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I like Sarpedon too, but he is not my favorite. You MUST read the night lord trilogy. It is probably my favorite 40k series. Talos is such a deep character. Read it before Adepticon. We can then discuss.

Shu-Takii has a Volkite Caliver. I look forward to seeing you recreate him.

Oh, there's a reason why I have a small fledgling night lords 30k force. Love Talos. I also love how for them, the heresy was like... yesterday...

Such a great look at the difference between Marines and Legionaries and how Robute completely changed that indoctrination process by standardizing it, and ritualizing it versus the more traditional recruitment and training we saw in the Hersey Novels.

Sadly, the group I was traveling with is no longer able to go. we've had to cancel Adepticon this year :( pretty bummed about it.

Chapter 10

The ship gave one final growl before the rattling stopped and the silence arrived. It felt as if the entire ship was sighing in relief before its engines fired. Other systems were not online yet. Reports had not arrived, but the engines were firing. Inquisitorial Captain Nefas smiled as he stood on the bridge. He did not know where they had arrived. He did not know what direction they faced, but the engines fired any ways. He prayed to the Emperor for guidance, but it felt hollow. He KNEW he had arrived in the right place. He KNEW he had arrived on time. He gripped a metal railing next to the captain's chair. His excitement was palpable and a small part of him wanted to scream.

But he did not. He would not. His face was gaunt and silent. He wiped the smile off his face. He narrowed his eyes as information began to flood. The holo display popped up and a planet was to their left. Dots of all kinds filled the space. Tags and icons began to fill in.

To Nefas they meant little. One thing mattered. Where was the mirror ship? Where was the Ceaseless End?

Information continued to flood in. The Ice Angel fleet had arrived and was in perfect formation. Not a single ship had been lost in the warp. They pushed forward en mass towards the bulk of the Dark Eldar formation on the opposite side of the planet. The quicker xenos ships were rearranging their formations and forming up between the Imperial ships and……

“There it is,” he hissed.

A tight formation of craft hung in space around the mirror ship. They were alone and between the two fleets that moved to engage one another.

The pull of gravity began to assert itself more and more. The engines were now at a full burn. Sacred purified fuel burned at an alarming rate. Everything was being given to the engines. They were building up speed faster then any Imperial craft he had ever been on before. That in combination with them using the gravity of the planet to pull them around was moving them at a staggering pace.

He licked his lips at the trajectory. It was being fine tuned by the pilot crew until the trajectory met with the current position of the mirror ship.

“Captain,” Jaska spoke calmly into his private vox.

Nefas instantly checked several other reports while sneering at the reminder from Jaska. Nefas was so focused he had failed to review several other important pieces that had arrived moments before.

“Fire the pods. Notify the Ice Angels. Prepare the armaments. Begin launch sequence.” He commanded in swift succession. The bridge crew responded with affirmatives, only one spoke up.

The weapons officer, a tall thin man from Kavadesh. “How many shall be primed Inquisitorial Captain?”

Nefas spun to glare at the question and the man. His red eyes burned, “all of them” he hissed.

Ohhhhhhh that dank ass Nefas has made a return.

Ice, earlier he was an Inquistorial Captain. Are you ret-coning it for him to be a full blown Inquisitor? Or was this to be the “Big Reveal”? If so - holy gak he was never Actualy a space marine... which would make him
Killing The Mantis Bro waaaaay more interaesting but by the throne is he a sly fox

That aside, great installment. I think it would fit Nefas better if, instead of all caps it was - All Of Them - more of a smoulder than an angry snap

Good catch Azalle. He is a Inquisitorial Captain. I will fix it.

I like your caps suggestion. The more i think about it, Nefas never did show much emotion, perhaps he would not have spoken in that manner.

Yeah he was always cold, and soft spoken / whisper. Maybe even the sneering portion approve could be revisited.

Okay faithful readers. I have discovered I have made a mistake. I would like to discuss my options. I recently discovered that I skipped a section that for some reason I imagined I had already written and posted. That may sound odd but its the truth. There is a section that should have been after the Tsabo section and before the Nefas section. The timing is rather important in this case which is where I have my dilemma.

