters of the Red Talons, Sergeant Pyrox of the Fire Angels, Desai of the Sky Wardens, Kvothe of the Shadow Sanctus, and Commander Vetov of the Emperor’s Tears,” Inushi paused after he recited each name, “may the Emperor guide you. You will not be forgotten.”
With a final respectful bow he turned and departed the room, the door servitor turned off the lights and quietly closed the wide doors behind him.
That confused brief moment where Desai turned on him, left him wanting to speak out, but he knew better. Cyaxeres had said enough with very few words.
I find this sentence very confusing myself and oddly out-of-place in the narrative. It's referring to an earlier action, but there's nothing to set it up or explain it.
Ice! I must say I've spent the past two weeks reading this your story and I have to admit... I'm hooked! I can't wait for more!
I honestly don't know if i'll be able to handle having to wait as I've been able to read the entirety of your story in a single session (More or less)
Your ice angels have an epic character and I can't wait to see if Captain Whathisface manages too hold his shtuff together long enough or if Razzik will have to re-arrange his anatomy in an attempt to persaude him.
Thanks Gitsplitta, I'll revisit that section and see if I can clarify a bit more.
Master Azalle, welcome to my fluff! Thanks for taking the time and reading through my epic story. Unfortunately now that you've caught up you'll have to wait with the rest of us for posts to occur. In the meantime please comment and let me know what you think or what I can do to improve.
*much better* Sorry, when the installments are spaced out over time I think you need to be a bit more descriptive than if you were actually writing something people will read in one go. You need to remind folks what happened earlier on.
@Gits I agree, a recap or preface - kinda like what they did at the begining of the night lords novels books 2 and 3 but not soo indepth would be great, something like:
- Captain Rizzak and the survivors of the incursion into the dark eldar webway have been traveling with whatshisface for x amount of time
- After recovering from his wounds from the battle with the orks and surving the attack from Desai Inushi has spent the great part of his recovery relieving the events of his time with the Ice and Angels and contemplating fate with the now entombed Emperors Fool.
Sorry I'm really rusty at writing fluff, been a while since I made back ground (let say 5 years since I made my own 40K / BFG / D20 D&Desk game *WHICH WAS AWESOME *)
Point being I think you can easily recap a situation without having to re-write a chapter very effectively, especially with how greatly your writing improved from start to now (Which inhind sight I am sure you knew).
And don't worry Ice I am firmly in the Fan Boy Club
“Let me know if you need anything else Razzif,” with that Boolosh departed the room. The door closed behind him with a quiet hiss.
Razzik noticed Shar-Takazz’s annoyance at the incorrect pronunciation of his name. The ignoring of proper protocol also agitated Shar-Takazz along with nearly every other aspect of Boolosh. Razzik, on the other hand, had begun to enjoy Boolosh. He was an unusual human that prayed to the Emperor with a bizarre outlook. He found a strange sense of camaraderie with the man.
“Heretic, traitor,” Razzik could already hear the phrases that would brand Boolosh if he were in Imperial Space.
Shar-Takazz glanced at the stack of tools and food Boolosh had deposited. He then turned and checked again on Nillahfin. The wounded marine was having trouble breathing and had continued to worsen. They didn’t have the means to save him and the chances of him making it the entire trip seemed highly unlikely. It angered Shar-Takazz and saddened Razzik. Slowly suffering is not the way any one wanted a brother to go.
Zaduga, with one leg, had woken a few days ago along with Barru. Both began cleaning weapons and repairing gear using the items Boolosh had brought. They had already completed some battlefield repairs but needed additional items to fully restore the ancient weapons they had looted from the xenos museum, at least the ones they knew how to restore.
Behind them Nefas was still unconscious. His wounds had mostly healed but he still would not wake. Next to him the form of Shu-Takii was on a table against a wall. He was fully armored and laying on his side. His back pack was plugged into a converter which was plugged into the wall. A lone cord came out of his chest into an auspex.
Razzik assisted separating some of the tools and handing them to Zaduga. A needle rifle was disassembled next to him. The task of cleaning and repairing the weapons had given the marine a needed focus. The loss of a limb was common among marines and Zaduga had not once complained but Razzik could see how aggravated he was at being less efficient for the time being.
Shar-Takazz walked over to the wheeled cart that held various containers of food and drink. He removed his gauntlet and helmet. He took a small portion of everything to test for poisons. Methodically we went about checking the ingredients and then closely examining the cart along with the containers with an auspex. It was difficult to poison or drug an astartes but Shar-Takazz was ever suspicious.
