Warhammer 40K: Thunderfall

[Jack Elliot]

Sister Beth crept cautiously down the alley, her storm bolter held tight against her shoulder. Flanking her, Sisters Mabel and Bertha followed close with their bolters at the ready. It turned first left, then ten meters later back to the right. Coming around the corner, they could see what looked like a courtyard shared by several dilapidated brick apartment buildings. At the end of the alley, they stopped, kneeling in the brackish water seven centimeters deep. Katherine sloshed through the water, coming up behind them and peering over their shoulders.

In the failing twilight of dusk, the courtyard was an indistinct jumble of old chain-link fence, rubble, and cheap lawn furniture. The courtyard was slightly elevated, so it wasn’t submerged underwater like much of the neighborhood. It looked like parts of it had once been lawn, but the grass was long since gone and now they were just tracts of thick mud. The concrete patio was broken in places with a pool, its disgusting black water now overflowing from the rain. Dark and silent, the windows of the apartment buildings surrounding the courtyard stared down on them. Katherine’s eye picked out an amorphous shape of dull green through the rain and gestured toward it.

Dinah the Celestian and Beth moved quickly along the edges of the courtyard with their storm bolters trained on the unidentified mass. Mabel and Bertha advanced forward with Katherine directly behind, gingerly stepping over wrecked lawn chairs and the ruins of the chain-link fence that had once surrounded the pool area. The other sisters paused at the entryway, their weapons sweeping over the many windows, alert for any motion in the shadows beyond.

“Emperor’s Mercy…” Mabel gagged, suppressing the urge to vomit as she saw what was surrounding the pool.

Katherine stepped around her and covered her mouth with her hand. Scattered about the area were half a dozen bodies…or at least the pieces of them. It looked as if they had been ripped to pieces and chewed upon. The torsos had their abdomens ripped open and the innards removed in grisly fashion, bite marks too large for any humanoid or terrestrial vermin. She noted a Pilum model lasgun lying in the mud nearby. Kneeling, she picked up some shreds of a uniform, noting the patches sewn on the shoulders, “Third Legion, Ninth Cohort, Second Century. The missing airborne troops…or at least some of them.”

“What do you think did this?” Bertha asked, swallowing hard to keep the bile from rising in her throat.

Suddenly the courtyard was filled with a horrible screeching chorus as the mud on one side of the pool erupted. Muddy shapes launched themselves at the three sisters, springing from their hiding places a few centimeters under the muck. One flew toward Bertha’s face, and she threw her arm up instinctively to protect herself. A pair of jaws filled with vicious teeth clamped about her forearms, scraping against the armored shell. It was two-thirds of a meter long, somewhat teardrop shaped, covered in a segmented carapace of pinkish lavender and bone white. She shook her arm violently, hurling the thing to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she stomped on it, crushing it under the armored boot of her power-armor.

“Ripper Swarm!” Katherine shouted as she whipped her powersword from her scabbard. The blade sheared completely through one of the Rippers in the same fluid backhand movement of her draw. One landed next to her left foot, chomping down on her calf, but its teeth could find no purchase against her golden power armor. She speared it with the tip of her sword and looked about for more. The other sisters were blazing away with their bolters, slaughtering the Rippers as they emerged from the mud. The Tyranids are here already? They’re weeks ahead of schedule! How did they get past the orbital pickets without being seen?

Then the black water of the pool exploded, a great column of liquid twisting up into the air. The water splashed down over the three Sisters, covering them with greasy, slimy liquid. Something struck Katherine in the chest and she fell back against an upright section of chain-link fence. Stunned, she looked down to see a long dent across the chest of her Vestments.

Her eyes opened wide as she raised them to see a monstrous creature rushing in at her. It was two meters tall, with kinked, reverse-kneed legs and four arms. The two lower arms were vaguely humanoid, with long, diamond hard claws. The two upper arms were raised high above its elongated skull-like head, ending in two scythe-like weapons. It was covered in a tough carapace the color of bone with a fine oily sheen, highlights of pinkish-lavender like the Rippers. ”Lictors!”

The scythes came down at her, but Katherine stepped forward swinging her blade to intercept. The powersword slashed through both arms of the creature, splashing her with foul-smelling greenish ichors. It kept coming at her, slamming into the Palatine. They both crashed through the section of fence, skidding into the mud. Katherine rolled away as the thing scrambled to its feet to charge in again.

A brilliant beam of red light sliced through the rain with a loud VNNNNNN! The searing heat beam from Sister Judith’s meltagun struck the creature in the abdomen, instantly causing the water it its tissues to vaporize into steam. The beast exploded in grisly fashion its chest, head, and arms falling to the mud a few meters away. With mindless tenacity, it tried to crawl toward the Palatine, pulling itself with its two intact lower arms. Katherine leveled her plasma pistol and shot it in the head.

A second Lictor had landed next to Mabel and Bertha, a scythe striking the former and knocking her backwards. Her Vestments saved her life, but Bertha was not so fortunate. A clawed hand shot outward, piercing the armor and the sister. Blood splattered outward as the claws burst from her back, her dying scream a wet gurgle. Tossing aside Bertha’s corpse like it was a child it turned toward Mabel…

From above the golden figure of Eve the Seraphim appeared, landing between them. She trained both of her bolt pistols on the Lictor, muzzle flashes lighting up the darkened courtyard. Ichors splattered outward as the creatures hissed, skittering to the side to try and avoid the fire. But suddenly Lilith the Repentia was there, her Eviscerator whirring angrily. She brought the weapon down on the back of the Lictor’s head, carving through it and the thing’s torso. As it crumpled to the concrete, twitching in death throes, Lilith stood covered in greenish goop.

Katherine wasted no time, keying up her vox-caster, “Deimos, Phobos, come in!” She transmitted to the two Argus lighters that were loitering in the area. “Deimos and Phobos acknowledge! We have Tyranids on the ground! I repeat, we have Tyranids on the ground! Get on your vox and call in to Headquarters! We need a complete sweep of this sector in force!”

She looked up into the falling rain for any sign of the two small dropships. Her small vox-caster didn’t have the range to reach headquarters, and they needed to be warned. Only the vox-casters on the lighters could get the message through to them. ”Deimos and Pho…” She started to shout into the vox-unit, then turned to the other Sisters, ”Take Cover!”

The Sisters of Battle scrambled across the courtyard as one of the Argus lighters came into view, spiraling out of control. The rear end was smoking heavily where it appeared some virulent acid had eaten through the hull. The windshield was shattered, and Katherine could just make out the pilot desperately fighting a winged Tyranid in the cockpit. The dropship crashed into the building behind them, exploding spectacularly. Bricks and debris rained down on the Sisters as they dove for cover. The gutted remains of the building slewed dangerously, then toppled in a cloud of dust and flames.

The Palatine climbed back to her feet, the rain running down her face, She glanced down at Sister Bertha, staring sightlessly at the sky in death. The collapsed building blocked them from leaving the way they came. Katherine took a deep breath and started walking for the other exit from the courtyard, “Form up Sisters. The only way out of here is this way. Stay vigilant! This place crawls…”

[Jack Elliot]

Katherine leaned against the wall of the building, peering out into dark street. None of the streetlamps were lit. No light came from any of the windows that overlooked the thoroughfare. The rain had slowed now from the driving sheets to a more sedate precipitation. Still, visibility was limited, and every shadowed window, doorway, and alley was fraught with peril. Frowning, she sighed, “Our first responsibility is to report the Tyranid presence. I hate to leave those soldiers of the 352nd behind, but headquarters has to know there are Tyranids in the city.”

Dinah the Celestian nodded, “We can come back for them with a larger force…if they’re even alive.” She shook her head doubtfully. “How many of these things do you think are around? They couldn’t have many down here. Otherwise the orbital pickets would have detected the Mycetic spores.”

“The ‘Nids must have gotten some kind of stealthy pod close enough to send a handful of spores down. Still, half a dozen broods can cause serious havoc if they can infiltrate Point Phobos, or one of the camps set up around Parvati. They disable a couple defense batteries and that’ll mean all the more of the bastards might get through when they launch their main drop.”

The Celestian poked her head around the corner, “Well…do we loop south and make for the bridge back toward Point Phobos? It’s going to be a long walk.”

Katherine thought for a moment, “No, that will take far too long. We don’t know if the other Argus made it out of here, and if it didn’t, no one knows about this infiltration. We press on west and get to Sector Twelve. There we can use a landline at one of the factories to call in.”

Judith took a deep breath and hefted her Meltagun, “Great…with our luck, that’ll probably take us right through the middle of their breeding nest…”

“The Emperor watches over us,” Katherine winked as she came around the corner, plasma pistol ready. “Beth, you’re on point, Mabel and Susanne next. Let’s move.”

They moved through the streets like wraiths, slipping from cover to cover where it was available…abandoned cars, columns, statues, or whatever cover they could find. Eve the Seraphim flew between the rooftops, keeping watch over them from above, her eyes vigilant. The squad crept through the night, surrounded by the eerie silence of the dead city sector. Every window that looked down at them could hide the enemy. Every alley they passed might conceal and ambush of bloodthirsty Tyranids.

Fighting Xenos was outside the Order’s normal purview. Katherine noted dryly that most of what they had done on Kali V had been outside their usual sphere of operations. They were instruments of the Ecclesiarchy and Inquisition, sent to seek out heretics, rogue psychics, and cultists of the foul Chaos Gods. Since landing, they’d fought Necrons, Orcs, and Eldar, opponents they had little experience with. Katherine had almost welcomed the battle with the Tzeentch Chaos Marines and their pet daemons. That was something she knew about.

Fighting Tyranids was something she no experience in at all. Having been warned of the approach of the Tyranids by the Ordo Xenos, Katherine had spent some time studying the beasts. If she was going to have to lead her sisters against the Tyranid threat, then she would know all she could about them. The Commandery of the Ardent Blade was few enough in number now they could little afford further casualties…

Above them, Eve landed on the roof of a building full of retail stores, all now closed as the proprietors fled the sector. The apartment buildings of the residential neighborhood had slowly begun to give way to a business district. Perhaps half the buildings were mercantile in nature, holding restaurants, coffee shops, and stores, while the other half were tenement buildings. The architecture here was a little more elaborate, the features and plain brick and cinderblock giving way to the concrete and glass of the Roman-Gothic style predominant in Imperial cities. They were approaching a “T” intersection, with a bank directly before them. Pushing a few stray blond hairs from her eyes, two blocks away on the right she could see a larger building looming over the others…An Administratum!

Eve leaned over the edge of the building to inform Katherine of the find. Even if the neighborhood was abandoned, the Administratum would have the communication gear to call into headquarters. As she opened her mouth to speak, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Instinctively, she activated her jump-pack and shot into the air, twisting to face whatever was swooping down from the skies.

Two insectoid Tyranids dove down at her, flapping on thick, leather-like wings. ”Gargoyles!” Eve shouted, blasting at them with her bolt pistols. One of them dropped heavily to the rooftop, the back of its elongated skull-like head ripped open from the exit wound. From the bio-weapon that was part of its arm, a burst of projectiles shot forth. The Fleshborer launched semi-sentient, black headed borer beetles at their enemy. With a hideous buzzing, the beetles smashed into Eve’s golden armor, though the beetles could not chew their way through. Flying perpendicular to the hideous thing, she fired again, the bolts ripping into the Gargoyle’s carapace, splattering ichors across the sky.

Katherine looked up at Eve’s warning, then all hell broke loose. From the windows to their left, Tyranid Termagaunts appeared, firing Fleshborer weapons at the sisters. The air was filled with the angry buzzing of the boring beetles, and the disgusting spak, spak, spak as they struck the power armor of the sisters. One of the black-headed monsters burrowed its way into the shoulder joint of Judith’s right arm, and she screamed in agony as its teeth found her flesh. A fraction of a second later, another group of Termagaunts appeared in the second story windows of the bank in front of the squad. These Tyranids were instead armed with the Devourer bio-weapons, which hurled scores of ghastly worms at their targets. Several sisters were struck by masses of the worms, which were notoriously ineffective against armor. However, Sister Lilith the Repentia howled in rage and pain as a dozen struck her unarmored leg, burrowing their way into her thigh.

“Cover! Find Cover!” Katherine shouted. Before the sisters could move, something struck the ground next to Mabel. The seed-like pod exploded, with thin, barbed vines streaming out of it. The vines whipped about, seeking flesh to tear apart with the razor-sharp thorns. Tendrils wrapped about Mabel, Susanne, and Katherine, scraping against their Vestments. Beth stumbled as one of the vines lashed her across her left eye and cheek.

[Jack Elliot]

The Sisters moved toward the building on their right, looking for whatever cover they could find. Dinah laid down suppressive fire on the left hand building with her storm bolter, joined by Beth who courageously ignored her injured eye. Mabel, Susanne, and Mary scrambled for the sidewalk to the right, kneeling and firing on the same building. Ripping free of the entangling vines, Katherine joined them, firing her plasma pistol into the large windows of the shop. A few seconds later, Judith stumbled to them ripping the hideous beetle from her shoulder with her left hand. The Meltagun seared the air as she returned fire. The volley from the Sisters tore the front of the shop to pieces, bolts and beams tearing through the Gaunts’ carapaces with ease.

Then the windows of the dress shop behind them shattered as a half dozen Hormagaunts burst out! Too late, the sisters realized the Tyranid fire had been designed to drive them toward the other store, where the close combat-specialized monsters were hiding. Scythe-like chitinous blades swept down at the sister’s backs as they were showered with shattered glass. Beth was dragged down to the ground, kicking and screaming as the one of them landed on top of her. Dinah turned around to try and block with her storm bolter, but the Hormagaunt struck her left forearm, ripping a gruesome wound through her armor. The Celestian was filled with holy rage and smashed the butt of her weapon into its head repeatedly, crushing its skull in her fury. Mabel gurgled grotesquely as scythe speared her from behind at the juncture of the shoulder and neck, blood spraying outward. The beast ripped its weapon free to strike another sister, but suddenly Lilith appeared with her Eviscerator whirring. She carved through the Hormagaunt, splattering everyone with its greenish ichors.

Katherine drew her powersword and decapitated the Tyranids on Beth’s back, about to stab her in the back of the head. As its body clattered to the sidewalk, she pivoted, firing her plasma pistol through the chest of a second. Susanne was knocked to the ground by the force of a blow that failed to penetrate her Vestments. Before the Tyranid could finish her off, Katherine leapt forward and slashed her blade through its legs. As it tumbled to the ground, she thrust the blade through the top of its cranium.

Dinah, Mary, and Judith pounced on the last, the three sisters keening like banshees as they grappled with the insect-like creature. While they were smashing it to death, another seed-pod hit the ground nearby. The vicious vine-like tentacles exploded outward, thorns and barbs slashing.

Above, Eve watched the second gargoyle plummet to the street. Seeing the explosion of the second seed-pod, she spun about in the air, seeking its source. On the rooftop of the bank, she saw a larger Tyranid warrior, armed with the bio-weapon nicknamed the Barbed Strangler. Eve wasted no time, flying toward it and firing her bolt pistols as soon as she was in range. To her surprise, the rounds ricocheted off the heavy shell of the thing. It swung a second weapon at her, the deadly Deathspitter. A powerful muscle spasm hurled a grotesque maggot-like creature at the Seraphim, exploding when it neared her. It exploded, spraying virulent acid, but Eve soared above the blast and opened fire again. The Warrior squealed as two of the rounds struck it in a thinner part of its carapace.

But it wasn’t enough to kill the rugged Tyranid. It raised its weapon to fire again, but she rushed in, landing next to the Warrior. The Tyranid screeched as it attacked her with its claws, but she danced away firing the pistols at pistols at point blank range. The Warrior rushed in, grasping her and lunging for her face with its gruesome teeth. Eve jerked her head back and struggled against the Tyranid’s superior strength. The beast’s teeth clacked shut centimeters from her neck as it pulled her closer.

Eve ignited her jump-pack again, ripping free of its grasp. She sailed over the Warrior, twisting in the air. She fired two shots from her pistol into the back of its head. The beast’s face splintered outward as the rounds went completely through it, shredding its brain…

With wet spak, spak, spak sounds, the Termagaunts in the bank windows fired another salvo at the sisters. ”Return Fire!” Katherine commanded. The Sisters took positions along the wall and opened fire with their bolters. Judith was struck in the face by a mass of Devourer worms, which bored into her eyes and nose so quickly she didn’t have time to scream. The Dominion jerked with spasms as the hideous worms ate their way into her brain. After another few seconds of fire, the incoming attacks had ceased and Katherine commanded, “Cease Fire! Cease Fire!”

The Seraphim, Eve landed on the sidewalk, breathing heavily, “They’re finished. Six Termagaunts in the bank and another half dozen in the stores over there.” She looked down at the Tyranid carcasses on the sidewalk. “Six Hormagaunts in here, two Gargoyles as scouts and a Tyranid Warrior on the roof.”

Katherine sheathed her sword and holstered the plasma pistol as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. “That’s a large scouting brood. They couldn’t get many spores down here unnoticed. There's a good chance that was a large portion of their advance forces.”

“There’s an Administratum two blocks north,” Eve pointed in the general direction. “I’ll wager we can raise the alarm there.”

“I don’t like to gamble,” Katherine sighed as she opened her eyes again. “However, I don’t see how we much choice.” She looked over her squad, crouched behind the cover of the windows, peering out at the dark street. On the sidewalk, Mabel lay dead, surrounded by a growing pool of blood and Tyranid ichors. She looked to Judith, who was inside the dress shop with them, her body twitching as the worms consumed her brain. With a snarl she picked up the Meltagun and pointed it at her beloved fellow Sister of Battle. With a pull of the trigger, she incinerated her body and the foul devourer worms. She swung the weapon around and immolated Sister Mabel as well.

Lilith was leaning on her Eviscerator, her left leg covered in her own blood from where she’d been struck by the hideous living weapons of the Tyranids. Dinah was wrapping her left forearm in bandages, while Mary was doing the same for Beth’s head wound. She was going to lose that eye…if they got out of here at all.