Once I finish this section should I
A) replace the Nefas section with the new one and then repost the Nefas section so that my thread stays in the correct order.
B) Post the new section and hope that all of my readers are paying attention to the nonstory posts and are aware of the fact that they should be switched?

Replace the Nefas section and repost in the correct order Brother

Fair enough. I will do so.

*hurriedly goes back to work on section*


EDIT: I have moved the previous post to beneath this one. The newest "update" is at the bottom of page 58.

Lieutenant Tsabin Tsabo ordered and lined up those he could. His soldiers flocked to his position but so many were being cut down. The ambush of the enemy had been well executed and even the Ice Angels were caught unaware. There had been no warning. They were quietly talking and then it was raining Dark Eldar. To his right Shu-Takii fired with his floating cannon one direction while firing his bolt pistol in another. To Tsabin’s left an Ice Angel with a plasma cannon fired at the positions above them that fired down at them. Another marine stood between the two carefully aiming his bolter. Dark Eldar were above them in the ruins and amongst the people all along the procession.

People were running and screaming. Death was all around them. Tsabin shouted orders and some assemblance of a defensible position came into being when a dozen of his men formed up before them. He was glad for their years of training.

A loud creak came behind him. Warden Officer Belvo shouldered a rusted door way that was set deep into a massive bulkhead. It fell open and he peered inside flicking on his light. He nodded to Tsabin and ushered some of the civilians inside. With the door open the people ran in. Tsabin shouted again and the people ran at them.

He almost regretted the command as a surge of panicked individuals ran into them. He fell backwards and was pushed aside as people ran into the opened doorway seeking any kind of safety. He rolled to his side and got up when a familiar voice broke through the din of battle.

“Father,” the voice said. He looked up to see his son holding out his hand to help him up.

When had he gotten so tall. He looked so young and yet here he was in a battle helping him. There was no fear in his face and that calm startled him. Tsabin reached out and took his sons hand. He stood and gave him a quick hug. He then pushed his son behind him towards the door. He squeezed his hand before letting go and bring up his lasgun.

Tsabin saw a pair of Ice Angels ahead in the procession fall to the blades of a wych. He heard Shu-Takii curse and continue his firing. A piercing shout seemed to halt many of the Dark Eldar in the immediate area. Shu-Takii smoothly turned his head and his hovering gun did the same. It began to fire as did the other two marines at the one that had shouted.

“Wardens, full charge!” Tsabin commanded. He heard the high pitch whine from the power packs of those around him. The lasguns fired less frequently but they were more damaging and he needed to do everything he could to stop the white helmed Dark Eldar that stalked closer. Each of them carried a long blade with multiple grips at the base and along one side. They curved twisted, each weapon an individual weapon fit to its wielder.

The Wardens hardly fired more than twice before the enemy was on them. Tsabin did not see the Ice Angels fall but the attack was brutal and quick. The lithe Eldar jumped higher then he was tall and their blades struck in large swooping arcs. Their dance was beautiful and awful all at the same time.

The devastator marine took out three before his body was sliced into pieces by the large two handed blades. The other marine engaged the only Eldar not wearing a helm. He parried the marines combat blade and in a blur stabbed his jagged blade into the marines chest. The sickening sound accompanied the attack and the Eldar left the blade in the marines chest. He parried the marines next attack with his now free hand. The xenos smiled as he held the marines arm with surprising strength. He used his other blade to repeatedly jab into the marines stomach. The thin blade easily cut through the power armor of the marine.

Tsabin watch as the Eldar continue to punish the marines body. His eyes were alight with joy as the marine suffered and gasped in pain.

A glob from Shu-Takii connected with one of the Eldar guards that moved passed the gruesome scene. The white helmed guard screamed and melted into a bubbling pile of filth.

The attack pulled the Dark Eldar off of the dying marine. He stalked forward as the other humans around them were mercilessly cut down by the long blades of his guard. Shu-Takii fired his bolt pistol but the Eldar was too fast. In a flash he was in Shu-Takii’s space. Blades pierced armor in a half dozen places in the first flashes of combat. The cord connected to the floating weapon was severed and the weapon slowly floated away, down to the ground like a snowflake being pulled by gravity.

