Lieutenant Callum walked toward the hangar deck of the inquisitor’s corvette putting on his hazard environment gear as he went. He glanced at the bolt pistol strapped to his thigh wishing it were his trusty plasma pistol. He felt a sense of loss without it as it had seen him through some tough scrapes in his career as a soldier. He really wished he had his plasma pistol to balance his still recovering body. He absentmindedly moved his hand to the scar and his mind flashed back to the conversation that brought him here.
24 hours ago inside Lieutenant Callum’s hospital room
The Lieutenant woke from his sleep with a jolt and sat up too quickly. A sharp pain in his side sent him back on his back writhing in pain. Captain Lachlan who had been sitting by the bed for a few minutes spoke to the Lieutenant.
Take it easy Lieutenant, your lung was punctured by the deamon and you’re still recovering.
What happened Captain?
To you? The daemon stabbed you with a bayonet it found on the ground. To the mission? The enemy was routed from the field and we retired from the front to await replacements.
How long was I out?
Three weeks. The medicae kept you under for the surgery and for an inquisitorial review to determin whether or not you had become corrupted.
And?
You’re alive aren’t you? Anyway Lieutenant I’m here because I need volunteers. The crystals we secured were sent to a remote inquisition research facility on an asteroid. A rogue SDF boat found it and dropped a squad of PDF to capture the facility. As you can imagine inquisitorial resources are stretched thin so they need to use guard troops. C company has experience with the crystals so the inquisiton “asked” me to assemble a strike team to retake the outpost and I want you to lead it. The medicae says you need a few more days to rest but you know yourself best so if you’re up to it I would consider it a personal favor.
I’ll be ready sir.
12 hours ago aboard the corvette
The briefing room aboard the corvette
Redemption’s Fury was big enough for the ten men of the strike team, the pilots, and the inquisitor who was giving the briefing. Despite the uncomfortable confines of the room all eyes were on the inquisitor.
All interior sensors are down so we don’t know about the conditions inside or enemy positions. The station exterior is intact and due to the… delicate… nature of the facility this should remain to stay intact. Nothing stronger than a krak grenade should be used inside so all the plasma you brought should be checked into the armory and replace with something else. Any questions?
Silence
No? Then I suggest you visit the armory then get some shut eye.
Present time
The lieutenant popped one of his pain pills than sealed his helmet as the Valkyrie made its descent. Without warning the ramp slammed down and the assault team formed up outside the main airlock.
The airlock slid open and the flamers moved in first followed by Callum and the rest of the team. They pause to take in the destruction when one of his men spoke out.
I thought this facility was delicate, sir?
Guess it’s more robust then we thought, now keep quiet and stay alert!
Carrying his flamer Private Fergus moved towards the target room and walked headlong into a PDF squad lying in wait.
AMBUSH!
LIEUTENANT THEY HAVE A MISSILE LAUNCHER!
Private Fergus fired his flamer at the waiting PDF troopers, dispatching two while the third ducked for cover.
The PDF troops opened up but their poor training did nothing more then send the assault team running for cover. The missile launcher misses his target and landed near his loan compatriot.
Fergus go take out that grenade launcher I’ll handle this wretch myself.
Callum covered Fergus with his bolt pistol while Fergus moved to a new position. While the PDF troops focused on the flamers the rest of the assault team moved into better positions.
Private Euan fired his flamer over the at the PDF missile launcher at the same moment Private Fergus fired his flamer. Euan was not as lucky as Fergus however as he only killed the assistant while Fergus managed to kill both the grenade launcher and the renegade sergeant. Callum was completely oblivious to the action as he charged headlong at the enemy soldier.
Callum was on the poor bastard in moments.
Callum revved his chainsword and swung at the hapless trooper. The soldier raised his lasgun to block the blow but the all the force behind the swing sawed through the lasgun and made an awful mess of the foul heretic.