“Dinah, you know how to use the Meltagun,” Katherine said, a statement not a question. She knew all Celestians were trained to use the weapon. The Palatine handed it to her, giving the storm bolter to Susanne. “Beth, with your eye injury, I think you should give your storm bolter to Mary. We need to maximize our firepower.” She picked up Mabel’s fallen bolter to give herself a weapon with better range than the plasma pistol. “Let’s get to the Administratum…”

[Jack Elliot]

The rain was coming down hard again, pelting the Sisters of the Commandery of the Ardent Blade as they knelt along the ruins of an old fountain. In the center of the large pool was a statue of Parvati, a woman from the distant days of legend holding an overflowing cornucopia on her shoulder. Katherine brushed a few sodden locks of hair from her eyes as she regarded the open doorway of the Administratum critically. The seven Sisters had made it to the plaza in front of the imposing Roman-Gothic structure without incident, save a thorough soaking from the rain which had increased in volume from a drizzle to a downpour.

Next to her, Eve the Seraphim was reloading her twin bolt pistols, “I know what you’re thinking. Why are the doors open?”

Katherine nodded absently, her eyes peering into the gloom of the doorway twenty meters before them, hoping to pick out something in the stygian blackness. “Maybe looters. Maybe some of those missing Guardsmen had the same idea we did…” She sighed with resignation, “Or maybe the place is crawling with Bugs. For all we know the ‘Nids have set up a breeding pool in there.”

“Only one way to find out,” Eve winked, seemingly oblivious to the rain. With a blast of white smoke she took to the air, flying to the doorway. Katherine muttered something under her breath, motioning for Mary and Susanne to follow with their stormbolters. The three sisters disappeared into the yawning doorway, prompting Katherine to dash across the plaza. Dinah the Celestian followed with the Meltagun, with Lilith the Repentia limping after. Beth trotted backward, covering the rear with her one good eye. The rain had soaked through the bandage over her left eye, so now diluted blood was flowing freely down her cheek and neck.

The Palatine stepped in, her eyes taking in the main hall quickly. Like almost all Administrata, it shared one of several standardized floorplans. The main hall took up most of the first three floors, the ceiling vaulted high above. This would be where citizens formed in long queues to wait for assistance from a public servant. She dropped the bolter and drew the powerful plasma pistol. She wouldn’t need the extra range of the bolter inside. Eve had already shot up to the third floor balcony that circled the room to secure the high ground.

The walls were stained with vertical patterns caused by the rain, which was pooling on the tile floor. It seemed the roof was leaking badly, the water running down the walls. The building smelled like musty, rotting wood and cloth. “Let’s hope the communications bunker is still intact.” Katherine sighed. She crossed the room and vaulted over the half-rotted counter, continuing toward the door into the administration rooms.

Before she could open the door, Eve landed in front of her, her golden armor gleaming from the rain, “I request permission to go first, Mother Katherine.” She shook her head rapidly, flinging water from her short, blond hair.

Katherine gave her a stern look, knowing she asked to save the Palatine the danger of going first. Since their first battles with the Necrons, Katherine had taken on more responsibility. She was a favorite with the other sisters, and she knew any of them would lay down their lives in exchange for hers…although she hated to ask them to. Still, she wouldn’t insult her by denying the request, particularly coming from a Seraph, the best and brightest of the Sisters. Wordlessly she nodded, and Eve kicked open the door, her twin pistols ready.

The rear portion of the Administratum was a maze of narrow corridors and tiny offices where the public service drones pushed the paperwork that kept the limbering bureaucracy of the Empire moving. The non-public areas of the building had no windows, so the corridors were completely dark. The only illumination came from the small spotlights mounted under the barrels of the Sister’s weaponry. The building was nearly silent, with just the slightest creaking and the sound water dribbling down the walls. In the quiet, their breathing, footfalls of armored boots, and whirring of power armor servos seemed unnaturally loud.

Eve led the way, sweeping her small spotlights over the corridor as she stepped forward. Slowly they crept through the halls, muscles tense as they strained their eyes against the dark and their ears against the constant patter of rain. The corridors opened into a small chamber, serving as an access to stairwells. “Up or down?” Eve whispered.

“Down,” Katherine answered, her voice low, “I think our best chance is the emergency communications bunker. It should be tied directly into the landline power grid.” The idea of going underground filled her with a sense of dread. The stairwell was likely the only way out of the basements, and it would be far too easy to find themselves trapped. Still…they didn’t have many options…

Eve moved quickly down the stairs, stopping briefly before stepping off the stairs. The basement had been flooded by the rain. Though the walls and ceiling were dry, the water had run down the stairwell and pooled there with nowhere to drain. The brackish water reached mid calf, and stank of staleness and algae, the surface of the water coated in a layer of slime. Making a disgusted face, Eve sloshed her way through the putrid liquid with Katherine and the others following. Continuing down the corridor, the air became foggy, its thick scent stomach-churning. The humid air was warm, seeming reluctant to part for them, the sensation like walking through fine spiderwebs. Mary and Susanne exchanged nervous glances as they brought up the rear, slowly walking backwards with Beth, Dinah, and Lilith in the middle of the column.


BOOM!

A door burst outward on Beth’s left and something slammed into her, knocking her against the far wall. The thing was two meters tall, with powerful, crooked legs and four arms, all ending in hideous claws of diamond-like hardness. The elongated skull-like head held a jaw with rows of sharp teeth and a long, lashing tongue. “Genestealers!” Beth shouted as she struggled against its upper limbs, the lower ones raking at her abdomen, seeking to rip through her Vestment armor. Dinah turned just in time, as a second Genestealer sprang at her. A claw shot directly for her face, but she reflexively lifted her meltagun, blocking the clawed hand. The Eviscerator of Lilith whirred to life as she stepped in, carving into the Genestealer’s torso. The Tyranid squealed as the chainsaw-like blade ripped completely through it.

Katherine drew her sword, turning to help when Eve shouted ”Targets front!” Spinning back around, she saw Eve dropping to a kneeling position so Katherine could fire over her head. Two Genestealers were racing up the corridor at inhuman speed. She lifted the plasma pistol and fired, the brilliant crimson beam briefly illuminating the dark hallway. The bolt of plasma struck the beast in the chest, splattering charred bits of chitin and ichors across the walls of the corridor. The second was felled by a barrage from Eve’s pistols.

“Targets behind!” They heard Susanne shout, followed by the chatter of her storm bolter and that of Mary. It was followed almost immediately by Mary’s scream, trailing off into a wet gurgle. Susanne’s called back, "There’s too many! Fall back! Fall back! I’ll hold them as long as I can!”

Beth dropped her bolter, gripping the Genestealer’s upper pair of arms desperately. She kicked out, striking the thing’s hip but it ignored it. The lower pair of arms gripped her waist for leverage and Beth found she was no match for its superhuman strength. Its head shot forward, jaws wide apart. She felt the teeth clamp onto either side of her face, her cheekbones shattering under the force. Her scream was cut short as it wrenched its head back, ripping her face off. However, the Genestealer’s screech followed as Lilith’s Eviscerator cut the Tyranid in half.

Susanne’s stormbolter lit up the hallway in staccato strobes as she fire into the genestealers charging from the rear. ”Go! Find the Comm room and warn Point Phobos!”

Gritting her teeth in rage and frustration, Katherine lifted Eve up from her kneeling position, ”Go! She’s right, we have warn them. Go!” The Seraphim splashed through the water with Katherine on her heels. Dinah followed them with Lilith limping along at the rear, her Eviscerator whirring, hungry for more. They could hear Susanne singing psalms from the Litanies of Faith as she dropped her bolter in favor of the long, thick knife, holding off the screeching Tyranids in the narrow hall.

She was still singing as her voice was swallowed by the distance and splashing of their feet…

[Jack Elliot]

“There! Right there!” Katherine pointed at the thick reinforced door down a side hall. She dashed down the hallway and wrenched open the door, filing into the sealed room. She slammed the door behind them, turning the locking mechanism. Dinah and Eve swept their lights over the room, relieved to see the vox-caster gear was still there in racks above the water. The Palatine stepped forward to a fusebox on the wall and threw the emergency switch.

There was a spark, then the overhead lights flickered to life. “Thank the Grace of the Emperor,” She prayed. Quickly activating the vox-caster and adjusting the settings, she picked up the handset, “Point Phobos! Point Phobos this is Palatine Katherine of the Order of Saint Celestine. Do you copy?”

The four Sisters listened intently, praying to hear something through the static. BOOM The Sisters jumped as something slammed against the door. The room echoed with the ringing of the reinforced door as the Genestealers outside pounded on it. Katherine keyed up the device again, “Point Phobos, this is…”

“Palatine Katherine?” They heard the response come over the speaker. “We read you. What is your status?”

The Genestealers clawed, scratched and pounded at the door. Katherine glanced at the door, which still held up against their terrible claws, “Very likely martyred.” She answered in an uncharacteristic burst of dry humor, eliciting a laugh from Dinah and Eve. “We don’t have much time. Sector Thirteen is crawling with Tyranids. They must have landed Mycenic spores in some sort of stealth pod that evaded the orbital pickets. We need a full scale cleansing of the Sector. Bring flamers…they may have set up breeding nests.”

“Understood, Mother Katherine. And your status? Can you be extracted?”

The Palatine looked at the other Sisters, then at the dented door, straining against the wrath of the Genestealers, “We’ll try to make it to the roof for extraction by Argus or Valkyrie.”

“We’re vectoring in help from Sector Twelve. We’ll get you out of there…”

BOOM! The door shivered and threatened to come loose from the hinges. Katherine tossed the handset down and readied her pistol. Eve idly brushed a lock of blonde hair from her face and winked, “It has been my distinct honor to know you all, my Sisters.”

Dinah knelt by the door and readied the meltagun, “For the Emperor.”

“Amen,” Katherine nodded toward Lilith, who walked to the door. She placed her hand on the locking mechanism and wrenched open the door. The bolt pistol of Eve, Plasma pistol of Katherine, and meltagun of Dinah created a cacophonic din as they cut down the first wave of Genestealers that poured through the door. Lilith sprang out the door, her Eviscerator chewing through another. Eve followed her, slamming into a Tyranid, which immediately tried to grab her. She twisted free and rammed her bolt pistol under its jaw. The pistol bucked in her hand as she pulled the trigger, splattering its brain matter across the wall.

Dinah and Katherine stepped around them, firing beams of energy down the hallway, incinerating two more. ”It’s clear! Go!” The Palatine shouted, charging down the corridor. She took the stairs up three at a time, dashing across the small antechamber on the ground floor and starting up the next flight. Eve was right behind, with Dinah and Lilith in tow. Legs pumping, Katherine ran up the stairs, passing the landing to the second floor and continuing on the third. As she turned the corner to continue upward, she skid to a stop. Part of the roof had collapsed, which was why the interior had been so sodden with water. Tons of rubble clogged the stairwell. “Emperor’s Balls…”

“Katherine!” Dinah exclaimed, shocked to hear the Palatine curse.

“She can repent later,” Eve moved past them, toward the front of the building. “Come on…the balcony!”

They followed the Seraph as she burst through the door onto the balcony that overlooked the main hall. Eve pointed at the vaulted ceiling, “I noticed the windows up there earlier. We can crawl out onto the roof!”

Then, the whole building shook as though in the grips of an earthquake. The tall Gothic-styled windows of leaded glass shattered and rained down onto the floor. The building shook again with a deep rumble sounding like a distant explosion. The front wall of the Administratum collapsed in a tumble of reinforced concrete and dust. Through the cloud of debris, a huge monster walked in. It was four meters tall with a carapace of black and violet. Two arms extended forward with huge scythe-like talons while a lower set ended with massive claws like a gigantic crab. Its colossal jaw opened wide and it roared, the walls reverberating with its alien malice.

“That’s no ordinary Carnifex.” Eve blurted, her eyes open wide in shock.

“Some kind of mutant,” Katherine leveled her pistol at the monster, “Let’s get to the roof where we can pick it off!” She fired the plasma pistol, but to her surprise, the beam glanced off the thing’s heavy chitin armor. Dinah raised her meltagun to her shoulder and pulled the trigger, the blast striking the Carnifex at a lower shoulder. Its carapace sizzled and the mutant roared in pain and anger, lurching toward them. A massive claw reached up and grasped the balcony, pulling downward. A large portion of it crumbled under the pressure of the huge claws. A third of the balcony collapsed to the floor as the mutant Carnifex bellowed.

“Get to the Roof!” Lilith shouted, speaking for the first time. She activated her Eviscerator and ran to the edge of the balcony. She leapt up onto the railing and vaulted into the air, her weapon whirring. Lilith landed on the thing’s back, her Eviscerator driving downward. It chewed through the upper left arm of the thing, just below the shoulder. The Carnifex howled in pain as its left arm fell to the cracked tile floor in a spray of ichors. It spun about, throwing Lilith off. She slammed into a column with a ghastly crack, sliding down to the floor. The thing’s massive claw swung about, crushing the Repentia.

Eve flew about the room, firing her bolt pistols at the Carnifex. Though she knew the weapons were useless against it, she captured its attention and it bellowed, swatting at her like a fly. Dinah and Katherine scrambled out the window and climbed onto the ruins of the roof. Eve flew out the window and landed next to them, struggling for breath.

Surrounding the building were maybe a hundred Tyranids, scuttling about. They ducked as the fleshborer beetles buzzed by, fired by Termagaunts. A flight of Gargoyles wheeled overhead, screeching as they saw the trio of women. The building rumbled and vibrated as the enraged mutant Carnifex tore down a chuck of wall, causing another portion of the roof to collapse…

“Now would be a great time for some help…”

[Keillen]

"..thrine.....t-is is <static> Dresden. <static> get ....ou......this....it...ole.....et....2 min...<static>" Someting would crackle over the short range communications, in this case, soldiers of the imperium had such short ranged devices so that longer and more powerful frequency devices could relay messages to other units.

Without warning, a sudden explosion rocked the mutant carnifex; the thing was huge, then again where the weapon had been aimed was another factor. Aimed directly at the bloodied stump, in a sense, 'soft spot' of the Tyranid. As for how Dresden had ended up here, the same reason the Sisters had been drawn here.

They had been unable to get in touch with those very forces. In a sense to ask for them for an immediate fall back to the main base. Regardless, driven maybe by a simple request. Dresden felt obliged to go and save Kathrine.

There were three vehicles. A hellhound, chimera and a currently redesigned partially souped up Leman Russ. Where the turret was, was now an opentopped twin linked pair of heavy bolters. Behind the armour using the gun ports on the Chimera, Las-guns openned fire.

Two of those winged creatures fell exploding and being ripped apart by hellgun fire as well as lasgun fire. With a surge, the hellhound belched out a wave of fire upon the massed numbers of tyranids, bathing nearby buildings in flame creating a minature firestorm in its wake.

Already having another salvo placed into the missle launcher, a Krak missle fired. Punching once more into the Carnifex's softspot as it attempted to turn, its carpace alreack cracked and its internal organs shredded from the first. The second shot went deeper, cracking and expanding it from the inside as the shell exploded.

Wityh a gurgled screetch, the creature vomited up blood as the very massed creature fell, toppling into the ruined wall of the building. Men disembarked, openning fire, tyranids were fast to react. Using the streets as cover, only to be flushed out by flames of the hellhound.

It wasnt long until as the team advanced, they began to use the sewer pipes, Taking intitative, the open topped Leman russ made light work of the termagaunts, punching through ranks of the living tide. Even so, such a extraction force, was only designed for a fast in, fast exit. Creating a defensive ring around the main entrance of the would be struture which housed the battlesisters; it was a now or never moment.

Dresden sporting a acidic burn to the left side of his face, which weeped blood and bodily platelets. he managed to gun down a few more, it wasnt long until the small diversion force retreated. Only to wait until the Imperial guardsmen forces lost their edge.

Current casualties counted eight. Not good. Eight guns down and only two were in a stable condition.

[TeslaCoil]

Meanwhile, back at Point Phobos, disturbing reports of missing Guardsmen in Sector 13 had reached Colonel-Commissar Lazarus as he was making the final preparation for the defense of Kali V. Although faint and garbled, the initial distress call made by the Sisters of Battle was enough to cause Lazarus concern. The Colonel-Commissar immediately arranged for a rapid response force to investigate, and once again turned to the Cadian 181st Sharpshooters Company for the task. There was simply little to no alternatives, and Captain Fan and his company of sharpshooters once again carried the task of reconnaissance.

Captain Fan and his men were ready. Over these months of the lull in action after routing the Orks, Captain Fan ordered everyone in his unit to study the Tyranids. He even had Brother-Captain Constantine to help them prepare for dealing with the new enemy. In addition to training, Captain Fan also upgraded the equipment fielded by his company. He ordered four Guardsmen in each squad be equipped with a long-las, while Lieutenant Trezdowski further modified the open sights of the lasguns which equipped the remaining Guardsmen to improve first-shot accuracy. Captain Fan himself had acquired Hellfire Bolts, bolter shells armed with a vial of mutagenic acid for combating Tyranids, for his bolt pistol. The 181st Sharpshooters Company also received their new digital pattern urban camouflage uniforms and Cameleoline cloaks among the shipment of supplies to the Imperial Guard on Kali V, Captain Fan ordered these earlier as he had expected to fight the Tyranids within the confines of Parvati itself.

Once again taking up his sniper hellgun, Captain Fan stood before the Guardsmen and Ratlings of his company, with several Argus Lighters in the background as their engines rumbled. There was no speech required, as the men of the 181st Sharpshooters Company knew what was required of them. They all knew that Colonel-Commissar Lazarus had sent them to their deaths, and they were honored to have been chosen for the task, to serve the Emperor in the way they do best. When Lieutenant Trezdowski confirmed that everyone was gathered up, Captain Fan nodded before motioning for his sharpshooters to board the Argus Lighters. Everyone of them ran toward the awaiting landing craft, boarding them in a swift yet disciplined fashion. Once the entire company had been loaded up, the Argus Lighters took off from Point Phobos, heading for the LZ nearing the border between Sector 12 and 13.

However, because of the heavy rain, the original LZ was flooded over, and the 181st Sharpshooters Company had to land at an alternate LZ at a park a mile and a half away to the southeast. One by one, the Argus Lighters landed and took off after the Guardsmen had been dispatched. As usual, Captain Fan was the first on the ground, sniper hellgun in hand as he watched the others landed. It was not long before the crowd of Guardsmen and Ratlings fell into squads, then platoons. Once again, the company was split into three platoons, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, along with Captain Fan's personal command squad consisting of the best snipers in the company, a vox-caster, and his executive officers, Lieutenants Trezdowski and Mobius.