Tsabo had to help but they were so entwined in their battle. He fired his lasgun at one of the nearest guards. The well placed shot took him in the side of the helmet. The xenos fell over with a smoking hole in the side of his head. Tsabo subconsciously counted the seconds before he could fire again, his gun began to charge up, but not fast enough.

He watched in horror as Shu-Takii was stabbed repeatedly. The techmarine soundlessly fell to the ground. Tsabo wanted to keep watching but another guard approached with a quick leap. Tsabo fired even though he knew it was not fully charged. It scorched the Dark Eldars shoulder armor.

Without slowing the Dark Eldar came up and sliced his large blade in a horizontal strike. Tsabo redirected it with the body of his lasgun while jumping backwards. He felt the weapon jolt and hiss. He risked a glance. Half of his lasgun had been sheared off by the attack.

He felt an impact in his back. He looked down to see a long blade protruding from the middle of his torso. Blood, his blood, covered the thin metal implement of death. It slowly pulled back the way it had come and he collapsed backwards. There was not any pain but a soundless bliss.

He lay there looking out at the people being slaughtered all around them. He saw his son. “When had he gotten so tall?” he thought slowly once again.

Gravilax ran over to him screaming. The guard paid him little attention. Gravilax grabbed the ornate pistol on Tsabo’s hip.

“that was a gift from an Angel. I was going to give that to you, son” Tsabo said, the words fumbled out of his mouth.

Gravilax did not respond, instead he gripped the pistol with both hands turned and fired at the guard. A beam of dark violet came out. It passed through the guard and into the next. Both of them fell over with sizzling holes as large as a man's fist.

Tsabo looked puzzled at the weapon, but more so at his son. His son, was fighting. He just killed…… He was trying to protect. The thoughts were coming slower now. Tsabo coughed and Gravilax returned to his side. The leader of the Eldar stopped torturing Shu-Takii, leapt over the bodies of the fallen, and batted the weapon out of Gravilax’s hand. Vonsokah picked him up by the neck.

A surge of clarity hit him at the sight of his son in danger. Gravilax kicked at the Eldar, but the creature laughed. The Dark Eldar warlord spoke in his sick tongue and the guards began to move towards the door behind Tsabo.

Tears streamed down his face as he felt himself weakening once again. There was nothing he could do. He closed his eyes and looked up, a prayer to the Emperor on his lips. He knew death was coming for him. He blinked when he saw hazy motion in the sky. Figures in white were falling all around him. Their armor was bright white. Ice blue trim and silver, sparkled in the light of the day. One figure in black landed behind the Dark Eldar leader. His crozius connected with the head of the Eldar and the blunt instrument passed all the way through the figures torso only stopping when it hit the ground under him. A loud PANG seemed to demand everyones attention. White armored Death Company landed around the marine, each engaging the xenos with brutal efficiency.

Chaplain Gonatzu stood tall and looked around. The red eyes in the skull helm first scanned the downed marines. Gravilax had fallen backwards but quickly returned to Tsabo. Gonatzu approached them both a moment later.

Gravilax laid his head on Tsabo’s chest sobbing. Gonatzu looked down and met Tsabins gaze. “The Emperor will be proud to meet you Lieutenant Tsabin Tsabo,” the Chaplains voice rumbled. White armored marines and white armored dreadnoughts rampaged amongst the Eldar. Gonatzu turned and carefully watched the Death Company. A black and white dreadnought thundered down a slope bellowing ancient threats, it carried its own crozuis but it was a monument compared to Gonatzu’s. The weapon was taller than the dreadnought and lightning arced out in sporadic bursts.

“I’m so proud of you son,” Tsabin whispered as he felt the pressure of his son now holding him. To Tsabin the swirling battle had faded into a distant murmur. His world was shrinking and it now only contained his son.

“Don’t go,” Gravilax whimpered in between tears and quiet shudders.

A grunt came to their right. Shu-Takii rolled over and Gonatzu rushed to his side. Blood caked his armor in several areas and he could only move one arm. Shu-Takii propped himself up on his good arm. “Brother,” the techmarine coughed.

“I can not get any readings on your vitals brother Shu-Takii,” Gonatzu quickly stated.