As everyone took about their tasks Captain Razzik stepped over to the collection of items they had retrieved and taken with them. There were several cloaks, a half dozen blades, pistols, rifles, the volkite cannons Shu-Takii had used, a glaive, and a bag full of books and trinkets Shar-Takazz had filled.
The bag had been emptied and its contents were organized next to the tough maroon cloth of the bag. The trinkets varied in sizes and shapes, many were situation in the “unknown” pile. Next to the trinkets the books were stacked on top of one another. Razzik read the binding of each, but only understood a couple of them. Most were in languages he didn’t understand or recognize. After a brief examination of the ones he understood he opened one book written in low gothic, it was a diary of some sort.
Razzik turned to step away when a shimmer of gold caught his attention from within the maroon sack. He set down the diary and carefully opened up the bag. The mundane sack was made up of a tough material that showed no sign of damage or age. As he looked inside he saw intricate gold inlays, almost as if the interior of the bag was a wired device of some sort.
At the bottom of the bag was a black metal bound book. It had a wired design that almost matched the interior of the sack.
“Is something wrong with this last book?” Razzik asked.
“What book?” Shar-Takazz responded.
“The book that’s still in the bag,” he added.
“I emptied the bag Captain,” Shar-Takazz retorted without looking up from his work.
Razzik reached in and pulled out the book. It was very heavy and warm. He held it out for Shar-Takazz to see. “This book.” He added.
The sergeant of squad Rimsin looked up and gave a perplexed look. “I don’t know how I could have missed….”
His sentence was suddenly interrupted by the sharp intake of air from Nefas. Everyone in the room snapped to attention to see Nefas contorting on his table. His arms were wide and his head was tilted back as far as his neck would allow. The gaunt space marine was gasping for air and his limbs trembled. His eyes were wide and solid red. Razzik was the first to act. He leapt over a table and pushed equipment out of the way to get to Nefas’s side.
In the few seconds it took him to cross the room the violent spasm from the marine ceased. He crashed back down onto metal surface and then rolled to his side right off the table. Razzik slid and caught the marine’s upper torso before he could hit the hard metallic floor.
Razzik looked down at the face of the Sinner. His eyes were still solid orbs of red, blood trickled from his mouth and nose. His breathing was still frantic but his red eyes stared up at him with a commanding intensity.
For several seconds they stared at one another, the crumpled form of Nefas looking up at the solid armored Ice Angel Captain. The other marines in the room were motionless. Each had reached for the nearest weapon but they all waited. Indecision gripped the room, even Razzik was quiet. He wanted to speak. Hundreds of question flittered in his mind, but those red orbs kept him from speaking.
After a long blink Nefas looked back at Razzik, the red orbs had returned to the normal dark grey Razzik had first expected.
Slowly Nefas reached for the edge of the table and pulled himself up. Captain Razzik assisted him and took a small step back. The other marines in the room watched closely, not one had taken their hands from their weapons.
“Are you okay Nefas? We were unable to revive you.” Captain Razzik slowly spoke, watching Nefas’ reaction. The Sinner appeared very weak. He leaned on the table for support.
As Razzik studied Nefas he watched the gaunt marine return his gaze before beginning to look around, examining his surroundings. “That was not how I expected you to waken?” Razzik added.
Nefas returned his gaze back to Razzik. “That was not how I wanted to awaken,” he bowed his head as if in apology. For a brief moment Razzik thought he saw a glimpse of gratitude, but before the marine spoke again his face hardened and he tightened his jaw. His dark grey eyes were void of all emotions, only the calm calculating look Nefas usually had.
“Captain, you have proven to be very useful.” Nefas stated. “I think it is time I answered a few of your questions.”
The thought of getting some answers pleased Razzik but the tone in which Nefas stated bothered him. “proven to be useful” He thought on those words, something felt very out of place.
“Prepare for reentry,” Commander Seluku stated as she absentmindedly hit several switches in her arm rest. The silver braids of her neuro links shivered slightly as she sent out commands throughout the ship and looked over to the armored Ice Angel standing next to her.
Inushi stood off to the side watching the Commander of the vessel and Sergeant Muttabriqu of the Uttuakki. He felt the distant warp drives deactivate and the ship lurch forward as if it were emerging from a deep pool to take its first breath. The monitors around the bridge switched from their system reports to their normal external camera view.