"Alright, I want Alpha Platoon to scout out the street north of our position to see if it's too floodded, and I need Bravo and Charlie to do the same in the street east and west of our positions, respectively. We have already several Imperial Guard units reported missing, we need to be on our toes." Captain Fan said to his two officers gathered around him to plot their objectives through the map. They were all soaking wet, but that did not deter any of them from their mission. "I agree, Captain. Just because nothing's been reported here doesn't mean that the 'Nids aren't here already. For all I know, they are just waiting to catch us off guard." Lieutenant Trezdowski agreed. "I concurr with the need for caution, but we must hurry. The Sisters of Battle are probably in danger, otherwise they wouldn't have sent out a distress call." Lieutenant Mobius chimed in. "Indeed. Which is why the command squad will be scouting out the quickest route to see if we can traverse through it. If it's not flooded, we can get to Sector 13 all the sooner." Captain Fan responded with a plan of action for the command squad. "Sounds like a good plan, Captain, provided that we can keep in touch with our platoons." Lieutenant Mobius said with a nod. "That should not be a problem, just make sure each platoon's vox-caster remains functional." Captain Fan replied, and looked over to the Guardsmen and Ratlings gathered around.

So he gave the order to have all the vox-casters checked for malfunctions. Fortunately, all vox-casters were in good working order, to which Captain Fan breathed a subtle sigh of relief. He had his subordinate officers relaying his plan to the rest of the company, then ordered the platoons to move out. Captain Fan's command squad moved slowly through the street to the northwest of the LZ. Each step brought tension, as everyone was anticipating a Genestealer to jump out of a corner, a Carnifex breaking through a wall, a Lictor stalking them, or Termagaunts ready to catch them in a deadly crossfire with their devourers and fleshborers. As Captain Fan's command squad reached an intersection along its route, a pile of rubble collapsed behind them, and it had the entire squad jumped to their feet and turned 180 degrees, ready to fire at anything. When the dust settled, nothing emerged to attack the Guardsmen, and Captain Fan let out a sigh of relief. "Move out." He ordered.

The suspense was beginning to take its toll on the 181st Sharpshooters Company as they moved through Sector 12. It was not long before Captain Fan's command squad reached halfway along the path, only to find it flooded out. "Damn it." He cursed at the water in front of him, as his command squad was put to a stop. "We should check in on the platoons now, sir." Lieutenant Trezdowski spoke. "Do that." Captain Fan replied with a nod, before motioning for the squad's vox-caster trooper up. As soon as the man with the vox-caster came up to him, Captain Fan reached for the receiver and dialed to Alpha Platoon first. "Alpha Platoon, this is Command Squad, what's your status?" He asked. "Sir, our path's been flooded out in the northeast. Awaiting further orders." Said Alpha Platoon leader. "Have the platoon hunker down in nearby buildings and await my orders, do not move out until then." Captain Fan replied with a swift command. "Roger that, Captain." The Sergeant replied, at the point which Captain Fan ended the transmission to switch to Bravo Platoon's frequency.

"Bravo Platoon, report." He spoke. "Bravo Platoon here, the east is flooded heavily, we have no choice but to turn northwest. What are your orders?" Bravo Platoon's commander responded. "Bravo, keep moving until you get the next block and hold your position there. We will rendezvous with you ASAP." Captain Fan ordered. "Yes, Captain. Over and out." The platoon leader obliged. Next, Captain Fan tuned in to Charlie Platoon's frequency. "Charlie Platoon, report your status." He said. "Charlie Platoon here, our path is also flooded out. Our only course of action is to move out and rendezvous with Alpha Platoon to the northeast, over." Charlie Platoon's leader reported in. "Good, you do that. After linking up with Alpha, you are to proceed west to link up with Bravo Platoon. We'll meet you there." Captain Fan ordered once again. "Yes, Captain, we'll do our best with all these flooded roads. Over and... What the?" Charlie Platoon's leader replied, only to be interrupted by the sight of something. Over on Captain Fan's end, he could hear the sound of a beast as Guardsmen screamed and opened fire. "Charlie, what's going on? Charlie, answer me!" Captain Fan spoke on the vox, but it was in vain.

Lieutenants Mobius and Trezdowski had a grim look on their faces, knowing what was happening to Charlie Platoon, an ambush by the Tyranids they did not suspect to be around. "Captain, we need to...." Lieutenant Trezdowski spoke again, only to be interrupted by the startling sound of a few "splats" and the scream of a Guardsman close to them, too close. The others whirled around to see one of their own skirmming in hellish agony as he was struck by a fleshborer worm. "Termagaunts!" Lieutenant Mobius shouted, as he saw a Termagaunt on the roof of an apartment. He lifted up his long-las just as the Tyranid leveled its fleshborer at him, but Mobius managed to fire a shot from his long-las, stunning it first before firing another shot which scored a headshot, killing it where it stood. Captain Fan and the rest of his squad scattered to take cover, he crouched behind two metal barrels on the opposite side of the street, when a Termagaunt showed up from the roof. Captain Fan lined up the Tyranid's head and fired one shot from his sniper hellgun, fatally wounding it.

[TeslaCoil]

Lieutenant Trezdowski himself opted for close-in defense as he whipped out his plasma pistol as quickly as he could. He leveled it at a Termagaunt which emerged from one corner with a fleshborer pointed at him, fired two shots with a second interval in-between. The plasma balls burned into the creature, and it fell with mortal wounds. A Guardsman beside him fired a few shots off his lasgun at another emerging Termagaunt, taking it down as well. But another was not as fortunate, the Guardsman was running for cover when he was struck by a swarm of devourer worms. Lieutenant Trezdowski turned to witness the Guardsman screaming in hellish pain as the worms quickly chew through his light flak armor and skin, only to be interrupted by the grunt of a Termagaunt staring at him with a devourer. The creature's eyes narrowed as it lifted its devourer against Trezdowski...

...Only to be struck itself by a sudden hellgun beam, dead on in the head. The creature died instantly as it fell to the flooded ground with a splash. Trezdowski turned to see Captain Fan whose head nodded from the barrels he was hiding behind, before turning to engage another Termagaunt on a rooftop. However, from a pile of rubble, another Termagaunt emerged and headed for Captain Fan's way. "Captain, look out!" Lieutenant Trezdowski shouted, leveling his plasma pistol at the Termagaunt and opened fire. the first shot missed, but caught the Tyranid's attention as it turned its head first. While it turned completely around, Trezdowski had time to slightly cool down his weapon and take aim. "Eat this!" He shouted, firing the next shot which struck dead on the creature's head. The Termagaunt fell dead, and the timing could not had been better as Trezdowski's plasma pistol was on the verge of overheating, as he could see the steam of the vaporized rainwater which struck its heated surface.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Mobius and a few other sniper rifle-armed Guardsmen had managed to shoot down the remaining Termagaunts. The skirmish ended when no more showed up, and Captain Fan quickly ordered his command squad to gather up. "Casualties?" He asked hurriedly. "Sir, two of our Guardsmen are dead. No wounded." Lieutenant Mobius quickly replied. At this time, the vox-caster-carrying Guardsman received something on his vox. "Captain, it's Charlie Platoon. They are still alive." The vox-caster man spoke, to which Captain Fan responded by quickly reaching for the vox-caster. "Charlie Platoon, this is Command. What's your status?" He demanded. "This is Charlie Platoon, we were ambushed by a few Genestealers and Termagaunts and lost 1/3 of the platoon. We are still salvaging what we have, sir." Charlie Platoon's commander replied, and Captain Fan sighed deeply. "Are you combat-able?" The Captain asked once more. "Sir, we are still in the fight." Charlie leader answered. "Good, then link up with Alpha as planned. We'll link up with you shortly. Over and out." Captain Fan responded with his order, before hanging up.

After salvaging from their own dead and checking in on the other platoons, Captain Fan's command squad moved out and linked up with the rest of his company as planned without further incident. Together, the sharpshooters of the 181st moved into Sector 13. Upon reaching the fringe of the sector, however, the vox-caster had another message. "Captain, sir, Colonel-Commissar Lazarus requests to speak with you." The vox-caster man reported, and Captain Fan once more reached the vox-caster as quickly as he could. "This is Captain Fan." He spoke. "Captain, you have new orders. The Palatine Katherine and her Sisters of Battle are holed up inside the Administratum 10 klicks west, they are holding up against the Tyranids now, but I am sure they will require sniper support. Be advised, this area is crawling with Xenos." Colonel-Commissar Lazarus' voice sounded off. "Yes, Colonel, I'm aware. In fact, my men and I were ambushed by the Tyranids on our way here." Captain Fan answered. "What? Tyranids in Sector 12 as well? What is the status of your company?" Lazarus asked in response, sounded surprised.

"Sir, our forces suffered minor losses, and we are still able to complete this mission." Captain Fan reported his status, and awaited Lazarus' response. "Good. Captain Fan, I cannot stress enough that your mission is of serious importance. It is imperative that you get to the Sisters soon, before it is too late. May the Emperor be with you and your company, Captain." Lazarus replied. "Yes sir, I understand. Over and out." Captain Fan said, and hung up before turning to his men. "Alright, Guardsmen. We have a new objective, the Sisters of Battle are holed up inside the Administratum 10 klicks to the west. They are holding up against he 'Nids so far, but I can't say if they can hold for long. We have to help them fight their way out, or at least help them hold on until they can be evacuated." Captain Fan said in a clear voice amidst the rain, his voice grim as he realized that this maybe the last mission that the 181st Sharpshooters Company may ever undertake, and the stakes involved in the mission itself. "It would do no good to the Imperium if these Sisters have fallen to the Tyranids, so I expect you all to do as the Emperor asks of you. But be careful, this area is crawling with the 'Nids. Let's move out!" He continued.

The 181st moved on again, and as before, they anticipated an ambush by the Tyranids at any moment, from any corner. Each step in the rain-soaked street was filled with tension as they approached the Administratum. What Captain Fan and Colonel-Commissar Lazarus was not yet aware of was the fact that Dresden had some Imperial Guard forces already reinforcing the Sisters of Battle in the Adminstratum. Even now, Captain Fan and his company were surprised that they were able to easily move through the streets without the ambushes that they had prepared themselves for, although the 181st would soon find out why as they continued their approach.

Halfway to the Administratum, Captain Fan and his men engaged with another small group of Tyranids, losing four more Guardsmen from Bravo and Alpha Platoons, but they managed to beat it back. When the guns fell silent, the 181st could hear explosions coming from the area around the Administratum. The Tyranids were disengaging more quickly than anticipated, however, and that had Captain Fan wondering what was going on. "The 'Nids didn't seem to want to fight us. What's going on?" He asked. "Something tells me that they are preoccupied with something. The explosions we'd been hearing from the Administratum must have something to do with it." Lieutenant Trezdowski explained. "Because whatever those explosions were, they sounded like the Battle Cannon of a Leman Russ." He added, to which Lieutenant Mobius nodded. "Captain, if Lieutenant Trezdowski is right about the Tyranids being preoccupied, then I suggest we move quickly while they are still distracted by whatever reinforcements that the Sisters had." Mobius quickly suggested.

"Agreed." Captain Fan responded to the suggestion, and motioned for his company to move out. With a cautious haste, Captain Fan and his men moved toward the Administratum, they managed to ambush of a column of Gaunts along the way, cutting off a vital line of reinforcement fo the Tyranid deep strike vanguard force. Little did they realized that the ambush would serve to bide the Sisters and Dresden the time they needed. It was not long before the 181st reached the fringe of the battle around the Administratum, and the snipers could only gaze in awe from the relative safety of their position amongs the buildings. Captain Fan had his company split up again to provide maximum cover fire for the Sisters, spreading his men along the buildings to one side of the Administratum.

After checking them for Tyranids inside, the snipers took up their positions and awaited Captain Fan's command. "Captain, we are in position." Lieutenant Trezdowski spoke, to which Captain Fan nodded as he took up his sniper hellgun and motioned the vox-caster man forward. He quickly snatched up the vox receiver, as he prepared to make contact with the Sisters. "Palatine Katherine, this is Captain Zonar Fan XIV of the Cadian 181st Sharpshooters Company, Colonel-Commissar Lazarus sent for us and we are in position to provide sniper support." Captain Fan spoke up, and gave the signal for Lieutenant Trezdowski to initiate the attack. He did just that with his long-las targeting a Tyranid Warrior, firing two shots which took it down. That was the signal for all the other Guardsmen and Ratlings to open up on the unsuspecting Tyranids with precision fire.

Captain Fan himself joined in shortly, targeting another Tyranid Warrior with his sniper hellgun, and fired one shot....

[Jack Elliot]

“Katherine, Look!” Dinah shouted, crouching behind a chunk of rubble on the roof of the devastated Administratum.

The Palatine peered down, poking her head out from cover, “Dresden! Where’d he get the armored vehicles?”

“Who cares?” Eve stood and blasted a Termagaunt with her both bolt pistols. Some of this breed of Termagaunts were bred with Flesh Hooks, barbed projections from the bodies and claws that allowed then to climb up the sides of buildings with ease, and they’d been fending them off for the last minute. The sudden and unexpected appearance of the 181st Snipers was certainly a godsend. The Guardsmen were laying down a withering hail of sniper fire that had thrown back the Tyranid surge.

“Let’s go!” Katherine jumped over the cover she’d been hiding behind and dashed across the roof with Dinah behind her. Eve took to the air, twisting and shooting down a Gargoyle that strayed too close. Flying backward, she laid down a constant barrage of cover fire, her twin bolt pistols blazing. The Palatine climbed back into the window they had used to get onto the roof and stood on the ruined balcony of the main hall.

Below, the huge, mutant Carnifex lay on the ground, its limbs twitching. Katherine carefully aimed her plasma pistol and fired, the beam piercing the beast’s eye. It shuddered and went still. “Just to be sure…” She said breathlessly.

“The stairs are wrecked,” Dinah said, pointing toward the only way down from the balcony, two stories above the main hall floor. They had collapsed when the enraged Tyranid monster had pulled down a third of the balcony. The Celestine pointed toward the front of the building, where they could see the three armored vehicles awaiting them. “Come on…through the window!”

Katherine narrowed her eyes, judging the distance, “It’s a long jump…well…Fortune favors the bold!” She ran across the balcony, leaping out of the window. Her blonde hair came unbound as she flew through the air, her golden armor stained with muck and gore. She landed heavily on the top of the Chimera, jumping into the back of the open-topped Leman Russ.

“Sir Dresden!” In her gratitude, she forgot herself and embraced him. “You don’t know how glad we are to see you.” She stepped back, suddenly embarrassed by her outburst of girlishness. Dinah landed behind her, falling to the floor in a grimace of pain. She had landed difficultly on the Chimera, twisting her ankle and tumbling into the back of the Leman Russ. Katherine knelt next to her, checking to see if she was okay. She raised her eyes to the grey sky, drizzling rain down on them, “Eve, we’re leaving!”

The Seraph appeared, flying over the corner of the ruined building. She dispatched another Gargoyle and started to descend toward the vehicles. In the corner of her eye she saw a large Tyranid Warrior among the Termagaunts. The insectoid beast spread its legs wide, using its lower arms as well for leverage as it swung about a long weapon. The Warrior bug lined up the weapon with the back of the Leman Russ…

”Venom Cannon! Look out!” Eve shouted. Quickly changing course, she rocketed toward it. Her bolt pistols chattered, but the round ricocheted off the thick armored carapace of the bug. Reflexively, the Tyranid swung the barrel toward its attacker and fired, an electrochemical charge hurling a cluster of crystallized poison needles. They struck her armor and shattered, sending poisonous, corrosive shards flying in all directions. Eve screamed in agony as the shrapnel buried themselves in the skin of her neck and face, caustic chemicals burning horribly.

“No!” Katherine shouted, leaping off the Leman Russ. Eve crashed to the ground, like an angel falling from heaven. “I won’t lose another!” Katherine exclaimed, her powersword gripped in both hands. She carved through a cluster of Hormagaunts like a woman possessed. Dinah mumbled something and knelt on her good leg, covering her with blasts from the Meltagun.

The Palatine reached the fallen Seraph, ripping open her canteen and pouring the water over her to dilute the acid and poison. The crimson beams of Dinah’s meltagun and the bolts from Dresden’s weapon formed a deadly perimeter around Katherine as she hefted her fallen friend onto her back. With her face set in grim resolve, she returned to the Leman Russ and climbed on, setting down the unconscious and disfigured Eve. “Get us a medic…” She looked up at Dresden, “And get us the hell out of here.”

[Keillen]

She hugged him. Time seemed to stop for a few seconds before resuming, in a sense, such a sensation well was enough to stop him dead. Regardless, he gently returned the favour, before things returned and the sounds of gunfire came crash down upon such ghostly silence.

The vehicles had been stationed at point Phobos for repairs, though without the current materials, Dresden had made a few alterations for the models. Regardless now, was not the time; sure enough Katherine became a woman possessed cleaving her way through the ranks of Tyranids.

"Sniper team, you have a second objective, don't let those tyranids take down the left flank, I do not want another pointless loss of life."
Without hesitation signals and reports began flooding in over the comlink, guardsmen had already taken down a number of Tyranids, one of the vehicles had a jammed weapon.

"FIRE WITH PRECISION," Without hesitation, in a way which almost shocked him, he fired, the first kill of a Tyranid's brains exploding snapping the head back, followed by a score more each with one hit kills, mainly aimed around the mouth of the creature.

Swiftly, as the reports faded, Dresden began to work on stabling one of the Battle sisters. First, without care for her womanly features stripped her of her burning carapace armor. Touching his headset com link he began. "All units, please state whether you have a medic in your group. We have a battle sister down, acidic burns and chemical poisoning. High priority."

Using his power fist, he placed the fragments which were still smoldering aside,
Eve's skin was quivering, weeping from the chemical burn and red raw as well as breaking in some areas. Taking out his canteen he applied water to the wound, washing off the chemical burns.

Gently he took the wounded Eve into his arms, "She is too exposed on the back of a leman russ Katherine. I'm taken her into the back of the Hellhound," Gently and carefully he moved, as well being accompanied by another battle sister whom he didn't know the name of. Then the reports came.

"Team Alpha, Medic present and accounted for."
"Team Beta. Medic KIA, shredded."
"Team Delta, Charlie team is under suppressive fire. We have two medics."
"Echo Team, we have a medic current. Holding position."