“I will survive,” he turned his head slightly, “because of him.” Shu-Takii pointed to Gravilax.

The skull helm turned to regard the boy. Shu-Takii lowered his hand and went still. Gonatzu looked back at the limp tech marine. He picked up the downed marine and carried him to the doorway. Survivors and soldiers were packed into the cramped space. They made space for the Ice Angel. Gonatzu set the techmarine just inside before turning back to the boy.

“Go. Stay with Shu-Takii. We will finish these creatures and keep you safe. To NOT come back out of that doorway until I say otherwise” his deep voice spoke softly, but firmly.

Gravilax was shocked by the burly marine that addressed him. He quickly nodded his head but paused. Without thinking he turned back to his father. Lieutenant Tsabo was still. His unblinking eyes gazed up into the heavens.

Ohhhh Ice, I am so glad you caught that you missed a section. That addition is just fantastic!

I love the sorrow in the voice of the Priest as he knows the Death Company are coming

I'm so glad you feel that way. When I started this project and created this massive death company, I wanted to have this super destructive force. But as the story created itself, I ended up not having a good method to use them or have first hand of what they did. Most of my protagonists are not ice angels. They shouldn't live to see them. I think you'll enjoy them even more as the next few posts give more information about what they are capable of.

The sleek dark eldar were spread out in separate clusters, each grouped by cabal or alliance. They were unloading troops and uploading slaves and supplies. The ships were spread out all around the Mortimon System, Secondus was surrounded but every other planet had their own xenos force laying waste to the other outposts throughout the system. The number of ships was staggering and they owned Mortimon space.

Unsure of where the enemy would be located, the Imperial fleet arrived in a tight formation so they would arrive defensively. They broke the warp barrier in a sparkle of colored flashes. Surprise and coordination was their ally. The Ice Angel fleet commander took in the scene and with several curt commands, the dance began. Speed was set, smaller formations within the greater setting quickly took shape. The upcoming battle became a multistep process of timing and trajectories.

Sergeant Shar-Takazz sat in silence up in a balcony. He absently listened to the commands and reports that crescendoed in the cavernous room. He understood everything being said but he had complete faith in the crews of this ship and the others that soared nearby. If the Emperor willed it, they would handle their part. He had to focus on his.

He forgot about the countless hours they had spent in the warp. He disregarded the cold warnings that Nefas had told them as they sped through the warp. Shar-Takazz disliked Inquisitorial Captain Nefas but he could not help but admire this plan. He remembered the command Captain Razzik had given Shar-Takazz to run the fleet in his absence. He agreed with the decision, but he would have preferred to have been at Razziks side.

He paused to look up from his balcony. In a glance he saw the position of the Benevolent Aberration on the other side of the planet. They were moving faster than any Ice Angel ship. Shar-Takazz shook his head and looked back at his monitor. “All of this for a chance to strike at a Dark Eldar Archon and his ship,” he thought to himself as he saw the icon that represented Nefas’ target.

A pair of servitors protruded from the wall, each had one metal arm pecking at buttons placed all around them. The monitor sat between the two partial remains of women.

The first report came in. That is what he was waiting for. The Alabaster Reflection was nowhere to be found in or around Mortimon Secondus. The second report came in a moment later. The vault was located on the planet.

He pulled out a data slate and zoomed in on the area of where the vault had landed. His information showed the topographical area taken several years ago, he saw the ruined spires and the dense jungle. In seconds he had memorized the area within hundreds of miles around the ruined Spire.

The third report began to arrive. He wanted to look but he found himself hesitating. Judging by the number of Dark Eldar ships around the planet, the invasion force would have been……. He stopped that line of thought.

“They are there,” he spoke to himself before he focused on the third report. No beacons. The first sweep did not locate any response from Ice Angels on the planet. Other sweeps followed. Shar-Takazz began to run through other channels for codes that his chapter had used. While the battle raged in space, he began his study.

Non-astartes reports were compiling on a different monitor. He turned to regard the earliest one. It was a request for aid repeating from a servitor satellite around Mortimons largest moon. Its first request had begun nearly a month ago.

I really like that missing section, it does add more to the death company and what the rage reduces their family to.
Looking forward to the next bits!

