Part Three: An hour later, the armored column roared into the ruined Imperial outpost. As Hezekiah's Damocles Rhino drove into the compound, two figures left the command bunker and walked to meet him. One was Interrogator-Chaplain Gabriel, the detachment's fearless chaplain. His ornate power armor was death black and adorned with white skulls. Around his neck, on an admantium chain, was a miniature winged swod. A symbol of his office, it was an exact duplicate of the chapter emblem. Hidden within the priceless relic was a powerful force-field generator. His eagle-topped Crozuis Arcanum was attached to his waist beside his holstered bolt pistol. Gabriel had forsaken his traditional white robe and wore a standard issue assault jumppack. Beside him was his Chaplain-Adept, Brother Timotheus. Brother Timotheus had been recently selected as a candidate for chaplaincy. He had been re-assigned from the 6th Company where his great zeal and devotion had not gone unnoticed. He was now accompanying Gabriel as part of his initiation before being inducted into the Chaplaincy and the Deathwing itself. He too had forsaken his Adept's smock for a jumppack. He respectfully stopped a meter behind Gabriel as the Chaplain embraced Hezekiah. "Brother-Captain, I am glad the Lion has graced you with an uneventful journey." "He watches over his faithful, InterrogatorChaplain. As you know, we found one of the ambushed patrols just south. The damage bears all indications that it was indeed the work of Eldar Pirates." "Troubling information. They are a race seeped in the darkness of chaos. Even the brutal orc's foul degradations are as nothing compared to the depravity of their tainted souls." Hezekiah and Gabriel continued to discuss preparations for a new base of operation. They turned and walked back towards the Damocles. ChaplainAdept Timethous left the two and went to check on the welfare of the newly arrived battle brothers. Within the hour, Thunderhawk transports began arriving from the Divinitus Duci. Each was loaded with sections of bearing pre-fabricated bunkers. With calm efficiency, Battle-Brothers quickly assembled them on a nearby hilltop. The Dark Angels now had a planet-side strongpoint on McLeod III with a commanding view of the rolling forests and plains. At dusk, Hezekiah ordered two tactical squads to assemble on the newly assembled landing pad for night patrols. "O Angelis Morti, trust in thine Emperor," intoned Gabriel as he began the briefing, "his is thine help and thy shield." "The Emperor has been mindful of us," replied the assembled marines of Squads Jeremiah and Mishael. "O sons of the Lion, trust in thine Primarch. He is thy help and thine shield." "The Primarch will bless us." "Ye that trust in the wrath of the Emperor have no fear." "We shall know no fear." "Let the heathen worship their false idols. Let the alien trust in their dark technology. Let the traitor trust in his falsehood. We shall cleanse them with the holy bolter and burn them with power of the Emperor's wrath." "We are the First, the Honored, the Sons of the Lion!" roared the assembled marines. "Brother-Sergeant Mishael," began Hezekiah. "You will take your squad and patrol the southern flank. Pay careful attention to the grox stockyards north of Bellitoris." "Understood, Brother-Captain," said Mishael. "Brother-Sergeant Jeremiah. You will take your squad and patrol the northern approaches. I want you to check out these farms here." with a thought, Hezekiah overlaid a topographical map inside of Jeremiah's visor. This same image was repeated inside of every marine's holo-visor. "Several isolated farms have been identified as potential ambush locations," Hezekiah continued. As he spoke, several spots on the holo-maps became illuminated. "I want you to do a detailed analysis of each." "I would be honored, Brother-Captain." "Squads Jeremiah and Mishael, move out. Honor thy Chapter and thy Primarch." "For the Lion," intoned the marines in unison. The squads departed on foot and slipped silently into the darkness. Brother-Captain Hezekiah monitored each squad's progress from the Damocles. Its holo-sphere and sophisticated monitoring equipment allowed Hezekiah to track each individual marine. Close to midnight, the vox-net came alive. Squad Jeremiah had surprised a group of around twenty Eldar raiders in the act of ransacking a farm. The marines quickly overwhelmed the perimeter guards. Brother Heleb's Plasma-Cannon fired twice in quick succession. The twin blasts downed the slavers' transports. The rest of Brother-Sergeant Jeremiah's marines cut down half of the vile aliens before they could react. The remainder, caught in an unexpected crossfire, were quickly eliminated. Brother Justus was commended in Jeremiah's report for his quick thinking and bravery. Justus had killed four of the xenos at close-range when they tried to mount an ineffectual counter-attack. The surviving household and farm workers were freed from their shackles. They told their rescuers that the aliens had swept into the farm minutes before the marines arrived. There had been no warning as the dark eldar had swept in. The household had been awoken and dragged towards the xenos' waiting transports. Only the farmer had attempted to resist. He was dragged into the storage silo and summarily executed as an example. Immediately Brother-Captain Hezekiah ordered Squad Jeremiah to hold the farm and wait for Interrogator-Chaplain Gabriel. He contacted the Divinitus Duci and requested a Thunderhawk. Within a few minutes the Thunderhawk transport arrived. The gunship transported Gabriel and Squad Kaelen to the beleaguered farm. The Ravenwing biker squadron was dispatched to complete Brother-Sergeant Jeremiah's interrupted patrol. Shortly before dawn, Brother-Sergeant Mishael and his patrol returned from an uneventful patrol. Part Four: Hezekiah watched the yellow sun of McLeod rise over the horizon. The marines of squads Misheal and Nathanel hustled as they prepared to leave the compound. Hezekiah was anxious to rendezvous with Chaplain Gabriel and the marines of squads Kaelen and Jeremiah. Hezekiah paused from his own maintenance rituals and watched Misheal's marines loaded up into one of the Razorback transports. To his right, squad Nathanel finished their preparations and clambered into a waiting Rhino. Paternal approval filled Hezekiah as he watched the efficiency of the individual marines under his command. Each quickly completed the appropriate equipment rituals and promptly found his assigned position in the armored personnel carriers. Each would have risen to greatness in their old respective home worlds. Brave, quick, and intelligent they were shining examples of the Emperor's vision of mankind. Now with the various attributes blessed to them with the gift of Jonson's seed, they truly were the best humanity had to offer. |
PURGE THE XENOS By Trent Hoffman |
EPICS OF REDEMPTION |