Dresden had ensured each team had medics to support them in this case. Sure enough, Dresden took up communications once more, "Place your medics on the link." Looking to another guard, currently covering them, he barked, "Soldier get me the medical chest from the inside of the Hellhound now."

Returning to the communication link, he began. "I'll have the medical chest here shortly, I need you to tell me how to do this, mainly because from your positions, I cannot risk loosing another medic. Delta your priority is to get that medic to me, to relieve me and stabilize this battle sister. until you arrive. I want you to talk me through the steps."

"Will do, moving towards your position."
"Dresden this is Cairns, I want you to inject her directly with Adrenalin, followed by a blue device. This will be put directly into her neck, medical procedure will currently accelerate healing for a brief period of time. In a sense, Organs, skin, bones will realign themselves."

Dresden proceeded, first by checking if Eve was still breathing, she was, her pulse dogged. Doing as the medic instructed, he followed through. Sure enough the second part, was the easiest. Her veins were visible around her face due to the stress her body was under.

"Next, I want you to inject her with the green substance, looks more like some green liquid on the vid coms. That will neutralize a majority of toxins and cause her skin to contract slightly, forcing the crystals to be viewable on her skin. get a device, which has HUV, this will reveal those poison crystals buried in her skin."

Dresden followed through while also relaying the current status of the downed Sister, Without a care, he continued his work and surely her skin injuries healed though at the expense of her bodily reserved. Crystals extracted by a strange device, made her skin speckled, almost in a dotted pattern.

There was no sign of any unloyal of sinful action from Dresden, he did what he was being told to do, it wasn't until twenty minutes later, did the medic arrive and relieve him. By the time the medic arrived, a majority of the needles had been extracted and what had been weeping watering burnt skin was now a smooth yet speckled shape. Unbroken skin.

Though internally she would require many days of recuperation and sustenance.
"Begin extraction procedure now." Sure enough, soldiers fell back, some taking cover on the open topped vehicle. Others, made a easily supportive barrier, firing in sync. Sending waves of Tyranids backwards.

As if they could miss. Sure enough the wave retreated short on numbers \, generally this was because they were a small ground sent by spores not the full hive force. Katherine had a chance to arrive, regardless of her upper body being bare, Dresden along with the medic, to protect Eves decency covered her in a thick blanket.

Regardless of him being a Colonel, he cared for his soldiers, a happy soldier fought harder than one ruled by fear. Though example, his soldiers fought with vigor. Even so, as the extraction began. Soldiers hopped on. Gunning down any unlucky Tyranid which came too close.

His mind still lingered on Katherine. As for why or what reason he was unsure. Blood dripped from his cheek, upon assessment it was deep. Bloodied where the chemical had eaten through even killing the nerves. A similar blue injection began the repair process. Bloodied. Dresden slept.

Eve had lost a great deal of weight, muscle mass and currently looked emaciated. Mainly due to the accelerated healing. An IV drip with proteins and vitamins was introduced to help keep her body from dying of lack of sustenance.

"Katherine." He said gently over the Comlink. "We have stabilized you battle sister, tell the others and get point Phobos to have a medical team standing by."

[TeslaCoil]

Captain Fan lined his shot against a Termagaunt armed with a barbed strangler as it ran toward Dresden's rescue force and the Sisters which they were attempting to evacuate. A split-second later, he pulled the trigger, downing the Tyranid creature with a headshot by his sniper hellgun. A Ratling beside him managed to score another kill against a Hormagaunt that was charging at Dresden's convoy and the Guardsmen surrounding it, while Lieutenant Trezdowski got the one beside it. "Hell of a good start, huh, Zonar?" Trezdowski asked as he took a second of respite, then lined his eye up on the targeter of his long-las as he sighted another Termagaunt, killing it with two hits. "I suppose, Harry." Captain Fan replied, hitting a Tyranid Warrior near its neck, wounding it. The creature roared in pain as it turned around and spotted the sniper who wounded it, but only too late as another shot from the sniper hellgun put it down for the count.

Lieutenant Mobius shot at another Termagaunt, wounding and stunning it enough for one of Dresden's Guardsmen to finish it off. He then took out another Hormagaunt as soon as he had it in his sights. Spotting another Hormagaunt, Mobius wounded it with another shot, allowing a Guardsman of the 181st to finish it off with his lasgun. "Guardsmen, keep the Tyranids away from the convoy!" He spoke through his small vox-caster unit in his helmet to communicate to those nearest to him, as while they were doing their best to knock out the Tyranids and prevent them from attacking Dresden's task force.

Captain Fan was reloading his sniper hellgun with a fresh cell when the vox-caster operator came up to him. "Captain, sir. Dresden orders us to concentrate fire on the left flank." The Guardsman spoke, to which Captain Fan nodded as he reached for his helmet-mounted vox unit. "Concentrate fire on the left flank!" He ordered, snapping the fresh cell into his weapon, then pushed a button to charge up the first shot. At moment's notice, the sharpshooters of the 181st began shifting fire to the left flank of Dresden's task force, taking down quite a few Tyranids which attempted to overwhelm the small task force from there.

The Tyranids had become aware of the presence of the snipers that were picking them off by now, and some of them began to shoot back. A pair of Termagaunts turned to the windows from which the snipers were firing at them, and returned fire with their fleshborers into one of the windows. A couple of unfortunate Guardsmen who were about to take more potshots at the Tyranids found themselves struck with fleshborer worms. They dropped on the ground, screaming in hellish agony as the worms rapidly ate through their skin. "The bugs are shooting back!" A Guardsman reported as a Ratling was hit and devoured by a fleshborer worm. Meanwhile, Captain Fan aimed at a Spinegaunt and shot it down, only to spot a Termagaunt with its fleshborer already trained on his position. He cursed, ducked down as the Termagaunt opened fire. He hit the ground just in time, but a Guardsman beside him was not as fortunate. "Damn it." He hissed, then took up his sniper hellgun once more to acquire a new target.

But the hardest blow was to be landed on those on the roof, as Gargoyles swooped down on some of the snipers who were picking off the Tyranids on the ground below. They spat plasma and fired fleshborers from above, killing an entire squad worth of sharpshooters in one pass, and terror spread among those who remain. A few, however, stood their ground as they fired precise shots at the swooping Gargoyles and shot a few down. "Take cover!" A Sergeant shouted as he did so himself behind a broken wall, just in time for a gob of plasma to splatter next to him. A pair of Ratlings managed to shoot down another pair of Gargoyles before ultimately killed by fleshborer shots. Another Guardsman took cover behind a broken wall, and reached for his helmet-mounted vox unit. "Captain! Gargoyles are attacking us on the roof, taking casualties!" He shouted.

Captain Fan heard the message, along with the scream of another Guardsman in the background. Gritting his teeth, he turned to Lieutenant Trezdowski. "I am going to the roof. Stay here." He spoke, then immediately got up to rush for the nearest way to the rooftop before his best friend and subordinate could say anything. Lieutenant Trezdowski was left to trust his superior's instincts and experience as a former Kasrkin, as he stayed his ground and targeted a Genestealer, putting it down in two shots from his long-las. Rushing up with his sniper hellgun, Captain Fan raced for his men on the roof who were battling the swooping Gargoyles. It was not long before he reached the most secured part of the rooftop, which was actually a story of a building (since the upper section had been destroyed), where he saw several Guardsmen firing at the incoming Gargoyles.

Without hesistation, Captain Fan targeted one of the Gargoyles, aiming low to compensate for its dive. He fired, and watched as his hellgun beam struck its wing. Wounded, the creature fell not too far from him and the other Guardsmen, who proceeded to finish it off with a few hits from their lasguns. "Glad you made it up here, Captain. We have a situation." A Guardsman spoke. "I know." Captain Fan replied, snapping up to target another Gargoyle, and fell it in one shot. "Those with long-las, take out those Gargoyles from over there, those with lasguns, cover those iwth long-las and take down any Gargoyles that come too close. I'm going in." He then ordered. "Yes sir." The Guardsmen replied in unision, and got into position to provide sniper support for those who were being attacked by the Gargoyles.

Captain Fan himself whipped out his bolt pistol and slung his sniper hellgun as he rushed toward the Guardsmen who were battling the Gargoyles, running up stairs, jumping from roof to roof, and shooting down a few Gargoyles along the way with his bolt pistol. At the rate he ran, Captain Fan reached a position where he could get a clearer shot at the Gargoyles. Taking his sniper hellgun, he began picking off the Gargoyles. He struck one in the head, killing it, then another in the wing, causing it to fall down to the roof where the Guardsmen ruthlessly finished it off. One after another, Captain Fan shot down the Gargoyles, until he had to reload. At this point, however, Captain Fan, as well as those Guardsmen who were battling the Gargoyles on the roof, noticed a strange behavior in the Tyranids.

They were losing coordination and cohesiveness, as soon as they reached a certain point of distance. Then, Captain Fan remembered what he had leared about the Tyranids. "Yes, lesser Tyranids required the command of a synapse creature which relays the will of the Hive Mind to them. Without them, they would be but mere wild creatures, albeit still maintaining their lethality." He thought to himself, then immediately reached for his vox unit. "Lieutenant Mobius, have our men concentrate their fire on Tyranid Warriors, take them out and the Tyranids will lose cohesion." He ordered. "Yes, Captain." Lieutenant Mobius replied, then quickly proceeded to spread the order.

There were only three more Tyranid Warriors left, including the one which had wounded Sister Evan. Lieutenant Trezdowski had targeted one of them, firing one shot from his long-las. The shot only wounded the creature, which brought its venom cannon to bear on Trezdowski's position. He ducked back into cover just as the Tyranid creature fired, one of the poison needles partially embeded itself in his shoulder plate as the acidic fluid began to burn through the armor, then into his skin. Lieutenant Trezdowski screamed in agony as he musters all his strength to pull the crystalized needle out of his shoulder, throwing it to the ground with disgust. "I'm hit!" He shouted, and a medic came over to him quickly enough to check up on him. "You're lucky, sir, just a flesh wound, but it will hurt more than any ordinary flesh wounds." The medic said. "Just get me back into action, damn it." Trezdowski bluntly replied, gritting his teeth from the pain, to which the medic nodded.

Lieutenant Trezdowski was avenged, however, as two Ratling snipers managed to take down the Tyranid Warrior with two well-places shots with their slugthrowing sniper rifles. "That's one down, and two to go!" Lieutenant Mobius shouted in a rallying tone. Already, the Guardsmen could see the results as the Tyranids became less coordinated and more erratic in their actions, randomly attacking and running without any sort of cohesion. Mobius fired one shot which struck its shoulder, and the creature brought its deathspitter to bear. He took cover just in time, as the slimy creature found itself flying through the window, only to splatter itself into the walls. However, a pair of Ratlings were not a fortunate, as they were caught by the needles of a venom cannon, both of them died instantly.

The sharpshooters of the 181st took considerable losses to provide sniper support for Dresden and the Sisters, but their sacrifice was by no means in vain as Dresden could now leave safely. Little did they know, however, that the valiant sharpshooters served to bide time for a task force to be assembled and deployed to Sector 13 and purge the area....

[TeslaCoil]

Back at Point Phobos, a specialized task force was being assembled. Two squads of Colonel-Commissar Lazarus' best Kasrkin troopers were to be led by the Deathwatch Marines under Brother-Captain Constantine's command. Even now, the Kasrkins and the Deathwatch Marines were being briefed by Lazarus himself. "This is Sector 13, the last known location of Palatine Katherine's Sisters of Battle task force, and the known location of a Tyranid pre-invasion infestation. According to the Palatine's last vox-caster report, it is probable that the Tyranids have setup breeding nests." The Colonel-Commissar paused, pointing to the location of Sector 13 on Parvati's holomap. "The hub of Tyranid activity, according to the last transmission from the Sisters, is around the Administratum, here. I already have the Cadian 181st Sharpshooters Company operating around that area to assist the Sisters, and the latest intelligence reveals a task force led by Dresden is in the process of evacuating the Sisters. Your objectives, Kasrkins, will be to assist the Deathwatch in searching and erradicating all Tyranid breeding grounds in the area, and to eliminate all Tyranids in Sector 13. You will be inserted into the area via Chimera transports, with Brother-Captain Constantine's Rhinos in lead. Once you get close enough to the Administratum, proceed with the mission on foot until situation changes. I do not have to stress the importance of this mission, knowing the Tyranid threat that faces us now. Go forth, and purge the Xenos from our city." Lazarus spoke, and an exchange of salutes ensued between himself and the Kasrkins. The task force dispersed themselves, moving quickly in preparation for their deployment.

It did not take the Kasrkins long to gear up. For this mission, three Kasrkins of each squad would be assigned to carry the flamer, while the rest kept their hellguns. Brother-Captain Constantine's Deathwatch Marines were outfitted with tricked-out bolters and heavy bolters, fitted with various modifications to make them even more lethal. Of course, two Brother-Marines were armed with heavy flamers to deal with the Tyranid nesting grounds. Fully-equipped, the Kasrkin squads and Deathwatch Marines formed up around their Chimera and Rhino transports, respectively. At Brother-Captain Constantine's command, the task force loaded up the transports, which then left Point Phobos for Sector 13.

The convoy met little to no resistance along the way, as the Tyranids were concentrated around the Administratum. However, as they closed in, Tyranids began to attack the convoy in their blind range, as they were out of range of their synapse command. Return fire from the Chimeras and Rhinos, however, took them down swiftly. Once they found a clear area, the APCs, stopped to deploy the task force. Kasrkins filed out first, standing in front of their Chimeras to open fire at the Tyranids before them, killing a half-dozen of Hormagaunts which charged at them in a shower of hellgun beams. As the Kasrkins formed up, the Deathwatch Marines did so behind them. The Kasrkins could not help but note the minimal resistance they faced, and Brother-Captain Constantine shared their sentiments. "I am surprised to have met with such minimal resistance from the Tyranids. This is unbecoming of them." He spoke. "Brother-Captain, with all due respect, this may just be a vanguard force, and have probably already suffered losses at the hands of the Adepta Sororitas and the Imperial Guard." A Deathwatch Marine spoke, and the Brother-Captain nodded in agreement.

"Then we shall strike before the Tyranids bring in further reinforcements. Brother-Marines, Kasrkins, move out!" Constantine replied, and gave the decisive order to move out. The Deathwatch Marines, followed in their heels by the Kasrkins, moved rapidly toward the Administratum, with their transports ready to provide covering fire. Along the way, the task force eliminated whatever Tyranid creatures they found along the way, as more of them stray from the will of the Hive Mind with the diminishing numbers of synapse creatures to control them. With their turret-mounted heavy flamers, the Chimeras torched any building from which some of the Tyranids came, as the task force continued their advance.

Their near-unimpeded advance had led them to the outer perimeter of the Adminstratum, where Captain Fan and his sharpshooters company hold their ground as Tyranids returned fire. "There they are." A Kasrkin reported. "Move out, but do so carefully. We do not want to be caught by friendly fire from the snipers." Brother-Captain Constantine ordered, and motioned for the task force to move forth. Before long, the Kasrkins and Deathwatch came within the sights of the Tyranids, which were still firing back at the snipers that had been plaguing them with accurate and withering fire. A Tyranid Warrior turned to the Kasrkins and fired its venom cannon, killing three of them and wounding two. The Kasrkins returned fire with their hellguns, seriously wounding the creature as it roared in agony.

As though by cue, several Hormagaunts and Spinegaunts charged at the Kasrkins, only to be met by intense bolter fire from the Deathwatch Marines who formed up in front of the elite Guardsmen. The Tyranid close-in assault creatures fell to the withering bolter fire, but a Spinegaunt managed to get close enough to fire its spinefist at a Deathwatch Marine, its spines punched through the armor, wounding the Marine as he fell to the ground. That Spinegaunt was rewarded for its kill with a burst of bolt shells from Constantine's bolter, dropping it immediately. "Target that Tyranid Warrior!" He shouted, as the creature fired its venom cannon once more, killing one Marine and another Kasrkin. On that command, bolters and hellguns alike blasted away at the Tyranid creature. Unable to withstand such an assault, the creature fell dead.

The last Tyranid Warrior turned to face the task force with whatever lesser Tyranids around it still under its control. Just as it was about to fire its deathspitter, the creature was struck with a few well-placed sniper shots, and the creature fell dead. Without any synapse creatures left to control them, the surviving Tyranids ran amuck, attacking anything other than themselves in sight. The combined firepower between Captain Fan's sharpshooters, Kasrkins, and Space Marines finally managed to put down a majority of the Tyranids, save for those that went astray elsewhere and escaped destruction.

Slowly, the combined Kasrkin-Deathwatch task force went street to street, in search of nesting ground for them to torch....

[Jack Elliot]

Harodiah steadied herself against the wall, palms flat against the ornate runes of the hexagrammic wards that covered the walls of the chamber. Her head was throbbing in time with her accelerated heartbeat, sweat drenching her habit such that it clung to her frail body. Breath coming in gasps, she blinked rapidly to clear her vision, then immediately regretted it…

Before her Gaius stood shirtless, wearing only a pair of black slacks and his boots. His body was slick with a sheen of sweat, short blond curls soaked against his scalp. He was facing away from her, toward the three tables arranged in the center of the room. Upon the stainless steel tables the three corpses of Eldar Farseers writhed against the restraints that chained them down. Their flesh moved in unnatural ways, as though something within was pressing outward, trying to escape the prison of flesh it had been entombed in. The bodies distended and stretched sickeningly, and the bile rose in Harodiah’s throat.

The psychic struggled to keep from vomiting as she watched, unable to tear her eyes away. In her mind she could hear the seductive whispers of the daemons locked inside the Eldar corpses, their spectral voices just too quiet to comprehend. Shivers ran through her body as Gaius reached out and stroked the face of Nyerëlindë, once called “Molly”, her flesh rippling under his fingertips grotesquely.

Just as it seemed Harodiah couldn’t hold down her gorge, she felt a crushing psychic silence settle over them like a blanket. She looked up at the ceiling, as if she could see through it to the source of the strange stillness. Her eyes fell to the Inquisitor who was also looking up. “The Shadow in the Warp.” He said simply.

A few seconds later, the vox-caster at his belt beeped and he answered it. “Janus?”

