Utilizing Careful Highlighting
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Background– Aurora Second Company attending Lords of Terra III (2010).
Captain Eos glided down the steel corridor in Second Company’s strike cruiser, only the dense material of his armour on the floor detectible to even his augmented hearing. Not the first time he smiled thinking of his armour’s wonderous properties. A long time companion now across numerous battlefields, this suit of power armour was a gift from Chrysaor, the Master of the Forge for the Aurora Chapter. Chrysaor was held in high esteem by all the Aurora Astartes and he ranked a Magos among the Mechanicum on Mars and said to be close to the Fabricator General himself. The gift was made in gratitude to Eos for rescuing him from an underground Necron lair. Eos had personally cut through multiple Necron warriors to reach the Forgemaster, and then lead the rearguard out, sustaining catastrophic injuries in the process. Eos had reached the surface last, he was near death and his weapons and power armour were completely destroyed. Eos had spend months with the Chapter’s apocotharies then more time still in the forges learning how best to use his resulting heavy bionic reconstruction. His rebuilding was personally overseen by the Forgemaster and a bond of sorts had developed between them. Eos was the embodiment of the long alliance between Terra and Earth and perhaps as a result, for a long time Second Company had been treated with special reverence by the Techmarines of the Chapter.
Arriving at a steel door with beautiful silver tracery of the Aurora symbol over a larger Mechanicum cog, Eos knocked. The door opened silently on unseen commands to reveal his old friend Archimedes, tendrites interfacing with multiple ports in the wall while his shielded hands worked on a massive sword. Archimedes turned and smiled, his tendrites disengaging as various parts of his high tech forge began to power down. “You’re on time. Good.” he said.
Archimedes armour was as different to his old friend’s as their latter training and years of experience had been. Whereas Eos’ armour was a work of art that amplified his speed and agility, Archimedes’ plate was dreadnought like, its sheer bulk promising invulnerability to all but an orbital strike.
Archimedes and Eos were old friends, having first met when their scout units were merged after a particularly punishing action against a nascent genestealer cult. Their interests had been different from day 1. Archimedes was inquisitive, creative and happiest in one of the Chapter’s forges, as opposed to Eos’ natural aggression, intuition of the battlefield and command presence. When Eos had been called to the first company after only five years in a tactical squad, their friendship had drifted slightly and soon after Archimedes had been called to Mars. They had been reunited over two decades later, Eos a tactical squad sergeant in second company and Archimedes a Techmarine of Mars. Despite their differences, of attitude and training, their friendship was valued by both and both actively sought each other’s company as often as their duties allowed.
Archimedes held out Eos’ enormous two handed power sword. A priceless relic that the Chapter Master had given to Eos when he had granted him command of Second Company and charged him to turn a massive Orc infestation on an imperial world. The massive weapon’s hilt had been damaged in Eos’ latest action against Dark Eldar when he had cut down one of their foul Ravagers as it flew past at terrible speed. The whole Chapter had cheered the story of his running bounds to the top of a rhino then his leap high in the air to strike down the Dark Eldar abomination when Second Company’s Chaplain had told the tale. Always blessed with outstanding physical attributes, Eos was now stronger and faster than any other marine in the chapter given the wondrous work done in his bionic reconstruction. Even in his memory he yet cringed as he thought of the resulting fight against the Dark Eldar Archon. That duel had tested his capacities to their limits. Following a blurring battle where he had been wounded several times and been saved yet more times by the amazing protection offered by his Iron Halo, Eos had seen an opening and swung with all the might the Emperor had granted him. The Dark Eldar lord’s curved sword had been no match for Eos’ ancient blade, which had torn through his parry and armour to effectively cut him in half, yet even as it was broken the alien lord’s blade had marred the surface of the magnificent inverted gold eagle crosspiece.
Taking the blade now from his friend he was happy to see the mark removed and the crosspiece restored to its old splendor. Not for the first time Eos marveled that the sword’s weight, which although significant, was perfectly balanced. Eos’ augmented strength together with his natural speed helped him to wield such a mighty weapon faster than any of his sergeants could wield their own blades.
Not as fast as that Archon had been though. Next time he resolved to put a bolt through its head insead.
Coming back to the present he looked his old friend in the eyes. “Thank you my friend” he said. “I have to visit the Librarius however I hope to see you on the embarkation deck shortly.”
Eos found Helios in his small study. He had been sitting on a reinforced stool facing a stylized image of the Emperor on the golden throne. Helios’ forehead rested on his golden staff with his eyes closed. He seemed a hero of legend, the very model of both scholar and warrior in his massive Astartes plate. When Eos entered Helios had risen and the illusion had been quickly dispelled, the soft light in the chamber did nothing to mask the ashen colour of his features.
“My lord” he said as he bowed. “The great ocean of the warp is in more turmoil than I have felt for many years. The dark powers are present and great events are coming to a head. So much activity makes scrying difficult. However, I was able to identify a number of likely future paths and your caution was well advised in them all. It seems almost certain we will run into traitors to the Emperor where we are going. I even saw heretical Grey Knights! Further I have seen great trials for you, such overwhelming odds that success remains uncertain. It was strange, Orcs battled with Traitor Marines, while nearby it seemed battle brothers crossed fields to engage huge Imperial Guard armies. It was the world gone mad.”