I am glad you liked it. What about the other new section I posted today?

I love BFG and ship based narratives. You set up the scene very well ICE.

Been lurking here for way too long; excellent work!

How could I have not commented on the latest post, how remiss.

I want to know whats on that fething moon, gosh darn it.

 CommissarKhaine wrote:
Been lurking here for way too long; excellent work!

KHAINE! Thanks for commenting. Please speak up and let me know how you feel.

Knightley, dont dwell on the moon. That just happens to be where the servitor was.

Thanks Azalle, there will be more space stuff soon enough.

Any other lurkers willing to speak? I know you're there.

The ship was quaking with the force that was being pushed upon it. It had not been tested or prepared for the punishment Nefas demanded it. Dark Eldar ships altered their positions to prepare to block their approach. Nefas narrowed his eyes to slits.

“Shields to the bow. Forward tubes one two three, prepare to fire, line strike, split second detonation” Nefas hissed. Parts of the bridge were rattling.

“Inquisitorial Captain, one should suffice, shall we waste th,” the gunnery officer began through the straining pressure.

“Fully aware,” he interrupted through aggravated teeth. “Do as I command.” Nefas sneered as he pulled out his bolter and held it casually in his hand. An uncomfortable silence smashed into the room.

“Fire” he whispered.

The Eldar ship was many times the size of the Aberration, its sleek sails hung like curtains darkening the void of space. It looked like a creature from the deep darkness of the sea, tentacles splayed open and patterned lights along its irregular form. It was beginning to fire when the experimental armament blinked through the void to reappear within the hull of the ship. There was no explosion, no grand display of force. Three spheres, each larger than the Aberration, blinked out of the center of the ship creating a tunnel through the core of the ship. Power died off instantly and debris floated out from the space where parts of the ships had once been. The Dark Eldar vessel was utterly useless now that its core and the majority of its crew had been forced into the warp.

The Dark Eldar ships nearby did not respond. Nefas watched and grinned as the Aberration did not slow. A moment later it flew through the tunnel of the Dark Eldar ship rolling slightly to fit the tunnel. The Ceaseless End was on the other side. He was going to make it.

Nefas did not pay any attention to the xenos now floating in space before them. The void of space pulled debris and flailing Eldar into space. They were then smashed into by the hurtling Benevolent Aberration. His focus was directly ahead of them. He did not hear Jaska speak. He did not notice the Captain of the ship mention to the helmsman about preparing to fire thrusters to cut their speed.

A small ship, the Mirror Ship, was just ahead of them. He had seen them before. He had destroyed them before. It held aloft a gleaming crystal on a long arm. Around the crystal a shimmering field stretched out into space. The field that he was going to penetrate. This time he would make it. The Ceaseless End was on the other side and he yearned to break it. He had splintered information about the vessel but he knew the power it contained. It threatened the entirety of the galaxy and he was not going to allow it to plague his Empire any longer. His master had willed it. Nefas did not realize his mouth was open, he licked his lips absentmindedly.

As the Aberration exited the wound on the Dark Eldar ship, he continued. He saw other ships trying to alter their course. Off in the distance he could see the Ice Angel fleet holding off the majority of the Dark Eldar. Smaller ships were exiting through the shimmering field, each one passing into an inky blackness that swallowed them up. He paid them no attention.

He grinned as a they approached that inky wall at bone rattling speed. His red eyes were now wide. Blood trickled out of the corners. He held his breath in anticipation. The arsenal on his ship was going to devastate everything on the other side of this mirror. He leaned forward preparing to unleash all of it. He care not for his own survival. He was going to kill them. All of them. They would pay for what they had done. They would pay.

THEY

WOULD

PAY

It was gone. The red icon of the Benevolent Aberration had blinked out.

Sergeant Shar-Takazz did not know exactly what that meant but it was clear that the Dark Eldar did. The bridge went into a frenzy as it seemed that every ship in the immediate vicinity altered course. Ships that were on approach changed their trajectory. Ships that were coming around for attack runs veered off. He watched in fascination for several minutes. A ship was about to broadside an Ice Angel destroyer when it dipped low and turned to depart. He still did not know what had happened with Nefas or his ship but he seemed to have had destroyed a large ship on its way. The small but well defended mirror ship was now pivoting to move away, its guard ships were motioning to follow. The scanning systems throughout the fleet were beginning to pick up Dark Eldar vessels as they prepared to leave the planetside. They were normally very hard to locate until they were preparing to depart. It appeared that a mass exodus was beginning.