“Your grace, the Astropaths have lost all contact with the Warp…”

“I know,” Gaius ran his fingers through his sodden hair, shaking off the sweat. “The Tyranids are here. The psychic interference of the Hive Mind blots out any other attempts at psychic communication. Inform Lazarus that the Bugs have arrived. Tell Trajanus to have the Legions ready.” He pondered for a moment then added, “And have Trajanus send up a few sorties of all trans-atmospheric fighters he has to take out a few of their biovessels. There may be too many to stop entirely, but that doesn’t mean we should let them approach completely unopposed.”

“Yes, your grace.”

“Also order the Emperor’s Eye out of orbit immediately. They are to retreat to Kali VII and await there for further instructions. I won’t risk losing our ride home to their Hive Fleet. The rest of the Imperial Navy is to make a fighting withdrawal, taking out as many of their vessels as possible then joining the Emperor’s Eye.”

“By your command, your grace.”

Gaius closed the communicator and looked down at their handiwork. The corpse of Nyerëlindë suddenly bucked against the chains that bound her, muscles strained, back arched. Her eyes shot open, entirely blood red, her mouth open in silent scream. She seemed to look directly at Harodiah, and her mouth twisted into an evil grin, her body relaxing. Harodiah gagged as her stomach heaved, using all her strength to swallow it down.

Nyerëlindë’s corpse lay still except her head, which turned toward Gaius, batting her eyelashes like some lascivious strumpet. A voice, feminine and sultry with a ghastly, hollow reverberation of something not of this world purred, “Enommentamme, melindo.*”

* = “We meet again, lover.”

Harodiah began to tremble uncontrollably as the other two Eldar corpses turned their blood red gazes upon her. She felt their horrible, unnatural power caressing her mind with whispered yet wordless promises of agony and ecstasy. Her knees went weak and her head swooned, then Harodiah found herself kneeling on the floor. Shaking as though palsied she vomited blood and bile upon the tiles.

She looked up to see Gaius leaning over toward Nyerëlindë, his hand cupping her cheek. As his warm kiss met the ice-cold lips of Nyerëlindë, Harodiah screamed…

[Jack Elliot]

Charles Lindel, aka “Charlie”, stepped out of the pub, lighting a Lho-stick. As he dragged in a lungful of smoke, he started down the street toward the commuter train that would take him a block from his run-down tenement apartment. It had been another fourteen-hour day at the plant, churning out shell casings for Basilisk artillery cannons that those soldier boys consumed like candy. The entire industrial base of the planet had been retooled to feed the voracious appetite of the military apparatus, and likely would be for some time. Though he was pulling overtime everyday, the extra ration and luxury chits wouldn’t do him a bit of good…there was nothing to buy. So much for getting that new holoplayer he was saving up for…the plant that made them was manufacturing military vox-casters now…

Hearing the roar of jet engines he looked up just in time to see a squadron of Thunderbolt fighters rocket overhead, gaining altitude rapidly. He continued walking while he watched them dwindle into the distance in the night sky, until he couldn’t even see the brilliant fires of their jet exhaust. Vaguely, he wondered where the flyboys were going, but in the end it didn’t matter. More Orks, Eldar, or Chaos fruitcakes…what’s the difference? It just meant more warfare so more shells to make at the plant and less food and luxury items for him. At least he could still get his Lho-stick fix…

Something caught his eye and he glanced once again up at the stars. He stopped, staring up at the sky, seeing faint streaks of light against the dark backdrop of the night. They began to multiply, joined by small pinpoints of light flashing and dying away. Charlie cocked his head as he watched for a few moments before it dawned on him what he was seeing…energy weapons and explosions from a battle in orbit. The Imperial Navy was slugging it out up there with someone…

The Tyranids.

Parvati had been abuzz with the news of the incoming Tyranid fleet for the past couple months. At first the military had kept it quiet, but eventually word had leaked out to the general population and there had been a panic. Some of the rowdier, less respecting of the law had rioted, looting some stores, but the military had cracked down on that quickly. Adeptus Arbites with suppression shields and shock mauls came in and busted up the riots, while the Sisters of Battle swooped in and obliterated those who tried to fight against the law. Anyone who rebelled against the law and order of the Empire were apostate to the word of the Emperor, and were thus “Heretics”…of course the only punishment for heresy was summary execution.

Mesmerized as he was by the display in the sky, he failed to notice some of those streaks of light were falling toward the ground. More and more of them appeared, like a meteor shower in slow motion…hundreds…even thousands of dim, fiery streaks arcing downward…

Downward?

Then the air-raid sirens began to wail, shocking him from his stupor. Orbital bombardment! The Bugs were dropping spores from orbit, some carrying the genetic material needed to grow advance troops, some carrying payloads of explosives, poison, or acid. Charlie remembered the training they had received at the plant about what to do. Get inside somewhere and stay still…the spores were attracted to heat, sound, and motion. He scrambled down the street, trying each door as he came to it, but at the late hour everything was closed. Down the street, a car exploded, illuminating the street brilliantly for a moment then fading to the flickering light of the burning remains. He skid to a stop as he saw dozens of the spores, spherical sacs of leathery material trailing tails it used to “swim” through the air, drifting down from the skies.

Distantly he heard the rumble of artillery, and the crackle of light anti-aircraft fire. The Hydras and other light anti-aircraft batteries were firing up at the sky, hoping to detonate the spores before they could do any harm. Artillery lobbed up flak, which exploded in black puffs in the sky, causing numerous secondary explosions as spores were set off. The sky was now an amazing latticework of spore trails streaking downward, autocannon tracers streaking upward, and explosions ripping across the night skies.

A tiny compact car careened around the corner, the driver so terrified he was forgetting the civil drills each citizen had been subjected to. All he could think of was that he had to get out of there, and the motion attracted several of the spores. They “swam” through the air to intercept, the sac bursting as it contacted the front right quarter. Greenish acid slashed over the vehicle, hissing and smoking as it quickly ate through the cheap plastic and aluminum. The vehicle skid to a stop, and the driver scrambled out, his eyes manic in fear. Charlie broke into a panicked sweat as the man bolted right for him. No! Get away from me! You’ll attract them to me! His mind screamed but he didn’t shout. The man ran too close to a spore which erupted with a Puff, expelling a cloud of noxious gas. The poor soul dropped to the ground gagging and clutching at his throat.

Charlie slowly started moving away, toward the entrance to the train station. The sounds of explosions and screams drifted on the wind as the spores landed throughout the city. They hovered a few meters above the ground drifting randomly, splattering buildings with poison and acid, or exploding and sending razor-sharp fragments of chitin-like material in all directions. He was almost there…just a few more steps…

Then the street darkened slightly, as though a cloud had passed over the moon. Charlie felt a cold dread as he looked up at the dark clouds moving with impossible speed through the sky. He quickly realized they were not clouds at all, but massive formations of flying Tyranids, wheeling over the city. Huge clumps of them rained down as the formations were struck by flak and bursts of autocannon fire from the anti-aircraft batteries. A huge creature the size of a bomber soared overhead, with Gargoyles dropping from its carapace.

A Lightning interceptor shot through the sky, firing its weapons into the beast, eliciting a blood-curdling screech. Two missiles streaked out from under the interceptor’s wings, blasting apart the hindquarters of the thing. Ichors and wounded Gargoyles spilled out as the Tyranid creature spiraled toward the ground, its tail and hind legs falling separately.

The terrified factory worker watched in horror as a flight of Gargoyles descended down toward the street. Abandoning caution now, he ran for the train station. A spore mine went off nearby, but he kept running, his heart thundering in his chest. The air was filled with a chaotic buzzing as the Gargoyles fired their fleshborers at the lone human…

Charlie stumbled as something hit him in the abdomen, tumbling to the ground. He screamed in indescribable agony, clutching at his stomach as the black-headed beetle started rapidly chewing through his internal organs. He writhed, his limbs uncontrollable as the horrific pain burrowed up through his diaphragm to his heart. The man’s body went still with his eyes staring sightlessly up into the chaos of the night sky…


The Tyranids were here…

[JohnnyB]

The Tyranid Veterans: Warriors of Ultramar that make up most of the rebuilt First Company Of Ultramarines Since the Battle of Macragge that have sunk their teeth into Tyranid Exoskeleton. Sicne then future Tyranid Veterans have been trained by the Chaplain Cassius in the art of slaughtering The Tyranid race.
Out in the field at a forward position enar a suply base running between Poitn Phobos and the expected frontline, Brother-Seargents Demetrius and Quatar were drilling the regiments of Imperial Guardsment placed under their command the neccecary drills and formations to gun down hordes of Tyranid Gaunt or Synapse mutation, those who got it right were pushed harder to get it right quicker because the Tyranids would be relentless in their attacks and not wait for them to asume position.. those that did it wrong were scalded by Demetrius and were thretened with execution if they didn't start getting it right before the Tyranids started making planetfall.
Inside the base, Veteran-Apothacary Armedius was taking those who were not slotted for live-fire drills over the weakspots in the exoskeletons and carcases of the Tyranid Genus, fortunatly Armedius had numerus Tyranid limbs preserved from previous skirmishes with the Tyranids and their Hive Fleets in the past. Armedius made sure to take the guardsmen over the stong points and weakpoints of each piece of the Tyranid body, but most of the time he had to work with projections of each Tyranid Genus.

Similar training was distributed throughout the Imperial Guard Regiments on planet, each with varying progress as to how fast the Guardsmen react to the training drills. The First Company wanted to make sure what they had to work with was combat-ready for when the Tyranids hit the planet. The remainder of the First Company was laced out into the defences currently being drawn up by Captain Thale and Brother-Captain Agemman of the First Company before deploying: To thale it was an Honor fighint shoulder to shoulder with one of the Chapter's greatest heroes. but for now that honor would have to wait as Agemman was to assume control of ALL Ultramarien activity on Kali V, both First adn Fifth Company, and he would do so from Point Phobos, he had ordered Thale to take half of each Company and organize defence around The City of Pravati so as to contain the Tyranids as best they could. Agemman had ordered Thale to order a Retreat IF he deemed it neccecary and they couldn't hold the line around the city and if forced, the Marines were to make for the nearest base and warn of the advance... hopfully the guards would be battle ready by then.

A Retreat would be deemed cowardice puhisable by execution, but against the Tyrands you were epxected to fight a retreatign battle until you reached a strategic position or you met up with another division of friendlies. Thale was reminded of this by the Tyranid Veteran assigned as his advisor: Brother-Librarian Mordeus, a supposed battle-hardened Librarian of the Battle of Macragge, and Thale was willing to accept Mordeus' advice to the letter.
At Thale's position, the Servitors and heavy lifters were moving materials about to construct Heavy Bolter Anit-Aircraft batteries, the Preds that were at Thale's bunkered position had ben refitted with Twin-Linked heavy Bolter Turrets to aid in Anti-Air detail puting Anti-Armour burden souly on the Devastator Teams, with any luck the possible, all the whiel the MArines on guard kept an eye out for an advanced Tyranid party that might have slipped in un-noticed by the fleet or the near-by defences. A good thing too as the city's Air Raid Sirens had sounded and the sight of Tyranid Mycenic spores approaching the gorund alearted the soldiers.
"Get those guns up! Shoot thsoe spores down before they hit the ground!" Thale bellowed. The Marines raised all Bolter weapons that oculd reach int othe air and started to let loose on the decending spores. The Bolter rounds ripping through each spore they hit, casuign them to explode in an organic burst of Emperor knows what. It was fortunate that they were just Mycenic spores, anything else and the Ultramarines were as sure as dead when they exploded.
In the end the Concentrated Bolter fire wasn't enough, at leas3 Spores hit the ground in the opening volley and wit hthat they launched the various Genus spored that would grow at a frightening pace into the many Tyranid Warrior and Synapse strands. After the Anti-Air threat appeared to abate for the moment over their positon, the bolters turned on the now fully grown Tyranid mutations, Bolter Rounds ripping through the many Termagants, Hermagants, Ripper Larve, Warrior and the Hive Tyrant trying to maintain order amongs them. Mordeus had told Thale that the Hive Tyrant is a direct link to the Hive Mind of the Fleet and sould be concidered the Number One Priority to disorganise the swarm around it and Thale ordered the Bolter Predators to rip that Tyrant apart whilst the rest of the group dealt with the Numerous strants that appeared disorientated after being released from the Spores, but enough to casue injury, a Hormagant digging it's scythes into the chest of a Marien and ripping away at him with it's jagged Ork-like teeth.

===

Meanwhile, back at Point Phobos, Captain Agemman had recieved the reports that the Tyranids had started to launch their spores toward the Planet and Pravati city was where the Tyrands were planning to make Planetfall, no doubt all positions where his Company and the Tyranid Veterans were stationed had recieved word of the Tyranids arrival and woudl redouble their efforts to get the Imperial Guard and PDF regiments ready for battle.

[Keillen]

The defenses at point Phobos had just been completed. Fresh cemented trenches, with strong points which lead into makeshift bunkers. Each lines with tall towers to cast light as well as relay information along optical fiber cable channels.

From point Phobos, the defenses and trenches had long since been barricaded with sandbags over the concrete trenches, bunker points had been restocked. These defenses trailed back for forty meters, with long tank trenches for support units to mobilize and move back and forth either supporting the outer areas of the weak points. Or to grant supressive fire.

Should the outer defenses fall, there had been constructed a wall which slanted outwards from the ground, instead of inwards, it had been assessed that larger creatures would have greater trouble climbing that way. In a sense, this was the final and last stand. Bolter turrets, flamer turrets secured various points, mainly able to grant further suppressive fire.

Everything was above ground forcing the invading force to come up, and onto the line of fire. Over the many months, defenses had been granted further assessment by the space marine librarians as well as the chaplains. In truth, they had a mixture of 800,000 thousand imperial guardsmen, green and veteran to hold this point. With an additional 30,000 space marines currently arriving in thirty minutes to support.

Eitherway. When the Tyranids came, they made their presence felt, first came the air attacks, causing many to take cover and armored vehicles to engage. Scores fell from the sky to flak cannons. Many guardsmen fell writhing in agony from the multitude of weapons.

Screams sung out into the night as the Tyranid force came, in full force, like a living tide. Priests, chanted hymns to the immortal emperor, guardsmen without such grace and pleasantries, shouted war chants and litanies in the immortal emperors name.

Dresdens core team whom had been accepted into the service of withing with and acting templar for the sisters of Battle stood in stoic silence, in black amour. Looking more like the death corps. However, though this was heavier amour, it offered just as much protection as the sisters amour did.

Regardless. They knew their purpose. To be the shield of the sisters, the bodyguards to the ultimate and untimely death. As well, as to kill any guardsmen who fled with his back to the foe. It was only those who made a defensive withdrawal while facing the foe would they spare.

As the wave came in a tide of screeches and snarls, six guardsmen broke, only to be riddled on the spot by assigned commissars. "You will pay in death for cowardice," Snarled one over the sound. Those who were at the front lines could only bite their lips raise their las guns and stand firm.

It wasn't until the tyranids reached within the 100m range did the imperial guardsmen open fire, causing at such a range for living tide to reel backwards from the amount of concentrated fire. Men screamed as borer beets shredded and devoured their spines and eventually in the brain.

Others convulsed and vomited blood as bio acid was stabbed into them from poisoned needles causing liquification of organs. Yet still the front line was held. The defences were elevated, it wasn't until the tyranids were within 50m of the first front line would the second line open fire.

This was only one such distraction. The first wave to exhaust ammunition and cause a pile of of corpses. Even so, such creatures came in untold numbers and the fighting raged on until the night. No way one soldier could miss in such a living tide.

Grenades worked wonders, missiles even more and yet. Inch by inch the tyranids were inching their way closer. Soldiers died in combat, others died in the maw of blades, bio weapons and the wave of endless mouths. One man was devoured in a swarm of small creatures which literally shredded him apart from the outside as well as the inside.

Bolter and flamer turrets kicked in to support regardless, against all and such infinite numbers the Imperial guardsmen were following a co-ordinated plan. A slow strong defense, each part covering one part. Nothing was fool proof though. Imperial guardsmen aircraft battles the wing creatures from the skies, others did battle with the smaller numberless creatures of the living tide.

"HOLD THE LINE! HOLD THE-" A sergeant was cut off as a borer beetle punched through his through burrowing up and down his spine in a frenzied state of gorging itself on his spines nerves and other organs in a small limited amount of time.

Pain. Death. Screams and valiant chants continued. Things became clear when the space marines arrived. Crashing into the front points and from the shock wave sending tyranids flying as well as concrete chunks into the mass.

Bolters and flamers lit up the night. Creatures reeled and yet, regardless of this epic invasion. It was only just the tip of the ice berg. Soldiers were relieved on the front lines every six hours. Gradually and bunkers at different cycles to ensure no guardsmen was wearied or overly fatigued.

A tired soldier was a poor soldier. In a sense there was no way they could allow a lapse in such a strong defense, in a few cases, weak points were revealed in the flaws which the tyranids exposed. Some tried to tunnel under the fortification only to find that a granite slab blocked their deep strike.

However. Zonathropes found their way out and around the corners of the defences, erupting in explosions from under guardsmen and women devouring them whole and sending men flying from psychic screams. Some died upon hearing it as arteries and views split.

These eventually were put down. However, casualties currently were at 28%; regardless wounded were coming up. Medics were currently stabling those who were able to be extracted. In this stage imperial guardsmen knew in this scenario, even wounded guardsmen can fight to a degree.

From their point of view, the battlesisters, defended the second line of the major fire power bunkers. Bolters and heavy bolters tore into the lines punching through carapace. Skin and bone. Grenade launchers spread more death in such lines. Bolters glowed hot.

Eventually certain weapons began to over heat. The front line was lost in under four ours in a sudden surge and wave of shredding of flesh and screaming guardsmen. A single current was literally blown apart from a highly explosive spore mine landing to close.

The men died instantly. It too over an additional two hours to reclaim the front lines which were by now, slick with blood. Soldiers fought hard, space marines fought relentlessly and tirelessly giving inspiration and even morale for the men. Cowardice was eventually routed out.

This was going to be a long day.