“Weapons active,” the deep voice of a man spoke.
“Sweeps are online,” a woman stated.
“Drives at 30%,” another added.
The bridge quickly became of symphony of reports. Seluku absorbed it all. Inushi listened but focused on the images on the screens.
In the distance the Iron Torch loomed upside down. Ships glowed and flashed as light reflected off their moving hulls. A wave of information appeared on the screens. Vessel tags, trajectory lines, a torrent of dull figures were added as on overlay on the screens. Muttabriqu was casually looking at each monitor. Inushi watched from a distance to see what ships were left to garrison the Iron Torch while the bulk of Imperial force was at war. He recognized several but most were unknown to him.
As the ship around him bustled with activity he continued his scan of the monitors. A familiar blue icon blinked on the next monitor over. Muttabriqu opened his mouth to give a command when Commander Seluku’s voice pierced the cloud of verbal information.
“Incoming message from the Herald of Sanguinius,”
Muttabriqu paused. Inushi turned to look at the veteran sergeant. For a brief moment a look of shock passed over the Ice Angels face before being replaced by the cold demeanor the angels all seemed to share. With a slight turn Muttabriqu regarded the Commander of the Frozen Rage, “I’ll take the message in the War Altar.”
Before she could respond he was heading off the bridge past Inushi. He gave a slight nod as he did and Inushi fell into step right behind him. Naval guards and staff bowed and saluted as they passed by.
The War Altar was the adjacent room on the top floor of the multi-leveled bridge. It took only a few moments before they were passing through the iconic Ice Angel wings that adorned the black double doors. Servitors activated the necessary lights and screens as they entered.
Muttabriqu stood in the middle of the room and waited for the encryptions and security protocols to finish before he the open line would be made with the other ship. The process took only a few seconds to complete but Muttabriqu seemed to be very distant throughout that time. Inushi watched from the corner of the room by the door. He stood with his hands behind his back. It was the first time he had donned his armor after his serious injuries. The tech marines and artisans of the Frozen Rage were forced to replace parts of his damaged armor and it was greatly improved from what he had previously worn, but it didn’t feel right. Ice Angel armor was created with void warfare in mind. Mantis Warrior armor was created for stealth and silence. Both used Mark VI variants, but he knew he had to adjust his armor before it would once again be they way he wanted.
Without any warning the main bank of screens lit up and the form of a marine in blue mark III armor dominated them all. He wore a hood over his head and his face was hidden behind a golden mask. Inushi couldn’t see his eyes but he could feel the gaze of the marine. He didn’t need to see any of the iconography to know he was looking at an Ice Angel Librarian.
Muttabriqu bowed his head, “Greetings Inevitable Shar-Kallii,” he stated.
“Greetings Sergeant Muttabriqu of the Honored Uttuakki,” he quietly began. His voice carried an intense authority that demanded Inushi’s utmost attention. It was clear this marine was high ranking, simply by his tone. “It is good to see you have yet to visit the Emperor’s side.”
Muttabriqu bowed again, “I feel the Emperor still has much for me to do before I make that trip.”
Inushi watched the exchange between the two and noticed a slight smile pierce the façade of the librarian.
“Muttabriqu, do you recall the last conversation we had?” Shar-Kallii began.
The Veteran sergeant stiffened and narrowed his eyes. The memory clearly hadn’t been a pleasant one, Inushi thought to himself.
“Of course Inevitable, it was the day you and the council had promoted Razzik to eleventh captain.” Muttabriqu responded calmly. It was clear by his posture that he didn’t agree with that decision.
The librarian nodded, “indeed. Now, just as before, I can sense your anger in our decision. I do not need to explain myself to you, but you must know it was for the good of the chapter. Captain Razzik has an important role to play in our future.”
There was an uncomfortable pause in the air at the mention of the captain. Muttabriqu took a deep breath, “Inevitable, Captain Razzik has been lost. He went on a mission to…..”
Shar-Kallii lifted a white armored hand and tilted his head.
“I am aware he is not with you,” he shook his head, “you do not need to explain. I’ll let him do that when he arrives.”
Muttabriqu bowed his head once more. Inushi tried to contain his surprise at the Librarian’s words. He listened intently hoping the librarian would explain but the conversation between the two Ice Angels seemed to end.
Slowly the hooded angel tilted his head, “who is the warrior that shares the War Altar with you?”
