by Lee Lightner
‘He’s not afraid of us, Torin.’ stated Ragnar.
‘I know, brother, but I also know that he’s afraid of something.’ said Torin, rubbing his moustache in thought. ‘No one emphasises preparedness as much as he did without fearing something. It’s probably his previous battle experiences. You’d be the best person to find out.’ said Torin.
‘Why me?’
‘Because he knows you don’t trust him.’ said Torin.
‘Do you trust him?’ asked Ragnar.
‘This isn’t about me.’ answered Torin. ‘We’ll talk more later. Go check back on Magni. I better make sure that the food supplies are stocked in our
quarters. After all, Haegr will be looking for a good meal when Gabriella finishes with him.’
Ragnar tried to think of a reply as Torin walked away. He couldn’t come up with anything worth saying, so he walked towards the infirmary.
Torin was right. Even though the planet of Hyades bore little resemblance to Holy Terra, the city of Lethe itself tried to emulate Terra and mask the fact that it was a frontier colony. The people stayed away from the world around them and insulated themselves, instead of learning how to survive in the jungles.
Ragnar had made it halfway back to the infirmary, when a voice came over his comm. ‘Wolfblade Ragnar, please meet me at Tower 4 on the city’s north wall.’
It was Cadmus.
Ragnar considered saying no, but he was sure Torin would tell him to meet with the commander. The summons was close enough to a request for Ragnar to decide to go along with it, despite his instincts.
‘I’ll be there,’ was Ragnar’s reply.
A Chimera met Ragnar at the main entrance to the palace. He thought having an armoured vehicle drive him through the city seemed extreme, but Cadmus was in charge of the military. He sat alone in the back of the tank as it rumbled to the mighty wall protecting Lethe. Ragnar took note of the way, committing it to memory as a tactical lesson.
The tank stopped by the outer wall. Ragnar got out the tank and looked around. On one side, he could
see nothing but the city wall and the buildings, mostly barracks and command centres built into its base. Back towards the centre of Lethe he saw nothing but uniform blocky rockcrete buildings. A few soldiers and a servitor with a bionic claw walked around atop the wall. The wall stretched skywards and given the choice between the lift and a set of rungs set into the wall in case of emergency, Ragnar chose to climb the rungs. He wasn’t in that much of a hurry to see Cadmus and besides, it just felt right.
He paused mid-climb to look out over the city. The banners of House Belisarius flew from a number of buildings. Far off, he could see the gleaming palace rising from the centre of the city. The palace complex was at the heart of Lethe, where shuttles launched for the heavens, monuments rose to the glories of the people, and the only bit of green within the city wall was there. Despite the dramatic view, Ragnar felt unsettled, as if something was not right.
Cadmus was waiting for Ragnar at the top of the wall, staring out at the kill zone. Behind him, servitors and military men ran drills, checking and rechecking reports. Cadmus had his people ready, as if they were expecting a full-scale invasion. Ragnar thought they’d spend their time better worrying about the jungle.
The commander’s uniform was immaculate: well-pressed, his boots polished to a reflective shine. He smiled as Ragnar walked over.
The Space Wolf took a moment to catch the commander’s scent. He hoped that somehow he’d
detect the taint of Chaos, anything to have an excuse to deal with this man he distrusted.
‘Ragnar, once again, I want to offer my apologies for the earlier incident,’ Cadmus said.
Ragnar nodded. ‘Why did you want to see me?’
‘I want us to understand one another, Ragnar. We seem to be very much alike, you and I. I’ve heard rumours that most of the Wolfblade receive their assignments due to some issue during their service as Space Wolves,’ said Cadmus.
‘How do you know about that?’ asked Ragnar, surprised by the statement.
Cadmus nodded. ‘I’ve studied the history of House Belisarius, and I understand a bit about how the Wolfblade are selected. Many great men do things that others don’t understand. I have many such men with me. They serve in positions of authority here, helping ready the people of Hyades in case of attack.’
‘Why did you need to bring your own men here? Why did they select you to lead them?’ asked Ragnar.
‘I lead these men because they know my skills. I’ve fought in many battles across the Imperium. The people of Hyades need protection from the wilderness of their own planet. They strive to change their world for the better. However, they do not have practical experience in dealing with the threats this galaxy has to offer. I do. They look inward, and I can see much more.’
Ragnar shook his head. This amount of talk was never to his liking, unless heavy amounts of Fenrisian ale and good stories were involved.
‘Ragnar, I’m glad that you and your Wolfblade are here, and I want to make sure that you are ready to defend House Belisarius against all threats.’