[Jack Elliot]

Vedrix Dux leaned against the cool steel interior fuselage wall as the Marauder bomber flew through the night skies over the city of Parvati. As an Optio*, he was the equivalent of a Lieutenant of a standard pattern division, in command of a platoon of twenty-four men. He and his command squad of four veterans all carried stormbolters that gave them unparalleled firepower compared to most Imperial Guardsmen. Two ten-man squads were also sitting in the uncomfortable “jumpseats” that lined the interior of the bomber. Some were serious, some were joking around, and more than a few were praying. It was understandable…some of them wouldn’t be returning…

The 391st was the first Century* of the Ninth Cohort*, the air-mobile drop infantry of Third Legion from Byzantium Nova. They were, by necessity, a light infantry unit, without the heavy armor support that other Imperial Guard units enjoyed. The only armor they had were the light, scouting walkers known as Sentinels, as they could be dropped from the cargo bays of Valkyries or other transports. He looked out a gunner’s window to see another bomber flying in close formation with them. He knew that inside were two more squads that would be dropping with them, some veteran scouts and a heavy weapons team.

The vox-caster squawked, and the voice of Centurion* Augustus Valerius filled the cold cabin, “Gentlemen, we are five minutes from the drop zone.” The Century commander was in the second set of bombers flying some distance behind them. They would drop in after the primary units had encountered the enemy. It was one of the tactics that enabled the light infantry Cohort to be so successful. After the primary combat teams engaged the enemy forces, the secondary teams would drop in on their flanks to catch them in a brutal crossfire.

“As you know, aerial reconnaissance has discovered a Tyranid breeding nest in the industrial area of Sector Seventeen. We are going in with Prometheum charges to burn the bugs out and eliminate the nest. The rest of the Ninth is out on similar raids, and I want the First Century to show them how it’s done!”

“Hoo-ah!” The men chanted automatically.

“I have heard from Legatus* Trajanus himself, that all mission elements that are successful in burning out a Bug-hole will be granted two extra rations of wine to celebrate when we get back.” The transmission paused for a moment as the men cheered. “And…a special reward for the individual squad that plants the charges. Whatever squad first reaches the objective, and blasts the bugs to Hell, will be given passes to have all three meals in the Officer’s Mess tomorrow.” This elicited a second round of cheers from the men. The opportunity to eat some real food at the officer’s mess was a coveted reward for men who had been eating bland enlisted mess food or tasteless field rations.

Vedrix could hear the good humor in the Centurion’s voice as he continued, “Now…I have decided to sweeten the deal a bit. I want to show the entire Legion that the 391st is the finest Century here. For the squad who accomplishes our mission objective, I will treat them, from my own personal wages, to the girl of their choice at any of the sanctioned brothels of Parvati.” Vedrix Dux chuckled while rubbing his face as at the raucous reaction from the men in the bomber. Good wine, good food, and a good woman…what more could a Guardsman ask for?

The lights went out, to be replaced by the harsh red glare of the jump warning light. Dux lifted himself off the wall, adjusting his flak armor and helmet, “All right, gentlemen. You heard the Centurion! Prepare for jump, sixty seconds!” The soldiers stood and formed up into two lines, ready to leap out of a perfectly good aircraft. As they waited for the signal to go, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a holo-print. It was an image of Saint Magdalena, taken by a Guardsman during her speech to the men a few months ago. Ever since, the enterprising fellow had been selling prints for five credits, and many soldiers were carrying them like talismans to ward off evil. Dux looked at her angelic countenance, her doe-brown eyes and chestnut hair highlighted golden by the sunrise. With a sigh, he kissed the print reverently and slipped it back into his pocket, “Emperor watch over us.”

The light went out and the doors opened, buffeting them with a sudden rush of air. “Let’s go! You want to live forever?” The Optio watched each soldier under his command leap out of the plane. When the last had gone, he jumped out himself.

He was in freefall for only a few seconds before his grav-chute activated. The ablative, stunted wings spread out from the backpack-like device, cheap helioprismic cells repelling gravity and slowing his descent to a comfortable glide. There was a chill in the night air, but Dux hardly noticed as he looked over the area. He could see their objective, a cluster of storage silos on the edge of the industrial yard. They were thankfully painted white, and reflected the moonlight, making them visible from a great distance. Using the simple controls, he angled his descent toward the field of high grass about three hundred meters from the silos. As his boots hit the ground, he stripped off the harness and let it tumble down behind him, crouching in the weeds.

It only took a couple minutes for the squads to organize themselves. Vedrix waved over the squad commanders and pointed East toward the industrial park, “Poscae, you take your heavy weapon team on the far north. Lignus, you take your veterans south and sweep any sentries you find.” As the two soldiers nodded and moved off, he turned to the two Decurions* who commanded the squads of his platoon, “Julius, you keep Aurantius squad on my left. Titus, you keep Flavus squad on the right. We’ll lead the way.” Gesturing for the four veterans of his command squad to follow, he began moving quietly through the tall grasses.

Through the darkness they stalked, the slight clinking of their gear and noise of their footfalls swallowed by the rustle of the grass in the breeze. As he walked cautiously, Vedrix kept his stormbolter in one hand, the other holding his Surveyor. His eyes constantly flicked before them and down at the device, which used a variety of thermographic, magnetic and radio sensory apparatus to scan around them.

At the edge of the grass he paused, kneeling down and motioning for the others to do the same. The Surveyor had picked up four sentries wandering along the west side of the nest, about fifty meters apart. The clearing was about two hundred meters wide north to south, and three hundred meters east to west. There were many large and small silos scattered throughout the area, used for storing chemicals. Pipes snaked in between many of them, branching out of main trunks once used to fill and drain them. There were a couple small cinderblock buildings haphazardly arranged throughout the area and all were in dilapidated condition. The silos and pipes were rusting, and in some cases the tops had collapsed. Debris and piles of industrial scrap littered the bare dirt, with a handful of paved roads meandering between the silos. In the center of the yard were two clusters of three smaller silos with a ruined pump building nearby. The nearest of the silos had a two-meter hole torn out of it, and the Surveyor was picking up several readings inside. Another silo missing its top had nearly a third of its cylindrical wall torn down, and a tunnel dug into the earth there. The Breeding Nest. In the clearing between them, he was picking up a signal that had to be around fifty Tyranid Gaunt subspecies.

Vedrix looked over to his right to see Tertius Lignus leading the veteran scouts along the south edge of the clearing. They were creeping across the ground to a cluster of six large silos that would provide them some cover to get near the objective. The veterans were close combat specialists, with laspistols and Gladius short swords. They were also expert infiltrators, and Dux figured the best chance of success was to get them close and use the other squads to draw the Tyranids’ attention away so the veterans could sneak up and plant the explosives.

The Optio watched in amazement as Tertius crept closer and closer to a Hormagaunt sentry. The Tyranid was shaped something akin an insect-like velociraptor, with powerful hind legs capable of tremendous leaps. It had two sets of forelimbs, one ending in scythe-like blades, the other in wicked clawed hands. It could use two of the forelimbs to stabilize itself on the run, reaching close to sixty-five kilometers an hour. The veteran commander was only a few steps behind the beast when the Hormagaunt turned its head…

Closing the distance in one bound, Tertius rammed his Spatha, a powered Gladius sword, into the thing’s mouth as it opened its maw to screech a warning to its fellows. The warning died in its throat. Tertius wrenched the blade free and rammed it into the thing’s chest, following it down to the ground. Vedrix unconsciously held his breath as he watched the other three sentries. One stopped, looking toward the large silos, but after a moment it continued on its patrol.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Dux signaled for the task force to move forward…

[Jack Elliot]

The Optio crossed the open expanse of dirt in a crouching run, halting and kneeling behind a stack of 200 liter drums. He was eyeing a Hormagaunt sentry about thirty meters in front of the barrels. Vedrix knew that shooting it would alert the Tyranids to their presence…but he surely didn’t want to try his luck killing it in close combat…

Octavian, one of the veterans of his command squad tapped him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. When the Optio glanced back, he pointed into the night sky. Vedrix followed his gesture to see five huge humanoids gliding down to the ground with grav-chutes. At almost three meters tall, and weighing in around 350 kilograms, the Ogryns were a subject race of the Empire, providing some of their best close combat troops. As they landed about eighty meters north of the Tyranid nest, he saw a second group floating down to the south. It was the five Stormtroopers of “Canus” squad, led by the certifiable Quinturion Ulysses Lumentus. The general infantry guardsmen thought the Stormtroopers were mostly crazy anyway, but Ulysses took the cake. His squad was heavy on unreliable plasma weaponry, making them a dangerous strike team against both infantry and light armor. Ulysses Lumentus himself carried two pearl-handled plasma pistols, and could always be found chomping on foul smelling Lho-cigars.

The second wave had arrived.

The Hormagaunt saw something that interested him, perhaps a lepis for a quick snack, and trotted northeast. “Let’s move,” He whispered and started jogging toward two cinderblock storage sheds just forty yards away from the mass of Tyranids. “Flavus” and “Aurantius” squads followed on his right and left respectively, while the heavy weapon team commanded by Ericthonus Poscae was at their far left, lugging four missile launchers. He could just barely see the ten veterans of “Fulvus” squad moving between the six large silos just southwest of the Tyranids. Dux shook his head, thinking, I don’t envy those guys…I’m happy to stay as far away from the Bugs as possible…

Suddenly his Surveyor buzzed in his hand, vibrating with a proximity warning. He looked down to the screen to see a shape huddled between the two buildings, picked out by its thermographic signature. It was less than fifteen meters away, skulking through the refuse and debris toward them. ”Spook! Vedrix shouted as he raised his stormbolter. The rubble erupted outward as the Tyranid Lictor broke cover and charged, its four arms splayed wide, ready to slaughter anything that got within its reach. ”Waste it!”

He pulled the trigger, spraying bolter rounds at the charging bug. His four squadmates did the same, throwing a brutal hail of projectiles. The Lictor jerked as it was hit over a half-dozen times and crashed to the dirt, thrashing about wildly in its death throes, squealing a horrific high-pitched wail.

Then all hell broke loose…

A mass of Termagaunts broke cover from the west side of the clearing, loping toward them with that strange four-legged gait while their third set of limbs cradled deadly Fleshborers. From a ruined Silo, he saw four very large Warrior Bugs emerge, with Deathspitters and one hauling a Barbed Strangler that would make short work of any squad caught in the open. He turned to his left and shouted, ”Poscae! Nuke the Warrior Bugs!”

“Flavus” and “Aurantius” squads began firing their lasguns at the approaching Termagaunts, followed shortly by Dux and his command squad and their stormbolters. The air was filled with the crackle of laser bolts, the hammering of bolters, and the disturbing buzzing of fleshborer beetles zipping past them in counter-fire. A couple men in “Flavus” squad screamed as they were struck by the beetles, that immediately started burrowing into their flesh. The Termagaunts found themselves in a crossfire as the veterans fired their laspistols from the south. The Tyranids fell in droves under the concentration of fire until they were wiped out.

To the north, Ericthonus Poscae, the commander of the heavy weapon squad, heard the shout from Optio Dux. “You heard him boys! Let ‘em have it!” Four Krak missiles streaked across the distance between them, ripping apart the larger Tyranid Warriors with shaped charge warhead designed to take out armored vehicles. Then three brilliant blue-white beams of light streaked in from the north, accompanied with the unmistakable thunderclap of a laser ionizing the atmosphere along its path. Poscae looked north in surprise to see the Sentinel walkers from the Century command squad firing into the same group of Warrior Tyranids. The light walker vehicles had just touched down, having been dropped from the back of three Valkyrie transports at high altitude. The rest of Centurion Julius Fragrum’s command squad was setting up four heavy bolters behind a pile of rubble to pour suppressive fire down on the enemy.

Suddenly there was a strange pulse of energy, and it seemed as though reality itself rippled as though painted on a sheet of fabric flapping in the breeze. The strange wave swept over one of the Sentinels and it crumpled like a tin can crushed in a giant invisible hand. A second Sentinel was also struck, the metal of its superstructure distending outward grotesquely before exploding in a spectacular fireball. The third staggered as it was hit, smoke pouring from its undercarriage as the drive mechanism for the legs was ripped completely off the walker. Poscae looked east, the direction the bizarre wave came from, to see three tall slender figures floating across the field. They had tiny carapaced bodies with four small limbs and a long threshing tail. Their Tyranid heads were huge, a large armored shell sweeping back and up. They levitated above the ground, upright like bizarre seahorses.

”Zoanthropes! Kill the Brain Bugs!” His men reloaded their missile launchers and fired a volley, rockets streaking toward the bugs. As they neared the Zoanthropes, they passed through the edges of the Warp Field the bugs projected. The Zoanthropes were psychic, wielding the massive Warp Energies to both attack and defend themselves. Two of the missiles struck the Warp Field and veered off in random directions, while a third exploded prematurely. The fourth found its target, the shaped charge blasting one of the “brain bugs” to pieces. Though unable to move its legs, the last Sentinel rotated its superstructure and fired its lascannon. The weapon was powerful enough to hammer right through the Warp Field, vaporizing the second Zoanthrope.

Reality shifted again as the last Zoanthrope focused its attention on Poscae’s men. The strange wave passed over them and one of the soldiers carrying a missile launcher seemed to implode. His loader next to him screamed as the missile in his hand detonated, blasting him and the man next to him into bloody chunks raining down over the others. They fired another volley, and the last Zoanthrope was swallowed in the fireball of their missiles.

On the south side of the field, Tertius Lignus and his nine veteran scouts watched the last of the Termagaunts charging Oprio Dux’s platoon cut down. With that threat neutralized by the combined firepower of the four squads he turned toward their objective to see nine Hormagaunts racing across the dirt. Another nine were charging south at Ulysses Lumentus’ Stromtroopers, who fired a brutal barrage of hellgun and plasma gun bursts that ripped through them. Three reached the Stormtroopers, leaping onto them with scythe-like blades slashing.

But he had no time to see how Ulysses and his men fared in close combat, ”Stand fast!” He ordered his men, leveling his laspistol at the charging bugs, ready to receive their assault. Before he could pull the trigger, a spread of rockets rained down from above, blasting through the Tyranids. A Vulture ground attack aircraft roared overhead, banking hard to circle south. He saw something large streaking from the underbelly of the plane and shouted, ”Duck and cover!” The bomb landed amid the survivors of the rocket attack, throwing a huge plume of dirt and pieces of Tyranid into the night sky.

Picking himself up off the ground, Tertius waved his men forward, ”Let’s go! Let’s go!” They ran across the blasted dirt toward their objective, the silo which held the entrance to the Tyranid breeding nest. He looked southeast to see Ulysses and his Stormtroopers battling desperately against the three Hormagaunts. Just north of the silo was a large mass of Termagaunts firing Devourer worms at the Ogryn squad. There was nothing between them and the objective…

Then he heard a strange rumbling to the south and he looked over his right shoulder, his heart in his throat. A monstrous Tyranid, four meters tall crashed into his men from where it had been concealed inside another empty silo. Quintus was slammed to the ground under one of its forelimbs, impaled by a massive claw. Cassius didn’t even have time to scream it the Carnifex’s jaws clamped around his head and upper torso with a hideous crunch…leaving the lower half of his torso and legs standing there. A couple of the veterans fired their laspistols and hacked at the beast with their Gladius blades, but it was no use. Their feeble weaponry couldn’t penetrate its thick carapace. ”Fall back! Fall back!”

[Jack Elliot]

Ulysses Lumentus ducked under a slashing claw and fired the plasma pistol in his left hand into the Hormagaunt at point blank range. He spun about and shot a second with his right as it was about to eviscerate one of his men who had been knocked to the dirt. The last of the Tyranid beasts was slaughtered by the combined efforts of his other three Stormtroopers. “Fine job boys! Now let’s move in and…” His sentence was cut short as he looked west to see the veteran squad being assailed by the monstrous Carnifex. The veteran leader and his men were fleeing before the colossal killing machine, their weapons unable to harm it. The Carnifex speared another veteran, trampling it as the thing gave chase. “Looks like old Tertius could use a hand…”

He raised his two plasma pistols with a grin and opened fire. His men brought their hellguns and plasma guns to their shoulders and blazed away as well. Two of the plasma beams penetrated its heavy shell and the Carnifex screeched in surprise and pain. It whirled about, abandoning the chase to find what had wounded it. Sighting the five Stormtroopers, it charged across the dirt, leaping over a pipeline, its claws churning up the dirt.

Ulysses stood calmly, firing another burst, “Keep firing, boys!” The rampaging creature was struck again, but still it kept coming. A blue-white beam sizzled into its back as the Sentinel all the way across the field sighted it between the silos and shot its lascannon. The Carnifex stumbled, terribly wounded, but its bloodlust would not be denied. It bore down on the five soldiers, Ulysses’ eyes narrowing, “It dies or we die!”

The last volley of hellgun and plasmagun fire struck the Carnifex and it crashed to the ground, sliding through the dirt to come to rest just a meter from Ulysses’ feet. The Stormtrooper commander stepped up to the fallen gargantuan Tyranid, chewing on his Lho-cigar. With a crooked grin he kicked it in the head and shrugged to his men, “Let’s go.”

Just north of the breeding nest silo, the Ogryns were charging forward to meet the last Termagaunts guarding the objective. Though outnumbered six to one, they were unconcerned, blasting away with their sturdy Ripper guns. The leader of the Ogryns was called Briareus, having taken a Byzantine name to fit in with the officers and non-commissioned of the Legion. He was smarter and more eloquent than most Ogryns…but not by much. As they charged, he saw many of the Termagaunts ripped to shred by a hail of bolter fire. Centurion Valerius’ command squad was lighting them up with their four heavy bolters, which brought a smile to the Ogryn’s face. Ten meters from the Termagaunts, he hollered, ”Kill Bugs! Briareus smash!”

The Ogryns crashed into the few Tyranids who remained after the withering enfilade of bolter fire, the heavy axe-like blades slung under their Ripper guns cleaving through the bugs. Briareus shot them with his oversized bolt pistol and chopped them with his one-handed axe. Though two of the Ogryns were wounded from the hideous burrowing Devourer worms, it only seemed to make them angrier. In just seconds they were covered in the ichors of slaughtered Termagaunts, bellowing in deep, bass laughter.