“Well my friend we were created to win in impossible odds, it’s what you and I have been doing for nearly a century together.” Eos said as he smiled.
“Yes my lord, you are right. Whatever darkness we find, we will shed the Emperors light through the flash of our bolters and flatten their false idols under the tracks of our Rhinos. We will purge our enemies, no matter their type, as we have always done.”
Helios smiled, the old sparkle dancing in his eyes again.
“Come my friend, let’s go and make it happen.”
The embarkation deck was a hive of activity with ship’s crew hurrying about their routines, yet at its centre was a green sea of calm. Squads’ Ulysses and Persius were formed into parallel lines, the black lining of their shoulder pads distinctively second company. Eos looked at them and knew them all. Any doubts that threatened to intrude on his good humour was banished, he knew these men and had served with each an all of them in countless operations. These were the best and most experienced two squads in his command. Eos marked Brother Leonidas by his twin chain swords. Brother Leonidas has performed remarkably over the last few years and an amazing aptitude for close quarters fighting.
Bellerophon stood before them, his skull helm complimenting the black of his relic Second Company Chaplain armour. His silken voice was soft yet carried to every corner of the massive chamber, laden with conviction. Librarian Helios stood off to one side, while his eyes danced with intellect, yet his face remained inscrutable.
“…and remember my brothers, we share the blood as well as the spiritual strength of our venerated Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, and through him we claim descent from the almighty Emperor himself. You all bear the armour and wield the revered weapons of brothers who have gone before you honouring the Emperors sacred trust in us to destroy the mutant, the heretic and the alien. Let them remind you constantly as you bear them to battle of your duty and from that purity or purpose draw strength to destroy the enemies of mankind. Although I cannot be with you on the field this time, let nothing stop you, never falter my brothers. Let our enemies’ terror of our coming rob them of their will to resist, for terrified they will be when they learn Aurora’s finest, the second company, come now to strike with the almighty Emperor’s final justice into the very heart of their loathsome corruption.”
There was a chorus of armoured fists striking power armoured chests as the assembled host signaled their approval. Over it all however echoed the boom of adamantium on adamantium as Brother Apollo, second company’s Dreadnought, echoed his brothers’ gesture, hammering his massive fist into his armoured sarcophagus. On his right arm the massive twin autocannon autoloader cycled, pushing a shell the size of a space marine fist into one of its huge breeches. Brother Apollo had only been interred into the cyborganic web of his armoured sarcophagus a decade ago, previously he had served as second company’s champion. Hi fall had been worthy of its own epic. Eos had been trying to reach him through the press of Kine and saw him fall to the Greenskin Warboss’ power klaw even as the champion drove his own blade through the brute’s heart. The title of company champion had remained vacant since as Eos insisted the income champion best him in the training cages, and so far although the sergeants from Ulysses and Perseus squads had come closest, although neither had yet beaten him. Eos thought now when if they both returned he would offer Leonidas a chance to best him in the cages. He smiled as he thought how Leonidas making Champion would set a fire on many who were content to rest on their laurels.
The rivalry between those the Ulysses and Perseus Sergeants in particular, tempered by their own good nature, and the skill of the Captain, had set a formidable benchmark across the Second Company that had lifted the Company’s morale to stratospheric heights. Over the decades the conviction of the veterans, the constant stream of near impossible successes and the growing profile of their Captain had developed Second Company into the finest in the Chapter. All the most promising scouts yearned to be inducted into Second Company. It was scant few years ago Leonidas had been one of those scouts.
How time flies Eos thought as he walked before the assembled men.
“Brothers, today there will be little glory for Second Company. We launch into a cesspool of the Alien and the Heretic. Your loyalties will be torn as you slay former allies who have turned from the Emperor’s light.”
Eos looked over to Helios, who returned his gaze.
“Feel no pity, no remorse. Our satisfaction of slaying the alien will rightly be tempered by the distaste of our need to bring justice to the heretic. Our enemies will be legion, some will be well equipped. Support each other, as always I expect initiative from you all for it is from our flexibility and judgement as much as our wargear and our discipline that we will triumph.”
The mood had tempered as Eos knew it would. None of them looked forward to delivering the killer blow to heretical former allies although all accepted it must be done.
A low rumble from the embarkation deck’s doors into the cruiser’s forges drew Eos’ attention. A colossal Thunderfire Cannon drove slowly down the steel ramp from the forges flanked by Archimedes and Forgemaster Chrysaor himelf.
Chrysaor walked up to Eos, his extreme augmentation as clear from the thunderous metallic steps of his frame on the steel floor as his complete lack of human features on his metal head. His voice sounded cold, clipped and monotone.
“Brother Captain, the Mechanicus gladly stands ready to help you on this mission. May the Omnissiah grant you the wisdom to achieve success quickly.” Chrysaor paused. The rumble had become a low roar. Chrysaor continued “My lord, Colossus has insisted it accompany you”.