He pondered the implications before he went back to his reports. Everything had come up negative. Everything had come up frustratingly empty. He closed his eyes and leaned back before putting his armored hands on his knees. He had to go down there. He had to see for himself. He stood up. For a moment he thought about removing his helmet and rubbing his eyes. That was a habit that he had stopped decades ago, why had the urge returned? He thought to himself about the Ice Angel rules of engagement. One of the earliest codes was to never remove your helmet in a combat zone.

He recited the Remembrance of Shel-Von, one of his favorite ballads, as he exited the bridge. He sent out messages to his squad while he hummed. He used his HUD to notify the transport ships, mechanicum reclamation units, and the entire complement of troops spread across the fleet. He would bring them all. They would secure the landing zone and begin their hunt. If none were alive, he would find their armor, weapons, and everything he could bring back. He would record all that he saw. He would also make sure that the planet was cleansed of any remaining xenos. He stopped in his tracks. His humming stopped. Why had he not thought about that first.

“One must control a strong landing area before the ground fighting can truly regain lost land,” a snippet of tactical teachings made him nod. His humming returned.

He may have missed the battle, but any Eldar he met would feel his wrath. He may have lost a company of his brothers and the notion was stirring up emotions. That thought fueled the anger deep within but instead of letting that cloud his judgement he calculated, in hard figures, how many he would have to kill before he would feel like that debt would be paid.

He stepped onto one of the magtrams within the massive command ship. It silently whisked him towards one of the many hanger levels. Even with the speedy device it was nearly twenty minutes of travel time to go from the command district to the Ice Angel hangers. He pulled out his large data slate and reviewed the maps. New dotted lines were blinking. Landing zones were highlighted in faded red circles notating the potential landing zones of drop pods that the Aberration had shot. Shar-Takazz wondered what Nefas had dropped. Why was he notified now? What did he jettison before blazing through space towards his destination?

The plot thickens... Well written

Thank you very much Khaine. Stay tuned for the next post. It's almost ready and I think Knightley may break something.

Edge of my seat in anticipation!

I really liked the imagery of a hollowed out DE ship starting to slowly turn in space and a Imperial ship just barrels through the central hole, complete with commander wanting to kill everything on the other side.

Great imagery!

Pressure. A dull throbbing thumped in his head. The throbbing had a subtle pattern. No. Wait. It was not pressure it was something else. He tried to focus on it, trying to sift through the muddling miasma in his brain. He wanted to open his eyes but he could not. Yet he could see, dull red lights. What is that sound? His thoughts were jumbled. The throbbing repeated itself. No. Wait. He felt warm, not uncomfortable but warm. He also felt wet and slimy. Why was he slimy? The throbbing started over again. No. Wait. Other feelings were pushed aside and as the throbbing started over, he realized it was not pressure in his head, it was a message. Or a thought or a dream. He nearly lost it before he caught the tail end. “Your service under me has been fulfilled. Go and fight.” Fight? Service? Who is speaking? A spark of agitation turned to anger. He shouted and the voice seemed alien. It sounded off, like it was a different version of himself. He thought about opening his mouth but his mouth did not respond, yet his voice did. A new surge of startling realization hit him.

“I’m dead.” he thought. Flashes took over and he remembered the pain. Glimpses of the procedure. The change.

When it was over something tripped in his thoughts. It was as if he had finally agreed with his mind that he was no longer dreaming. Systems within his suit came online and his brain began to comprehend and communicate with his new body. He was suddenly aware, almost overly aware of his surroundings. He inhaled, but he did not breath in. “Aquilum,” the message began again, “you have been a valuable asset to my cause but you can no longer follow where I must go. Ice Angels should arrive soon and they will give you whatever aid you ask. Your service under me has been fulfilled. Go and Fight. Fight for the Emperor.” The voice of Nefas stopped speaking.