But their laughter was short-lived. The last of the Tyranid defenders suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Though they had been some distance from the nest, the serpentine Raveners could slither across open terrain at close to sixty kilometers an hour. Raising themselves up onto their coiled tails the three Raveners struck with their scything claws, impaling the Ogryns from behind. Two Ogryns were killed instantly in the surprise attack, the others fighting back with ferocity. For a couple seconds, the rage of the Ogryns pushed the Raveners back, but Tyranids were faster, quicker, with four terrible claws to tear at them. Briareus grabbed one by the jaw and hacked at its neck, his axe cleaving through its carapace. With a brutal wrench, he pulled off its head, but he found he was the only Ogryn left standing. He roared in defiant fury as the two Raveners descended upon him, tearing him to pieces with their talons…

Optio Vedrix Dux ran through the industrial yard with his four veterans, all armed with stormbolters. On his left the ten men of “Aurantius” squad followed, while on his left, six men were left from “Flavus” squad. Seeing the Tertius Lignus’ veterans had been overwhelmed by the Carnifex, he knew his platoon would have to complete their objective. He hopped over the corpses of the Termagaunts, landing in the clearing between the small silos. To the north he saw the Ogryn commander fall, the two Raveners ripping him to pieces in savagery. ”Titus! You and your men plant those charges! Julius! With me!”

As the six soldiers of “Flavus” squad dashed over to the silo, readying their Prometheum charges, Dux led his four men and “Aurantius” squad to form a line between them and the Raveners. ”Fire!” the Optio pulled the trigger and his platoon-mates did the same. The two Tyranids were cut down in a blistering volley of lasgun and stormbolter fire.

Titus armed the detonation pack and tossed it down the hole dug into the floor of the old chemical silo. The other five survivors of “Flavus” squad did the same. As they and the rest of Dux’ platoon ran north to rendezvous with Centurion Valerius, the charges went off. Liquid Prometheus was sprayed throughout the Tyranid nest chamber, igniting in a hellish fire that blasted out of the hole like a geyser.

Centurion Augustus Valerius stood from behind the pile of rubble he and his command squad had taken cover behind, watching the white-hot flames spewing forth from the ruined silo. “Cicero,” He called out to his vox operator, “Call in to headquarters and tell them this Tyranid nest is cleansed.” He looked over the men as they approached. The veteran “Fulvus” squad had lost three of ten soldiers to the Carnifex and the heavy weapons squad had lost three to the Zoanthrope’s Warp Powers. “Flavus” squad of Optio Dux’s platoon had lost four to fleshborers and all five of the Ogryns were dead. Two of his Sentinels were destroyed and one immobilized. He nodded to himself in satisfaction, those were losses he could accept…ten men, five Ogryns and two Sentinels to kill around seventy Tyranids and make their objective, destroying the nest.

“While you’re at it, request headquarters send a couple Gorgons to pick us up, I don’t think my Century should have to march home. We’ll meet them at the highway two klicks southwest.” He nodded solemnly to Optio Dux, “Let’s move out. First round of drinks is on me…”



Byzantium Lexicon
* = Century = Company (110 to 135 men)
* = Centurion = Captain, Commands a Century
* = Cohort = 4 Combat Centuries with integral Support and Artillery Centuries
* = Decurion = Sergeant, Commands a Squad of 10 men
* = Gladius = Broad-bladed, two-edged sword about 60cm long.
* = Legatus = Equivalent to something between a Colonel and a General
* = Legion = 10 Cohorts (approximately 4000 men, 650 vehicles)
* = Optio = Lieutenant, Commands a Platoon
* = Spatha = A Gladius powered to pierce armor easily, carried by officers and veteran NCOs

[Vezaz]

OCC-Ok, Templars arrive take 2.
Few men can call upon the forces of the mighty Astartes. Fewer still can expect to have thier calls answered. The Adeptus Mechanicus was one of the latter group. Somewhere on keli V there was a treasue beyond value. Something so important that it was worth calling any and all favors to obtain. The Mechanicus and the Inquisition were allies in name, but when the stakes were as high as they were now, no outdated, organic concepts such as loyalty could stand between an Arch Magos and a Titan. Emperor protect any Inquisitor who tried...


The Black Templars Strike Cruiser Polybius was an old ship. Built at the dawn of the 31st millinium, when the Emperor of Man still walked the stars, Polybius was a relic of craftsmenship that had long died out. The ship had faught in dozens of engagements, dueling single-handedly the Chaos Cruiser Tyrannical, out running the rogue inquisitor Varvarus as he fled justice in the Dorst System, and even joining the Imperial Navy at the battle of Port Maw. The ancient craft had seen hundreds of marines and thousands of crew-serfs during it's years of service. You could feel, if you stood in one of the many neglected service ways, the sheer wait of time hanging around the ship. The clanging of marine boots as they marched to the hanger bays. The terrible shrieking of admantium as a the ship battled a thousand foes to terrible to comprehend, and other, less identifiable noises echoing from decades pass.

That was what the crew-serfs said, anyway. Captain Naxos was not a superstitious man. The Emperor was enough for him, and he had no patience for the whisperings of crewman or the magicks of the psyker. All he believed in was his duty, which now was to deliver the latest cargo of marines to the next combat zone. This was what his father had done, and his fathers' father, on back to the forging of the Polybius itself. He was the most experienced type of captain, born with the humming of the deck and roar of the engines in his blood. He had lead his men though engagements with all kinds of foes, and his blood ran as cold as the deck beneath his feet. But what he saw now before him on the world of Keli V sent confusion and something like fear into his mostly bio-mechanical frame. This was not going to be simple after all.

Dropping out of the warp about 6 hours away from the planet, Captain Naxos saw before him not the prosperus Imperial world he expected, but a wave of pure chaos. The system was being filled with the massive bio-constructs of the Tyranid. An Ork warfleet was bashing it's way though the waves of flesh, and a scattered few Imperial cruisers hung low over the planet fighting off Tyanid spore dispencers.

All hands, battle stations. Prep main weaponry to fire on my targets. Helm, draw me a course though this mess. And someone tell the marines to prep for a rough landing!” stated the Captain in a crisp voice that was amplified and repeated all across the cruiser.

As his orders were relayed though the ship, the Polybius moved into life. Massive shells were hauled off rails by heaving gune crews and rammed into the truly massive breaches of the heavy batteries. The Marines in their barracks armed themselves and suited up for battle. The Thunderhawks in the prow were frantically fueled by their fitters. Somewhere in the mass of wires and superstition that made of the computor core of the Imperial Ship Polybius, the soul of the warship smiled. It had been a quite few years...

The Polybius screamed though the wreckage of an ork killkroozer, the void shields gently pulsing as minor bits of metal were pushed out of the way of the ship. As Polybius passed one of the Tyranid fleet pickets in opened fire with all of it’s considerable firepower. The living vessels were turned into drifting clouds of shells and blood by the force of Polybius’ guns. As the cruiser shot close to the planet, Polybius spoke out again and again, and all who fell beneath the ships gaze were destroyed. Not everything was going the Imperials way, though. Naxos had led his ship though the outmost rings of Tyranid vessels. The largest of the bio-ships in the fleet were pushing off to fight Polybius. But they were far too slow to catch up with the sharp-lined cruiser, and as long as Naxos avoided a stand up fight, they would get though fine. Unfortunately, Polybius had other ideas. The ship altered course, turning port-ward to face the oncoming squadron of massive living craft.
“Helms, what in the name of the Emperor are you doing?” shouted Captain Naxos.
“It’s not us sir,” replied the helmsman, “The ship is changing course itself. Polybius isn’t listening to us anymore.”
“Emperors Teeth! ALL HANDS BRACE FOR IMPACT!”
Against the wishes of all aboard, the cruiser swerved into battle.

At the mouth of the Polybius perched five bulky Thunderhawks painted black and white. Battle-Captain Androcles was over-seeing the loading of the last of his company. The order to launch was given and the ships launched into the void. Behind them, the Polybius shot back into the battle and the Captains frantic explanations trailed off into static. There was no time to figure out what was happening to their ship. Androcles made a decision.

“Pilot, open a vox link to Inquisitor Gaius. Ask him where he wishes us to land.”

[Jack Elliot]

Legatus Scipio Trajanus pointed to the hologram hovering over the desk in the dimly lit office, “As you can see, we’ve had tests by Tyranid advance forces here, here, and here…though all points on the perimeter report heavy engagement with Gargoyles and other Flying Tyranid genotypes. The 3rd Legion is reporting no breaches of containment around Point Phobos.” As he adjusted the controls, the hologram of the defenses ringing the ancient STC facility rotated, bright red arrows showing the locations of the ground attacks. The view zoomed outward to show the strip of heavily defended six-lane highway that connected Point Phobos to the city of Parvati. Walls and bunkers had been constructed along its length to ensure the corridor between the two stayed open so supplies and men could be shuttled between them. “We’ve had two breaches in the corridor wall, here and here. However, counterassaults by the Commandery of the Ardent Blade and Kill teams of the Ordo Xenos sealed them quickly.”

Trajanus paused and glanced up to the Inquisitor, who was sitting in a comfortable chair with his elbows on the arms rests, chin resting on steepled fingers. Gaius’ eyes flickered over the information and nodded, “Casualties among the Sisters?”

“Few as I understand. Magdalena has been very shrewd,” Trajanus answered carefully, “She’s an extraordinary tactician…for an Adeptas Sororitas.”

The Inquisitor shook his head, “No, it’s her new Palatine, Katherine. She’s the tactical brains of the operation.” He allowed himself a frown as he thought of the Order of Saint Celestine he had brought to the Planet. Magdalena had proved too shrewd indeed for him to manipulate, so now she and her sisters would need to be removed from the equation…Living Saint or not. “What about the city?”

The hologram zoomed out again and re-centered on Parvati. “Damage has been extensive. Lazarus’ air defenses have put up a valiant effort, but it’s just too large an area to cover. Residential areas were hard hit, particularly Sectors One, four, and Five. No one has had time to make a census or count the bodies…but civilian casualties are likely over a million…”

Gaius waved his hand dismissively, “I’m not interested in civilian casualties, unless they become so great we don’t have enough men to man the factories. What about the industrial sectors?”

Scipio cleared his throat, “The manufacturing sectors Nine through Twelve are in decent shape. Estimates are at eighty-five percent capacity…certainly enough to continue supplying the defense effort.”

“Mycetic spore infection?”

“None detected in the city itself. Probably why civilian casualties are so high. Lazarus’ anti-aircraft batteries concentrated on Mycetic spore suppression.” Trajanus answered.

“Lazarus knows the old adage…The moment you stop to count the cost, is the moment you’ve lost.” Gaius’ face held the ghost of a smile. “Just to be sure though, send him a directive under Inquisitional Mandate. All workers in factories essential to the war effort are to be taken from their homes and billeted as close to the industrial sectors as possible. Have him clear out as many apartment complexes as he needs to turn them into barracks for the factory workers.” Gaius inspected his manicured nails as he continued. “Then he is to concentrate his defenses on the industrial sectors. Moving the workers on the edge of the sector will include them in the concentrated zone of defense. We can’t afford to lose key industrial personnel to casualties in the civilian sectors.”

“Should we send some troops to help move the families?”

“Families? I said nothing about families. I only need the workers. No, the families will stay where they are.”

The Legatus was silent for a moment. He had worked with the Inquisitor for almost a decade on Byzantium Nova, so he was aware of what sort of man he was…or at least he thought he did. Of course, Scipio had spent most of his time working with the Inquisitor on his home planet, around his own people. The Inquisitor’s callous disregard for the civilians of Kali V twisted the soldier’s stomach. He cleared his throat, “By your command, Inquisitor.”

Gaius reached over and manipulated the controls of the holoprojector, “So…no Mycetic spore contamination in the city. How bad does it look in the surrounding area?”

Trajanus tapped a few commands, changing the view to a wider aerial reconnaissance angle, “The spore count was particularly dense. Necrotic spores have already started breaking down biomass in these areas around the city.” He pointed out huge chunks of land surrounded by glowing borders to highlight them. “Total area so far is maybe sixty or seventy thousand square kilometers. That biomass will be used to feed the larval Tyranids in the nests…”

“How many breeding nests have we discovered?”

“Twenty two, so far. The 391st were the first ones to burn out a nest in this area here outside Parvati, in a chemical storage yard. We’ve eliminated eight so far, with the two Airborne Cohorts. Lazarus’ forces have taken out a like number…maybe ten. Reports are still filtering in. The Ultramarines, Death Korps, and other guard units are making similar sweeps. We’ve gotten reports from the Catachan scouts that there is a massive concentration in this region of the Ushas forest, but we can’t get decent aerial recon. They think there’s a Hive nest in there.”

Gaius looked over the reports for a few minutes and Trajanus sat in his chair, back rigid. The landline vox-system beeped and he picked up the call, “Legatus Trajanus.”

The voice of one of his Tribunus adjutants came out of the speaker, “Legatus, I’m sorry to bother you in your meeting, sir. But we’ve received a request for clearance to land from a flight of five Thunderhawk dropships.”

“Thunderhawks?” Scipio and Gaius exchanged glances. “Space Marines. What chapter?”

“Black Templars, sir.”

The ice blue eyes of the Inquisitor narrowed. Black Templars? The Ecclesiarchy had the Sisters of Battle to seek out and destroy the heretics, witches, and traitors in the Empire, while the Black Templars were a Space Marine chapter with a similar call to duty. However, they operated outside the aegis of the Ecclesiarchy, directly for the Emperor. What the Hell are they doing here?

Magdalena? Did she realize she couldn’t get help from the Ecclesiarchy to oppose me and sought help from outside our chain of command? It seems to crafty, too calculated for her. Lazarus? Could he have put in the request? I wonder if he isn’t as loyal to me as I might have thought… He considered for a minute. Though they were outside the Ecclesiarchy, they still fell under the jurisdiction of an Inquisitor’s Mandate. He would be cautious with them until he had divined their intentions.

“Have them land in the corridor between Parvati and Point Phobos,” Gaius commanded. “They can set down in the median of the highway and set up camp there for now…right next to the Sisters. Inform their commanding officer I would speak with him as soon as they land. Have him brought to my compound.”

There was a short pause and Trajanus barked, “You heard the Inquisitor.”

“Y…yes sir.” The Tribunus answered and Scipio hung up.

Gaius stood, his mind already planning. He would have his Callidus operative infiltrate the Sisters of Battle again to see if the Templars made contact with Magdalena. As he walked toward the door, he stopped and looked back, “Trajanus, inform The Sisters of Battle to prepare to move out. We need to know what’s going on in that forest. I want them to make a recon in force.”

The Legatus’ face was a careful mask as he said, “Sir, if there is a full Hive Nest in there, that would be suicide…”

Gaius blinked once, stonefaced, “They are to move out at dawn tomorrow morning…”




...

[Vezaz]

Androcles strode though the bustle of surfs as they unloaded the prefab barracks from the 'Hawks. His place was not in logistics. He had one mission here on this world, and one only, and that was to find a Titan. But to do that, he would need to find someone knowledgable enough to know of the techno-secret beneath the sands, but free of the touch of the Ordos of Terra. The Magos had been quite clear on that. He would need to seek help from the only men on Keli V he could trust- his own marines. Androcles came up to Brother-Ancient Treston. Treston, in common with all who were chosen to wear the hallowed Dreadnaughts, had been wounded in battle in the most valorus way, and had been granted the gift of another thousand years of service. As such, he was skilled in all manners of engagements, and Androcles spoke to him long and ofter on matters of tatics and stratedgy.
"Androcles my son, What brings you to my counsul yet again?
"The damnable politics of Mars bring me to your counsul. It is because of them any of us are here today. And because of you. Your actions at Helios have finally come back to haunt us."
"Helios...Helios...ah, yes of course, Inquisitor Daska and his plans! Colonel Felstorm has not been this effiecient in all the years I have served with him!" Androcles sighed. The Ancients could lose themselves in their years when not in battle, and it was occasionally difficult to bring the back to the present.
"Felstorm died in the 39th millinium, hundreds of years ago, and Daska with him. What concerns us now is that the Mechanicus are calling back an oath more ancient than anyone in the chapter today. I need to find a titan and for the life of me I cannot see how to do it without throwing away the lives of good marines!"
"Now, now, young Androcles, you must remember what we owe the Adepts of Mars. But the nature of the debt does not concern you now, does it? You require more, say, easily appliable aid? I have scanned the displacements of Imperial forces here. And I tell you that Keli V rests on the sisters. Now, tell me, what is Daska playing at on Cloras III? Are there no tasks to keep his inquisition busy?" For a moment the steel core of Teston had shown though the murk of ages, the steel that propelled the ancient warrior into battle alongside his men. Then it had resubmerged into the dying days of M39.
"I shall notify him of your comments, Captain Teston. But for now I must take my leave."
"See that you do, and tell Sgt. Udon to ready his squad for transport. The Unholy Harbinger has some suprises for us yet!" The former marine had returned to his own times. His comments were though provoking, though. The Sisters. They were nearly outnumbered by his own space marines. But the Ancient had said they were important. They were outside the Inquisition, on the surface at least, and some of his veterans had campaigned alongside the soritas with High Marshall Ludoldus. Even if they did not know where the treasure he sought was, they did not have to be told the truth to serve the Emperor. If they could be brought to his side, they would supply him with a force as disciplined as his own. If nothing else, he would have to determine the loyalties of the sisters sooner or later. He would send Jorn to speak with them.

***

Brother Jorn was large even for a marine, and loud and brash as any mortal man. Like Lukos of the Soul Drinkers, he lived to lead his men to battle, and had done so since recieving his squad from Ludoldus. He walked, wearing robes instead of his armor, into the sisters camp. He looked about, and raised his voice up-
"Soritas, a veteran of blood and fire is gladdened to see the Fleur de les again!"Silence greeted him as a dozen sisters glared at him.
Only one voice answered him, coming from behind.
"What would you claim to know of the Battle of Fire and Blood?"
"That I was there, for one."he answered without turning around. This was interesting...

***

Androcles had disptached men to speak with the sisters, the various other marines, including an Ultramarine called Thale. The only other matter was that of the Inquisitor Gaius, who seemed to be hellbent on making life hard. But he couldn't know about their purpose. Noone knew why they were here, only his most trusted sargents. But just incase, he would put his own precautions into play. He sent an honor guard of marines with Brother Zeret, a younger marine, newly promoted and incredibly resourceful. The marine would be able to keep the inquisitor occupied, and if Gaius risked violence he would be able to keep himself intact. Androcles did not know fear, but he knew that the prospect of an inquisitor's resources turned on his company was fearful indeed.

***

[JohnnyB]

Hours past and the Thale's position had repelled the initial spore attack, burning the area around wher the Spores landed and where the Tyranid were shot down so they couldn't aquire the DNA, making sure the burn the fallen Space Marines so the next wave couldn't take DNA samples. To combat the future spore attack, Mordeus had instructed all Space Marines to done their helmets, incluing Thale. As he was Captain of an Ultramarine's Support Chapter Thale's helmet had a Gold-Iron War Halo hat was attached to the back of the Helmet.

