Brother Vicarius tells me Brother
Sergeant Malliun has a mission for us in the 4th company.
A small task of gathering intel for a recently rediscovered battle
barge that is seemingly abandoned. “It's marks are missing, but
scans show no life”, Vicarius informs me. “maybe we can help
those adeptus mechanicus overcome the fact they will never get our
predator template”, he barks out in a laugh. I share a hearty laugh
with my brother. With these oddly peaceful times in this quadrant,
the emperor grants us joy and it would be rude to not take it. We
both begin to gear up to meet our Sargent for a briefing.
“Listen my brothers!” Roared
Brother Malliun. “We've but a simple quest! This barge has no marks
or indicators, no name or numbers. The Forth must bring any
information, STC's, weapons, and artifacts onto the Baal Nominine.
First we need recon, and we are without scouts, so half of our
tactical squad and myself, will recon the area, and report and
debrief what we see.” I notice his beautiful etchings of gold onto
his armor, done by himself. It must taken months for his new ornate
design after the last armor was damaged on Thrax III. “We've eight
minutes terran until deployment, twelve until we are at the the
barge. Be ready ready for combat in four! BE BLOODY!!” “BE
RESOLUTE!!” We chant back. As we are preparing for boarding, I hold
my bolter over my two hearts, in anticipation of the upcoming battle.
“There's no need brother” Vicarius states with a small grin,
“it's merely an empty vessel” I stare at him and state “I
prepare my soul for the emperor and our primarch, no matter the
mission.” He chuckles and turns away as all five of us load into
the assault ram.
Four Minutes Terran until hull breach.
We await with anticipation to survey the area, to discover what could
help the chapter, to help the imperium, to help mankind. A sense of
wonderment dances in my thoughts, but my alertness keeps me focused.
In my thoughts one keeps permeating to the top. Blood. I shake
it off as the impact shakes the ram indicating we have breached hull.
Twelve minutes terran seemed so short. I have lived hundreds of years, but twelve minutes was four lifetimes ago. When the door dropped we saw them, world eaters, agents of chaos, heretics, followers of their foolish blood-god. Without chance the entire squad save Malliun and myself were cut down. My Brother Sargent did not last much longer. He fought well, may the emperor grant him peace.
I fire bolter rounds and begin making a retreat to push the heretics away from the ram, to lead them to me. Running and snap-firing in an attempt to pick them off. I take two out. I stop and turn and the ram has retreated. “Thank terra” I speak into my vox. “Reinforcements inbound”, the pilot voxes back. I see one of them charge at me and things begin to go black. I grab his chainaxe by the blade, tearing my hand into shreds as it begins to lock up on the ceramite plating covering my hand. The pain fades quickly, but I see my blood shed on my red armor and all fades to black.
I awaken to a sight almost inconceivable, Dead heretics around me and my brothers coming towards me! My red armor darkened and slick with blood. My readings show it's been twelve minutes since I lost control, or lost too much blood. Then I feel it. Blood, blackness, rage....
I like the feeling.