Muttabriqu motioned to join him in the center of the room. “This is Brother Tano Inushi of the Mantis Warriors; he is one of the marines the Inquisitor sent with us.”
“AH, the warrior in green.” Shar-Kallii’s voice trailed off as if some divine puzzle piece was just handed to him. Inushi felt as if that statement had an implied meaning he was missing.
“Greetings Inushi, I regret that we are not meeting in person but I hope the second company has been honorable.”
“I have learned much and it was been my honor to fight along side them,” Inushi responded as diplomatically as he could.
Without further comments or questions the Inevitable turned back to Muttabriqu, “Sergeant, notify the Iron Torch that you have returned but do not send any reports or any information until Captain Razzik returns. Once completed gather your Uttuakki and join me on my ship. We have much to discuss.”
“Yes Inevitable,” Muttabriqu bowed.
“Brother Inushi of the Mantis, please notify the warrior in red that Captain Razzik will return to us with all of his men.”
Despite the battery of questions that assaulted his thoughts Inushi nodded his head, “it will be done.” After that the screens went blank. Both Inushi and Muttabriqu continued to stare at the fading monitors.
“Muttabriqu, how does he know about Captain Razzik?” Inushi asked before considering the possibilities.
“Are you familiar with the gifts the Emperor granted Sanguinius?” Muttabriqu eventually asked without altering his gaze.
“Of course, he was a true angel of death.” Inushi remembered the early lessons that he memorized even before becoming a full fledged battle brother. “The Emperor granted Sanguinius wings in which to fly across the battlefield. No one could match his combat skills. It was said that he could even see his opponent’s strikes before his opponent knew he was doing them.”
Muttabriqu nodded and turned, “Indeed. Sanguinius was gifted the ability to glimpse the futures and even see the paths various decisions could create.” He sighed and paused for just a moment. Inushi wondered if he should continue to list the wondrous abilities that Sanguinius was said to have. Before he could continue though Muttabriqu focused on Inushi, he seemed to be evaluating him. A tingling sensation passed over him, almost like he was entering a combat trance when every move could determine your fate. He felt no danger but all of his senses were intensely focusing on this moment.
“That ability is one that still appears in the Ice Angel blood line. That ability is one that the Inevitables, our guiding council, still use today.” Muttabriqu added before staring at Inushi with an authoritative glare. The weight and power of the words passed between them and Inushi could do nothing but continue to stare at the Ice Angel as the responsibility of that knowledge sank in. He didn’t know why Muttabriqu so openly answered his question.
The idea of a psyker council leading an astartes chapter fascinated him, then again there were reasons psykers weren’t chapter masters. The benefits of future sight were certainly obvious and he had heard of psykers with similar powers. That knowledge however, only led to more questions. He opened his mouth to speak but decided against it when he saw the determined look on Muttabriqu’s face.
Instead Inushi gave a salute, “If I may take my leave Sergeant Muttabriqu, I’ll go visit the warrior in red.”
Muttabriqu returned the salute, but did not respond. Inushi turned and quickly left the room, he was already thinking about the upcoming conversation with Jaska. He decided before he reached the double doors that he would keep most of his new knowledge to himself.
You started this project in 2009 and your still going strong for that you have earned the right for me to start at page 1 and read all the way to the present. I will make some post about the things that you have already written about but oh well!
Edit: Just read page one Ice Angel would you mind sending me a copy of the word document via email?
Captain Razzik stared at Nefas. Unblinking, fists clenched, his power armor’s cooling system had kicked in as his twin hearts beat with fury. He had never wanted to hurt a fellow marine more then in that moment. It took all of his mental fortitude to hold his anger in check.
His mind raced as he tried to reevaluate everything that had been said since Nefas woke up and began to divulge his true purpose for accompanying the Ice Angels on their quest. He still couldn’t believe it. He felt betrayed. He had been deceived and worse then that, he was now being blackmailed.
With a short exhale through his nose his mind crashed to a halt. Psyker or not, Nefas was unarmored and in a room full of Ice Angels on a ship that wasn’t even Imperial. They could take him out before………
Razzik couldn’t hide the look of shock that crossed his face. The ideas he was entertaining were traitorous. No matter how much he disliked Nefas at that moment, no matter how much he wanted to remove his head from his neck, he would not. He took a deep breath and consciously forced himself to open his fists and return to his passive stance. His mind continue to race as his anger subsided, it wasn’t just Nefas that agitated him, it was the feeling of helplessness that he realized he had been harboring all along.