Despite the sudden silence all AA Bolters were still aimed skyward to deal with future attacks... Thale believed that the Tyranid attack wasn't what the Tyranid Veterans had made them to be, Thale always had the belief that they focused on one point, then spread the spores out in what the Tyranids would deem their way of an Exterminatus, instead they were sweeping their spores all ove the planet as if pokign at the enemy's defensive make-up. Secretly Thale beleived that the reason he was tasked with doing this was the Emperor's way of punishing him for the Truce with the Eldar months ago and him not letting the Tyranids through his mwans of repeneting.
About an hour passed and the surrounding area remained errily silent after the initial wave of Spores. Most of the Bolters remained poised skyward with a handful of Bolters and Plasma Riflemen kept an eye out for any Tyranid that might have landed in the city and try to make a run for it.
"Is this standard Tyranid Behavior?" Thale asked his advisor, the Librarian looked like he was in a state of prayer and concentration befoe he noticed THale and answered,
"I do not believe so. I think that the Collective Hive Mind within the Fleet is still orientated in battlin the Orks of the Octavian Sector. These attacks appear to probe us so as to refamiliarise itself with the many strategems and tactics to battle the Imperium."
"So what do you suggest we do after it's discovered it's not fighting anotehr Xeno menace?"
"We do not let our defences falter. The Spores might have passed for now but they chose this palce for their beachhead and will NOT give it up without a battle... I won't be surprised if they deploy one of the many Bio-Titans to aid in it's capture. If we're inable of holding the line we must withdraw to the corridor to Point Phobos where we will be able to re-deploy our forces."
"I won't call the retreat unless it is ABSOLUTLY neccecary to do so. Admited we may do so but I will order if only IF deemed nececary, as ordered by Brother-Agemman. Untill then we hold ground and deny the Tyranid menace access to the planet."

After another 30 minutes pause, the Tyranids were launching theis spored again at the Perimeter defence, this time the Mycanic spores were mixed with Frag and Toxic Gas Spores, again the Bolter Turrets were ablaze, this time all Marines joined them in Plasma and Bolter Fire to try and stop the Spores making planetfall, the Frag spores that exploded took any near-by Toxic Spores with them and damgaged some of the Mycanic near-by, the eventual fire started to deny access to the Tyranids this time, similar reports came from the other bunkered positions saying they were having similar success.
5 minutes of reloading their weapons a deafaning and ear-sundering screech could be heard overhead, the shadowy form of something flying overhead encompaced Tha;es positio nfor a short moment before the Defenders looked up to the sight of one of thTyranids more gargantuan creatures,
"What in the name of the Emperor's grace is that mosnter?" Brother-Seargent Anestus asked, the evident sensation of fear now having gripped the inexperienced Marine. Both Thale and Mordeus looked up at the creature, Mordeus answered the Seargent's question,
"That, my dear Seargent, is a Tyranid Harridan: The Brood Mother of The Tyranid Gargoyle Genus and one of the many Bio-Titans that the creatures bring with them in their Hive Fleet... she's bound to be brimmign with Tyranid Gaunt and Warrior Genus and we have no way to hold this line."
"In that case we are going to proove this 'Bio-Titan; wrong and hold the line for a slong as possible." Thale answered defiantly whilst he turned to one of the MArines with access to a Vox, "Contact Point Phobos and tell them the Tyranids have deployed a Harriden Bio-Titan over Pravati City and request an immediate course of action from Captain Agemman."
"Right away, my lord." The Marine answered, then started to transmit the message to Point Phobos... that's when it happened,
"INCOMING TYRANIDS!"

The Harriden had started to open up the many openings in it's exoskeletal ribcage as it flew close to the ground below the Flak Fire and deployed a virtual small army of Tyranid Genus, more than enough to fight the Imperial Guard Regiments in the city AND the Ultramarine positiosn all about the perimeter. Seeign the tide of bone-white advacne on them in at a inhuman pace, all the Ultramarine forces the nrepositoned themselve to mow down the incomign Tyranid wave,
"What do we do now, my lord?" One of the Marines asked, holding his Heavy Bolter in a ready position, All Thale did was draw his Plasma Pistol, hold SkullBreaker clenched and said to him in a calm tone,
"We we do not give them ince toward Point Phobos, all Ultramariens are to maintain position unless I personally order the retreat. Corporal, your Vox if you please."
Corpral then handed his Vox over to Captain Thale, then waited for the Tyranids to get into range for their weapons to take effect, the MAriens rememebred what they were told: Head or abdoinal shots for maximum effect from their weapons, when here was a mere expance of meters between the Marines and the Tyranids, Thale gave the command,
"GIVE THEM HELL! OPEN FIRE!"
The next thing the Seemingly infinate swarm saw was a shower of concentrated Bolter and Plasma Fire rain down towards them,

[Jack Elliot]

“Revered Mother?”

Magdalena looked up from where she knelt before the altar of the Golden Throne, praying for guidance. For months now she had been suffering in her exalted state of Living Sainthood. Since her resurrection, the red-gold armor she wore was her skin, its servos her muscles, her blood pumping through its hydraulics…but within, her body had never healed of the ghastly wound that had slain her. She did not tell her fellow sisters that every moment she lived with continual pain. For months, pain was her constant companion. Only through suffering are we cleansed and kept pure was a mantra for the Adeptus Sororitas. She stood and forced a warm smile onto her face as she answered the Lay-sister, “Yes, sister?”

“I don’t mean to bother you in prayer, but there is an officer here to see you. A Tribunus Sextus Caledonius from the Third Legion of Byzantium. He says it is a matter of pressing urgency.”

“Thank you, sister. Tell him I will be there in a moment.” Magdalena answered. As the Lay-sister left, the Living Saint turned back to the altar and the image of the Emperor seated on the Golden Throne. “I am in thy hands, and I shall do thy will for as long as thou asks.” Though each day the pain of her stigmatic wound wore down her will, to her, it was a continual reminder of the Emperor’s need for servants who would face the multitudes of enemies that sought mankind’s destruction. It was a continual reminder of her faith and her duty.

Faith isn’t supposed to be easy.




Magdalena walked into the portable shelter the Order of Saint Celestine was using as a headquarters, parked in the median on the highway that connected Parvati with Point Phobos. Inside were her trusted advisors, Rebecca of the Seraphim, Mother Agnes and Mother Katherine. Standing off to the side was a man in grey fatigues and Romanesque armor and helmet. She recognized him immediately, “Tribunus Caledonius, we met the other day.”

“Yes, your Grace.” He bowed his head. “You lost seven of your sisters to try and save my men in Sector Thirteen. I will never forget that sacrifice.”

“You didn’t come all this way to thank us,” She smirked. “A card would have been fine.”

“Flowers,” Rebecca laughed.

“I like Lilies,” Katherine offered.

The Tribunus blushed and looked down at the floor, with a sheepish grin, “I’ll remember that next time.” He looked up, his face suddenly very serious, “I’m…I’m afraid I come with orders, you Grace…from the Inquisitor.”

Magdalena’s smile faded, “Of course. The Commandery of the Ardent Blade stands ready to serve the Emperor.”

The officer withdrew a map and laid it out on the folding table, “The first phase of the Tyranid invasion is spent we’re pretty sure. The spore attacks and waves of Gargoyles have waned, which means it’s likely the Tyranids are ready to start the next phase.” He pointed to the map, “This is Parvati here, and there is Point Phobos. These areas marked in red here are the areas of greatest spore activity. We’ve wiped out almost two dozen breeding nests, but it’s obvious that’s only a fraction of them.”

“I was talking with one of the Deathwatch Marines this morning,” Agnes said. “Based on the size of the Hive Fleet and the spore dispersal, he thinks there are perhaps a hundred breeding nests…minus the ones we’ve eliminated.”

“That sounds about right. There are just too many. Our second round of ‘bug hunts’ has met with much stiffer resistance as the breeding nests churn out various xenotypes.” Sextus frowned. “Legatus Trajanus has ordered a halt to them, withdrawing Legionary forces back to our defensive perimeter.”

“So Saevitiae wants us and the Ultramarines to handle the bug hunts?” Katherine asked. “Surely he doesn’t want us to just sit back and let those things multiply?”

“The Inquisitor will be sending the Ultramarines out to destroy as many nests as possible, but a Tyranid assault on our defensive lines is inevitable now.” He answered. “Hopefully while the bulk of their forces are attacking our perimeter, the Ultramarines will have only light resistance as they sweep through the breeding nests.” He paused, as though unwilling to say more.

“What does Gaius wish us to do, Tribunus?” Magdalena asked gently.

He glanced at the Living Saint as she used the Inquisitor’s first name, a dangerous sign of disrespect for his position. Of course, she was a Living Saint…what was Gaius going to do? He turned his attention back to the map, “This area here is the Ushas forest. It had a particularly heavy spore concentration…but we haven’t been able to get any aerial recon. The two planes we sent never came back, probably spore mined, and our satellites were destroyed by the Hive Fleet. Colonel-Commissar Lazarus sent some Catachan scouts in and they are reporting very heavy infestation.”

Katherine’s face lit up, “A Hive nest. We’ve found dozens of breeding nests but no Hive nest.”

“Yes. It’s likely there is a Hive Nest in the Ushas forest.” He was silent for a moment, then said, “The Inquisitor wants the Commandery of the Ardent Blade to penetrate the forest at dawn and recon in force. Orders are to engage any and all Tyranid infestations.”

The four Sisters of Battle stood without making a sound. Inquisitor Gaius Romulus Saevitiae was ordering them to their deaths. There were only sixty remaining Sisters, not nearly enough to cleanse the forest and assault the Hive nest. Agnes, Rebecca, and Katherine all turned their gazes to Magdalena, whose eyes were closed. She opened her eyes, with a grim resolve on her face, “Agnes, gather the Sisters. Tonight we will have a prayer vigil and feast. Have the APC’s and Exorcists ready to move out at dawn.”

“Y…you’re actually going?” Sextus asked, incredulous. “That’s suicide.”

“We prefer the term martyrdom,” Katherine said with dark humor.

As he gaped, Rebecca added, “The Inquisitor may take our lives, but he will not take our dignity and our honor.”

“Thank you for bearing this message, Tribunus Sextus Caledonius,” Magdalena said. “Can I impose on you, to perhaps carry two messages for us?”

“Of course, your Grace,” He replied with eyes wide.

“Find Raphael Goetia, of the Daemonhunters. Tell him that if we do not return, the purity of Point Phobos is his responsibility.” Raphael would know what that meant…she expected him to deal with Gaius when he finally showed his hand and true nature.

“I understand. And the second?”

“Tell Inquisitor Gaius…” She gave him a smile that frightened him more than the sight of any Xeno or Daemon. “That when I return…and I will return…we will have words…”

[Jack Elliot]

Six Black Templars walked into the compound surrounding the STC facility. During the months after the last Ork offensive, a series of concentric concrete walls and bunkers had been built to seal the entry of the underground facility. Passing through three checkpoints manned by the elite 333rd Byzantine soldiers and Adeptus Arbites, they finally made their way into the building. They found themselves in an entryway guarded by Arbites Shocktroops and Inquisition Stormtroopers. One of the Templars stepped forward, “I am Brother Zeret, commander of the Black Templars Crusade taskforce, reporting to the Inquisitor as ordered.”

“Brother Zeret, I’m Janus Clementis,” The commander of Inquisitor Saevitiae’s personal forces offered a salute. “Your men can wait in the antechamber over there while you accompany me.”

“This is my Honor Guard. They will be coming with me.”

“No, they won’t,” Janus shook his head. “The Inquisitor has left strict orders that only the commander of the Black Templars is to be allowed entry. The interior of the STC facility is classified to the highest levels, and only those who strictly need to enter will be allowed.”

Brother Zeret glanced to his compatriots, “The Inquisitor would deny me my Honor Guard?”

“Does the honorable Brother Zeret need to be guarded in the presence of the Inquisitor?” Janus countered. “Why would that be?”

The Black Templar shook his head, it would do no good to provoke the Inquisitor’s suspicion by insisting, “No need, Janus. My Brothers will wait here.” Clementis nodded and led the Space Marine down into the underground bunker. They walked silently through the plain grey concrete corridors, the heavily armored Marine dwarfing the Inquisitional soldier. Down several flights of stairs, with guards posted at each landing, they passed, deeper and deeper underground.

At the fifth landing, Janus opened the door there and led Brother Zeret into another corridor. Unlike the plain concrete of the upper levels, this hallway was like a brass and bronze Gothic cathedral, intricately cast columns separating the main corridor from the naves on each side. The naves were occupied with figures standing wreathed in shadow. Some were statues, while some were guards nearly as motionless. At the end of the hall was a wide set of arched doors, covered in a dizzying array of hexagrammic wards. Clementis spoke into his vox-caster, “This is Janus. I have Brother Zeret.”

After a moment he nodded and pushed on the door. With a deep clicking, it unlocked and swung open, displaying a large chamber with tapestries of deep purple lining the walls. Each had the Imperial Eagle embroidered upon it in gold thread. In each corner of the room stood a woman clad in bronze-colored armor, reminiscent of ancient Spartans, with powerswords and suppression shields. At the opposite end of the room was an almost throne-like chair with the Inquisitor seated upon it. His blond hair was short with a loose curl, his features angular and handsome. His ice-blue eyes watched the Black Templar enter with a neutral expression. Behind him stood Sister Harodiah in her strange amalgamation of a Sisters of Battle habit and a penitent’s corset.

“Brother…Zeret is it?” Gaius asked.

“Yes, Inquisitor,” Zeret bowed his head with the proper depth to display respect. “I understand you are in command of the defense of Kali V.”

“I have delegated most of that responsibility to Colonel-Commissar Lazarus, my chief concern is the security of the STC facility and all products of technology within.” Gaius answered. “I only offer my input when I feel it’s absolutely necessary. I’m curious though, your arrival here is a surprise…a welcome one of course, but still a surprise. I don’t recall requesting the assistance of the Black Templars.”

“No, but when we heard of Kali V’s plight, the Marshal thought he should send a Crusade company to assist.” The Marine said. It was not exactly lying, just a stretching of the truth. They had been sent by the Marshal to help fend off the Tyranids…so they could then take possession of the Titan. “It looks like we arrived just in time.”

“Yes…how very fortuitous…” The Inquisitor said smoothly. He glanced back at Harodiah, who’s eyes were fixed on Zeret’s. The Marine felt a strange queasiness under the strange, gaunt woman’s intense stare. He had faced all manner of deadly and frightful foes in his years as a Space Marine, but somehow the otherworldly gaze of the woman broke a sweat on his brow. There was something…unnatural about her, something beyond witchery…something unholy.

Gaius spoke again, “How did our plight come to your Marshal’s attention? Was it through the Ecclesiarchy? Colonel-Commissar Lazarus perhaps?”

“I honestly do not know, Inquisitor,” He answered. “The Marshal gave us our orders and we moved out.”

Inquisitor Saevitiae stood, “Brother Zeret, why did your commander send you here, rather than come himself?”

“I don’t know what you’re…”

“Do you know the penalty for perjury before an Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus, Brother Zeret?” Gaius raised his arm with his finger pointing accusingly. “You think you can lie to an Inquisitor…a psycher?” Harodiah’s eyes opened wide, lit by a hellish glow from within. Bother Zeret swallowed hard. The situation was rapidly going south. He was an experienced and deadly Marine, but against four Inquisition Templars with powerswords and suppression shields, things didn’t look good. “Brother Zeret, you are to be remanded into custody for questioning.”

His hands drifted to his bolt pistol and powersword, “I protest. I am an officer of the Black Templars! My honor and loyalty to the Emperor are beyond reproach…”

In the corner of his eye he saw something resolve out of the darkness of an alcove partially hidden by the deep violet tapestries. A white skull-shaped helm on a muscular body clad in black. Eversor assassin! Several scenarios flashed through Zeret’s mind, and all of them ended badly. He might take out one of the Inquisitor’s Amazon women, but he couldn’t hope to defeat an Eversor in close combat. And “resisting arrest” wouldn’t help the Black Templar’s mission at all, only increase the Inquisitor’s suspicions.

He drew the blade and pistol with a steely look in his eyes. “I have nothing to hide, Inquisitor.” He dropped both weapons to the stone at his feet. He would have to trust in his own strength of will to hold out against any questioning until his brothers were ready to act. It would only be a few days at most before Androcles would be ready…and the Inquisitor would surely be cautious with questioning a Black Templar. It would be political suicide for Saevitiae to be too aggressive with so high profile a unit…

“Tigerlily,” Gaius called.

One of the four Inquisitional Templars stepped forward, her form beginning to shift and slide. The armor seemed to melt away to become a skintight black suit, her helm morphing into a heart-shaped face with epicanthic folds around the eyes and lustrous black hair. Brother Zeret’s blood went cold. Callidus Assassin As he watched in horror, she expanded and swelled, growing larger and more massive. Her eyes locked on his and he found himself unable to look away. Within seconds, he found himself staring at an exact duplicate of himself…as though peering into a mirror.

“You have what you need, Tigerlily?” The Inquisitor asked with a hint of arrogant self-satisfaction.

“Yes, I think so.” Zeret heard the doppelganger reply with his own voice.

He wrested his gaze away just in time to see the neural gauntlet of the Eversor Assassin, right before it struck him in the temple. His knees crumpled and he crashed down to the floor with the clatter of his heavy power-armor.

Gaius walked over to stand next to “Brother Zeret”, looking down at the fallen Marine, “Forget your previous orders. I have taken care of the Order of Saint Celestine for now. However, these Black Templars could be trouble. Infiltrate and find out who’s in command…and most importantly, why theyre here.”

“And what should Brother Zeret tell them their orders are?” The Callidus doppelganger inquired.

“Seeing as the Sister’s of Battle will be going on an extended reconnaissance of the Ushas forest, we need someone to guard the highway between Parvati and Point Phobos.” Gaius answered. “I have exercised my Imperial Mandate and requisitioned them for the defense of Kali V. They will hold the line there until further notice.” He gestured to his bodyguards, who began removing the Marine from his armor. “Meanwhile, we’ll see what we Brother Zeret here has to tell us…”