Through the forge’s doors emerged the titanic and legendary Land Raider ‘Colossus’. All eyes watched as it drove itself down the steel ramp. It has been with the Aurora Chapter since it was formed out of the Ultramarines and its forging had taken place thousands of years ago on Ultramar itself. Eos felt his armour respond to the strength of the ancient machine spirit, data and information streamed through his consciousness as the Colossos’ scanners, sensors and targeters streamed massive volumes of real time data to every marine on the deck. What Eos alone of the Astartes picked up was the massive volume of streaming code that flowed from the ancient machine in the Noosphere. With his bionic reconstruction, Chrysaor had authorized a high level cogitator of the Adeptus Mechanicus for Eos and he had learned a great deal directly from the Mechanicus Noosphere during those months he spent with the Forgemaster following his reconstruction.
The Colossus shone, the archetype instrument of mankind’s destiny to inherit the galaxy, its every joint and hinge freshly and lovingly anointed in sacred unguents, the barrels of its massive Godhammer pattern Lascannons, heavy bolters and sponson mounted multimelta reflecting almost a mirrored surface from beautifully machined barrels. The deep rumble of its massive reactor engine complimented the brutality its armoured might promised. As much a supreme instrument of destruction, Colossus was Mechanicum perfection incarnate.
Chrysaor augmitted a short burst of binaric “Subject: We honour the ancient pacts between Mars and Terra by employing machines against our enemies. Emote: Look after yourself and Archimedes young one.”
Eos was one of a handful outside the Adeptus Mechanicus to be able to process binaric, given its requirement for a Mechanicus cogitator. Although he was no Techmarine, he knew that was as close as a Mechanicus Magos came to saying be careful. It almost made Eos smile.
Eos’ command net vox opened up.
“Brother Eos, word has it you are about to go have some fun. Would you mind if First Company dropped in and joined you?”
Even over the vox the growl of Captain Ares was pure menace.
Eos smiled and replied over the vox. “We would be honoured with your presence Brother Ares. Just make sure you join us quickly, as you know my boys don’t mess around. We are locked and loaded, deploying in around 10 minues.”
“Loud and clear my old friend. Ares is off to the shuttle already. I will follow him down in 5.”
Eos turned to the assembled marines. Ares was a truly ancient dreadnought, a mighty hero of the Ultramarines who had formed part of the original Aurora Chapter Master’s Honour Guard. In battle he was destruction incarnate. Eos had seen dozens of lascannon direct hits bounce off his titanic plates. He had also seen him lose arms and legs in ferocious battles with all manner of horrors.
One of Eos’ ancient memories bubbled to the surface. Amassive battle between the Imperial Guard and true abominations, what were once space marines but now called themselves the Purge, monstrosities that spread disease and plague, as often as not from the taint and corruption that leaked from bursting boils inside their ancient and corroded power armour. Eos had been a tactical marine at the time wielding an ancient plasma gun. It had been scant relief to know that whereas bolters seemed to have very little effect on the purge, who seemed to shrug off what should have been mortal wounds, every plasma round he had fired had bought one down.
As he bought down his sixth filth, one of the abominations that wept green and yellow fluids all down its weapons and legs threw up its arms and with a roar exploded into flying chunks of diseased flesh and corroded armour. However a darkness remained and from that darkness a shadow took shape, quickly resolving itself into a true horror. A mountain of puss, fat and evil looking growths took shape. It held in its hands a cruel looking sword that secreted multiple coloured rivers of fluids down its length. Eos knew instinctively that to touch that weapon would be death even for an Astares for this could be none other than a Plague Demon of Nurgleth!
Even as Eos opened the plasma gun up on full auto into the monstrosity, it looked at him and his hope faded. A voice in his head whispered promises of dark power to him. His mind recoiled at the intrusion, his every sense flaring as his disgust threatened to make him sick in his armour. His finger tighted on the plasma gun and white hot destruction rained into the nightmare. And yet it kept coming!
When the monster was only twenty metres and closing on Eos and the squad fast a clarion trumpet sounded, a clear note of challenge. Dreadnought Ares was running at the monster! His massive dreadnought arms held steady while his underarm meltagun pumped melta into the creature and as he closed on the beast his other arm hosed it with cleansing heavy flamer. Then they had clashed! The Demon had massive holes from plasma and melta fire, yet even so it moved quickly. Even as Ares swung up one his massive dreadnought arms in a Dreadnought uppercut, his razor sharp dreadnought claw ripping through the demon, it had bought its sword around and severed one of the support struts for Ares’ right leg.
The monster screamed its anger and rage however it quickly lost its corporeal form, being dragged back to the warp for another thousand years.
Ares had kneeled on his good leg. The battle had been over for him as his weapons were all short range. Eos had remembered feeling tears of relief run down his face as his armour had pumped him full of stimulants to neutralize the relief he was feeling and letting it turn into shock.
Eos had no doubt Ares had saved his life that day. And for all he knew his immortal soul too.
His mind jerked out of its reverie. If First Company was joining the party, Second Company would do all it could to make sure there was nothing left for them except dead aliens and heretics. It had become a matter of pride.
Helios was watching him closely.
Eos looked at the assembled marines.“Mount up brothers. We go to war.”
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