Aquilum was crammed into a drop pod. Distantly he felt the bone jarring descent. Did he have any bones? Yes, he had to have a least some. Didn’t he? He was unsure and could not remember. His focus seemed to ebb and flow. He needed something to concentrate on. Red lights around him blinked faster. The drop pod shuddered. Thrusters exploded and the descent rapidly changed from freefall to rumbling chaos. Moments later he slammed into the ground. The pod doors exploded outward on specialized charges and the hot jungle air crashed through the pod, at least that is what his environmental system told him. Clamps along his form released and he reached forward with one massive clamp like arm. It was pink. His other arm was yellow. He pulled himself out of the drop pod and looked around.

The jungle was thick but in wounded patches. Sun light came down from the burnt path through the canopy. Dark Eldar bodies were strewn about, many of them looked like they had been partially eaten by local wildlife. A ruined mountainous Spire loomed in the distance. A handful of Drop pods thudded nearby in the dense jungle, but he saw no one else exit from them after the doors opened. Aquilum stood still at the edge of his pod. He felt so much yet, nothing.

“I am dead,” he thought again. “Why do I still live?” he spoke to no one. The jungle responded with a plethora of sounds as the wildlife returned to its normal routines. Chirping, clicking, hissing, rustling leaves, and a groaning space marine.

Aquilum slowly pivoted, his upper torso turning 180 degrees around. Behind where he had been clamped, a green armored marine undid the clamps holding him in. He stumbled forward after they released him. He did not move swiftly and dragged his feet while he continued to moan. He held his head as if in extreme pain.

“Mantis, are you well?” Aquilum asked.

Inushi swooned and leaned against one of the drop pod arched supports. He gingerly removed his helmet and dropped it onto the ground. He was pale and thin. His eyes were sunken and he was blinking his eyes and looking around as if he could not focus them properly. Finally he regarded the dreadnought.

“I feel awful.” Inushi complained. “I feel like a hypnotherapy went very very wrong. Did you step on me?” He lurched forward as if he was about to vomit.

“You look awful,” Aquilum added with a laugh. He was unsure of why he found it amusing.

The Mantis Warrior stopped heaving and calmed himself with slow deep breaths. “Where are we?” Inushi whispered as he slumped down to the ground at the edge of the drop pod.

The question hung in the air. Aquilum realized that he did not have the answer. The last thing he remembered was stomping into a room full of equipment along with members of the Mechanicum. He remembered an odd sensation.

A proximity alert chimed and he quickly spun back to see a form moving through the jungle. He changed his stance and without realizing it his shoulder mounted weapon prepared to fire. The meltagun in his pink palm primed itself and he lifted it to aim.

A gray robed astartes stood before them. He was quietly mumbling to himself. He cocked his head three times to the left and seemed to shudder. His glazed eyes shot up to Aquilum and focused. He gave the oddest smile Aquilum had ever seen on a space marine.

Oooh, I like this piece, not specifically because you teased me with Micus at the end, but the dreadnaught consciousnesses, what would a marine think when awoke in a Dread, I always figured there would be a Techmarine to lead them into the whole thing, however Nefas was always a bastard and this seems to be his M.O.

Bring it one Ice, my body is ready!


Edit: grammar or me not getting it:
Is it "Aquilum was cramped into a drop pod."
of "Aquilum was crammed into a drop pod."
I'm terrible at English so you could ignore this.

WAIT HES ALIVE! ICE YOU DOG YOU

I think the hardest part of keeping Inushi alive was keeping my mouth shut as we all talked about it. Especially with those of my local friends that read this.

Knightley, thank you for the grammar spot. It has been fixed. I am very excited about your remarks.

The gray robed astartes pulled back his hood. His head was an unkept mop of silver hair. His beard was scraggly and wild. His armor was damaged and his pouches were torn and ripped. A weapon mount on his wrist was empty and he no longer carried the customary powerpack on his back. His muddy brown eyes regarded Aquilum and Inushi and then the pod behind them.

He continued to scan them and their drop pod before turning his head to regard the next pod to his right. He walked over to it while quietly singing a prayer.

Aquilum was unsure of what to do. He was already confused. Seeing a vagabond looking space marine had not helped his mental clarity.