Callum moved back to help his men deal with the missile launcher threat.
He had enough time to duck around the corner when a heretic lieutenant charged in with his retinue.
With the distraction brought on by the new arrivals the missile launcher hit right next Private Blair showering him and the nearby soldiers with the debris bouncing harmlessly off their carapace. Private Euan looked over in surprise and one of the PDF troops hit his tank with a las round. Private Euan went up in fireball that made his nearby comrades flinch away. The renegade officer let out an almost primal roar and fired his weapon in the air while his men riddled one of the assault troops full of holes.
The three men who saw Euan go up in flames felt themselves full of rage and anger and with a fearsome battle cry charged up the ramp to deal with the heretic scum.
The first soldier up the ramp fired two shotgun shots in rapid succession taking out the closest heretic while the second soldier only forced the missile launcher trooper to take cover.
He charged forwards and proceeded to viscously beat the his enemy with his shotgun till all that remained was a broken mess at his feet.
Lieutenant Callum saw the nearby heretic and quickly acted.
YOU THREE FORM ON ME!
OPEN FIRE!
Callum hit the officer with his bolt pistol dropping him to the floor in a daze while the surrounding troops fired a fierce volley dropping one of the heretics and sending the rest scrambling for cover.
Callum decided to charge the enemy officer and charged forward chaisword at the ready and the man next to him also charged one of the heretics.
Callum swung his chainsword but a jabbing pain in his ribs slowed the swing enough for the enemy to block the blow with his lasgun. Callum tried again with the same result and then again with the same result. His opponent started spouting something about the definition of insanity but Callum paid it no mind. The man on Callum’s right swung the butt of his shotgun but his blows were blocked by the enemy’s lasgun.
Seizing on the distraction the last PDF regular moved over to the ramp and fired a burst from the hip at Fergus but missed.
Assuming that his commander and his comrade had their combats handled the body guard moved around the two lieutenants and fired at Private Blair. All the shots bounced harmlessly off his carapace. Blair chuckled as he dusted himself off then reloaded his shotgun.
Callum was starting to feel weak from the pain and couldn’t last much longer. He made a swing with his chainsword and the heretic officer blocked it again but it was only a feint. Callum fired his bolt pistol into the officer until the pistol ran dry. The gun fire startled the two men in the middle of their melee but the heretic recovered his witts faster and stabbed the vet with his bayonet.
After a quick change of pants Fergus moved closer to his adversary and proceeded to empty the contents of his fuel canister dealing with his adversary.
Two shotgun blasts rang out in the station as the heretic standing over his dead prize was dropped as a member of the assault team advanced. Blair and Callum looked at the last heretic soldier, and charged. Blair hit the lasgun out of the heretics hands and Callum swung his chainsword down spattering blood over himself and Blair.
Blair with me let’s find the crystals. The rest of you police up the bodies and check the rest of the station for any hold outs.
Blair and Callum moved into the room weapons at the ready but all the found was a vault door barely hanging on its hinges. Blair pulled the door open and nearly puked in his helmet at the sight. The walls were covered in foul heretical symbols and the floor was littered with the mutilated bodies of the stations former occupants place around the crystals. They were ritually desecrated but it seemed as if whatever ritual that had been attempted had failed. Suddenly the crystals began to glow and pulsate with energy and its essence scared the two combat hardened veterans to their core. Somehow the firefight in the station had provided enough sacrifices to trigger the crystals. Both men were rooted to the ground unable to run as they watched helplessly. The crystal shuddered more and began to make a loud buzzing noise and then with a pop it was gone. Simply gone.
12 hours later in the inquisitors state room.
I have interviewed you and the survivors and have found no traces of taint despite your proximity to the object.
That’s good lord.
Yes. You and your men are free to return to your unit but the nature and events of this operation are to remain a secret. Failure to adhere will result in your execution. Am I clear?
Yes lord.
Dismissed Lieutenant.
10,000+