The Inevitables chose him to be the next captain and he had no other option but to accept. He had no other options but take over command of the second company once Captain Ruusa was slain. He could only accept his sentence set upon him by the Inquisitor Vervin. And now Nefas…
Another slow breath left his lips before he refocused on Nefas. “This is blackmail Nefas,” he said while trying to keep his anger from boiling back up.
“Call it what you will Captain. I am still giving you a choice. You can do as I say and help me or I can tell the Inquisition exactly what she wants to hear.” Nefas hissed.
“You work for the Inquisition! How do I know you won’t just do that when you’re done with me,” Razzik retorted.
“You have my word Captain Razzik that you’re secrets will be kept with me and me alone. When my mission is complete you and your men will be released from their duty with honor. I guarantee that. On my honor and my life.” Nefas spoke with words without blinking or hesitating and for several seconds, Razzik believed him.
Razzik waited and looked away. He looked at Shar-Takazz then to several others before speaking again, “are you going to tell me that you will lie to your Inquisitor just to guarantee our aid in your quest?”
The dark gray eyes of Nefas narrowed, “she is not my Inquisitor. Vervin is merely a power hungry bureaucratic amateur. She doesn’t even know who I am.” his voice was full of venom as he mentioned Vervin. “Nor will I lie to her, I’ll simply leave out the subtle questionable things you Ice Angels have always done. Besides, I work for another, someone with more authority then she’ll ever be able to claim.”
The room fell silent as Razzik pondered the implications of what the Sinner had said. Realistically he only had one option and he hated Nefas for it.
“Very well Nefas. Myself and the men of my company will assist you for as long as you hold up your end of this arrangement.”
The feeling of helplessness weighed on his shoulders as he said the words. Captain Razzik met the stare of Nefas. The thin pale marine’s face slowly turned to a smile, “Excellent Captain. Together, we will stop the Dark Eldar menace. I have foreseen it.”
Nefas stepped past Razzik towards a cart with food and drink. Razzik slowly looked at each Ice Angel in the room as the Sinner began his feast. The Angels showed no outward emotion as they met Razzik’s stare. Shar-Takazz gave a small approving nod before going back to his business.
Finally Razzik uprooted himself from his standing position and moved back to his corner. He grabbed one of the books along the way to take his mind off of the feeling of dread that hung around him. When he looked down he saw he’d picked the black metal bound book that no one else had seemed to notice.
“Call it what you will Captain. I am still giving you a choice. You can do as I say and help me or I can tell the Inquisition exactly what she wants to hear.” Nefas hissed.
“Anything else Captain?” Razzik asked as he placed his hands on the table to get up.
“No, that was all” Fybblywhyp responded as the Ice Angel stood up to his full height. No matter how many times they met, the genetically modified human still scared him.
Razzik took a final look at the occupants in the room. Sybyl was seated to Fybblywhyp’s right. Sithri was standing in the dark corner as always. Thead was by the door behind the space marine with his claws on the hilts of his blades. When Razzik finished his sweep of the room he looked back at Fybblywhyp, “when we arrive I’d like to extend my gratitude for your assistance. On my homeworld it is tradition to have a feast with your allies upon the completion of a long mission. Would you join me upon my ship?”
Before Razzik had completed his request, Fybblywhyp was mentally shaking his head. There is no way he’d take a single step on a ship full of space marines. He’d rather be naked, covered in sweet sap, and dropped into a Vespid Den before sharing a meal with an astartes.
He leaned forward to speak when Sybyl reached out a touched his arm. “Father, I would really enjoy to see a real space marine ship.”
The shock of her request left him speechless and stunned. Her complete lack of fear in this situation also disturbed him.
Before Fybblywhyp could respond Razzik spoke once again. “Not all space marine ships are created equal Sybyl Quip. Many are nothing but cold brutish vessels with a singular purpose but an Ice Angel ship is so much more. Our ships are designed to not only be superior to other vessels of similar sizes but to be a functional work of art to show the true glory of the Emperor.”
Fybblywhyp didn’t believe a word of what Razzik said but he could see how Sybyl’s imagination was already attempting to picture it.
Razzik switched his gaze from Sybyl back to Fybblywhyp. “I will send you the docking instructions after I’ve arrived on my ship.”
The Captain of the Benevolent Aberration watched the space marine leave the room. Boolosh was quickly at his side walking with him back to the temporary med bay. The guards were soon behind them both, keeping their distance from the pair.