“Master Aquilum, are you awake?” a voice over his vox boomed.

The words startled him. He had not realized how tense he had been while watching the marine. Quietly Inushi moaned and chuckled to himself for an unknown reason.

The woman's firm voice repeated. “Master Aquilum.”

“Yes, I am awake. Who is this?” He barked in annoyance.

“Nefas had sent me to aid and assist with,” she began.

“I asked, who is this?” Aquilum interrupted, immediately annoyed with her.

“Sergeant Savannah, sir. We are on our way to your location. Our transports were shot down and we have encountered Dark Eldar resistance. Please stay there and we will be there in several,”

She droned on and Aquilum responded by deactivating his vox. He did not like her tone. The gray armored marine was now rummaging through the next drop pod. He removed equipment and rearmed himself. A new powerpack, a new gauntlet, blades, ammo, and a bolter. When he was done he grabbed a crate that was packed with ammo and grenades. Inushi had stopped moaning and Aquilum noticed that he had activated several stimms from his armor to help ease his suffering. The green armored mantis warrior zoned out for a minute and closed his eyes taking deep controlled breaths.

Eventually the gray figure stomped through the jungle to stand directly before them. He was chomping down on a nutritional bar of a dark green matter. Aquilum watched, still unsure of what was happening, as the marine finished it and then opened another. Before them he ate a second bar followed quickly by a third. The marine seemed very happy with himself. He mumbled to himself.

Chomp chomp chomp “trees” chomp chomp “femur” chomp “time is short!” He dropped his bar and looked to his left. For a moment he froze in place. “Effervescent crystals of dimensional clamping piercing our reality.” He blinked three times rapidly and looked down at the bar he had dropped.

“CAKE!” he excitedly reached down and grabbed it. He jammed the entire thing into his mouth.

When he was done he glazed over for a moment and stood up straight, “come with me my friends, we are needed, bring as much as you can carry, be swift, we must save him, we must save all of them, the Emperor wills it.” The words flowed out of him quickly and in one breath.

He blinked several times and regarded them, seemingly for the first time, “I am Brother Micus, we need to go. Please follow me,” Micus then picked up his crate and turned.

The name triggered something in Aquilum’s thoughts. He had heard it before. Where had he heard that name? He was connected to Nefas some how. Aquilum was agitated that he did could not instantly recall the name.

The towering dreadnought watched before turning his bulk to regard Inushi. The Mantis Warrior seemed much more cognitive then before. Inushi watched Micus depart before slowly standing up. The green armored marine donned his helm before turning back into the drop pod to grab extra supplies.

“Are we following him?” Aquilum asked as he watched Inushi mag lock several crates to Aquilums thighs and back.

Inushi inhaled sharply and looked up into the pink and yellow Contemptor helmet. “Brother, I do not know what is going on. I don’t know where we are. I don’t know what year it is. I can not remember putting my armor on or what exactly I did last. My head feels like a warlord titan is jumping on it. The only person that has given me any sort of meaningful direction,” he nodded his head towards Micus before groaning in pain at the gesture, “is Micus.”

He leaned on the dreadnought for a moment before looking at the ork banner that hung as a cape upside down over the dreadnoughts massive left shoulder. He chuckled to himself, “do you have a reason why we shouldn’t?”

Aquilum rolled the question around in his thoughts. His mind led him in so many directions but he found himself coming back to Inushi. The Mantis Warrior covered himself in gear before removing his power katana from its wall mount inside the pod. He reverently pulled the blade out of its sheath just far enough to see the gleaming metal. When he was done he paused and met the gaze of the dreadnought.

“Thank you Tano Inushi,” Aquilum said.

Inushi hesitated.

“For what?” he asked.

Aquilum laughed. It felt good to do so. It was odd but it was him. Something in that moment changed. He laughed again before turning to march through the jungle.

“Are you going to answer me?” Inushi asked after him.

“If you can’t remember then I will need time to fabricate a worthy story.” Aquilum chuckled.

Inushi gently shook his head and followed.

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MICUS! Oh yes, you glorious author Ice! I feel you captured the fractured nature of his psyche, as well I loved this has set something else up, we aren't sure whats about to happen.