The shock was slowly wearing off when Sybyl moved to speak. “I can not wait to see that ship. I wonder how much it costs them to run a….”
“NO!” Fybblywhyp yelled as he slammed his fist on the table. He nearly shocked himself at how much emotion had quickly welled up within him. “We will not be going to his ship. Razzik and every other marine are not to be trusted. We will leave as soon as those marines are off our ship and we have our payment.”
Sybyl looked as if she had been slapped. “What is wrong with you?” She dared to ask. Fybblywhyp spun and gave her a glare that silenced the room. His own daughter talking back to him like this, he narrowed his eyes. If she wasn’t his only blood she’d been on a way to an open airlock.
After a slow exhale he hissed, “I told you Sybyl. Imperial agents discovered our family had psykers so they came to collect them. When they refused a fight broke out and every Imperial agent was dead. Then the black ships came. They brought psykers of their own but it wasn’t until the space marines arrived that……….” His voice trailed off as he saw Sybyl shaking her head in denial. “None of them are to be trusted.” Fybblywhyp added.
“I hear you, Captain,” she used his title which unnerved him, “and I heard you before, but I think you’re missing an opportunity here. Captain Razzik hasn’t given us any trouble and he has agreed to all of the terms you’ve given him.”
“After we have our payment and leave, this ship will be mine. You’ll be retired on some rim world busy with your garden.” She sneered at the thought, “I see an opportunity here. Imagine how much astartes must pay for their supplies.” She looked around at Sithri and Thead, “Think of the fame, of the action! Think of the money!” She leaned forward, “I could command not only this ship, but an entire fleet. With our contacts and connections, it would be easy.”
“No, this is not up for debate Sybyl.”
“And why not?” She spat and leaned forward, “People said not to hire Kroot, but you did. They told you you’d never be able to trade with the Kashnians, and you did. Time and time again you’ve rebelled against what others have told you.”
She paused for a brief moment, “how many times have you said to not judge any alien until you’ve met them and worked with them. Hell, how many members of our crew did others called psychotic and untrustworthy?”
Fybblywhyp was speechless. She was calling him out. All he could do was shake his head, “Sybyl, this is different.”
“How?” she interrupted. “Was Captain Razzik the one that destroyed our homeworld?”
Fybblywhyp took a deep breath and sighed. He had always known Sybyl was ambitious, but this……. This was not what he had ever expected.
“No, but….”
“He already stated his ship is different then other space marines, maybe he and his men are different then the ones that murdered the rest of our family. Why can’t we at least give him a chance?” She calmed down as she finished her question and all eyes settled in on Captain Quip.
He stared back at her, and for once he truly felt like he needed to retire. He understood her logic and realized she was right. He had no real proof that Captain Razzik and his men were monsters or demons like he had always believe, but his gut would not shake the feeling of dread.
“It seems your mind is set and we will be there soon,” he looked back down at the table unable to come up with any reasonable argument. “You can leave and do what you will.”
Sybyl nodded and turned to depart the room.
“I will not be going with you though,” he added before reached the door. She hesitated but didn’t look back as she left the room.
Thead and Sithri exchanged glances with one another, neither knowing what to say or do. When Fybblywhyp finally took his gaze away from the table he stared at the open door, his eyes lost in future possibilities.
“Sithri, I want you to go with her when she goes. Do whatever you need to do to protect her. Shi-Thead, my friend, I want our best human guards to go with her as well. Everyone else I want on red alert and fully prepared for anything suspicious.”
The two nodded in acknowledgement before they left.
Finally alone, he took off the red ring on his index finger and slumped into his chair. He rotated the small band of metal absentmindedly. “It wasn’t supposed to end this way,” he kept telling himself. He tried to think of his retirement. He forced himself to picture the dream he had spent so long creating but the fear of reality kept beating it away.
“Damn,” he cursed. Slowly he got up and took a final look around the room. He rubbed his face trying to think of anything other then his daughter. He then couldn’t help but chuckle. He wasn’t sure if it was out of fear or out of the realization that she was exactly like he was back in the day.
They will arrive in two days. His mind raced to think of something that would take her away from this dangerous path but then again, nothing ever stopped him once his mind was set.
I'm a dad. If I was that worried about something that I perceived to be a direct threat to my child's life... I'd never stop arguing. She'd have to go behind my back and against my will.
) addition!
that was an impressive passage.
*)