‘Commander, I’m ready’
‘Good. I’m glad to have you. What you did today against the Hellhound was remarkable, and I’ll have some of my best men ready to go with you into the jungle in the morning. One reason that I’ve held off investigating those ruins more fully is because I didn’t see them as a threat. Ages ago, the Inquisition declared them safe.’
Ragnar said nothing, not really knowing what to say. An uneasy moment passed. He wanted to make sure that he didn’t insult Cadmus with his tone or his words. Tell me what you know about the ruins. I discovered signs of activity there, and I know that a Chimera made its way there recently.’
‘I’ll find the reports and have them sent to Lady Gabriella as soon as I can. I’ll let you get back to your duties, Wolfblade.’ said Cadmus.
‘You can be sure of that.’ said Ragnar.
Far below, Ragnar could see one of the Hellhounds belching promethium into a section of jungle. It looked as if Commander Cadmus had his men working hard.
‘Are you able to maintain the integrity of the kill zone?’ asked Ragnar.
‘We have it encircling about seventy per cent of the city at the moment. Of course, it changes, but luckily we have an unlimited amount of promethium. All of the gates are constantly monitored and reinforced in the areas where the jungle touches the wall. Are you
concerned about the reptos breaching the wall, Space Wolf?’ asked Cadmus.
‘No, but I do think the security of Lethe is important.’ said Ragnar.
‘Good, on that we agree.’
Ragnar walked over to the rungs and began his descent down the wall. Ragnar still didn’t like Cadmus, but he didn’t know why. His instincts told him that something was wrong. The Chimera was waiting for him at the bottom of the wall. He climbed in, ready for the ride back to the palace complex.
Commander Cadmus watched Ragnar climb down the wall, admiring the power of the superhuman warrior. ‘The Space Wolves will serve their purpose,’ he whispered to himself, ‘and wrongs will be made right.’
THREE
To Kill a Kill Team
High above the planet of Hyades dozens of transports, cargo barges and cruisers of various designs and sizes were going about their business, transporting supplies and promethium to and from the planet. The amount of activity within the orbital corridors above Hyades made it easy for a light cruiser to enter into high orbit without attracting any attention. Following the standard merchant flight path the cruiser slowly crossed the terminus into the night skies of the planet. To standard scans the ship’s configuration was that of a light cruiser, no different from any other used by merchants to transport goods and cargo. However, the cargo on board this vessel was very different.
A solitary figure stood at the observation port watching as the transport slid into orbit around Hyades, his dark green power armour appearing black in
the low
light. His clean-shaven, almost youthful face hid his years well, however his deep piercing blue eyes did not. They reflected centuries of wisdom in service to his Chapter and the Imperium.
Watching as the transport took its place within the controlled orbital lanes he could not help but be concerned. His purpose on Hyades was of such importance that every detail must be conducted with flawless precision. Recognising his concern over the flight path of the transport he smiled inwardly, realising that he had much greater concerns to occupy his mind than that of piloting the transport into a stationary orbit.
However, Captain Jeremiah Gieyus was not just a Dark Angel, he was a member of the Deathwing, the elite Dark Angels First Company. He had reached this level of authority by controlling every detail of his assignments. It was with meticulous care that he inspected every weapon and each grenade, and supervised the Techmarines as they prepared the armour that his battle-brothers wore.
Jeremiah crossed the corridor and entered a large cargo bay, at the centre of which stood a teleport chamber. Cables ran across the floor to this structure, connecting it to ship’s power, sensor and internal computer terminals. Servitors, cybernetic caretakers, moved around the outside of the device, confirming that everything was properly anointed, and that all the proper chants had been evoked, preparing the teleportation chamber for activation. As Jeremiah watched these servants of the Machine-God perform their rituals he could not help but feel a sense of profound pride.
Within moments Jeremiah was joined by five of his fellow Dark Angels. He watched as they entered the chamber, taking their assigned positions inside. Thirteen pillars circled the interior of the chamber, each covered with inscriptions of faith and devotion to the Emperor. Servitors made final anointings to the interior systems, couplings, conduits and power emitters. Everything had to be in order to ensure that no harm would come to the Sons of the Lion this day.
Jeremiah joined the rest of the kill team within the chamber. The Dark Angels green armour appeared almost black in the low light, and their weapons were in hand and at the ready. Combat deployment was needed, even though Jeremiah had picked a secluded position for the insertion, making detection almost impossible. However, when dealing with an objective of this nature one could never be too careful. Jeremiah did not intend to lead his brothers into a trap.
Several weeks ago the Dark Angels had received intelligence that a member of the Fallen had been detected on Lethe, capital city of Hyades. The information was vague and limited on details. All they knew was that one of their ancient brothers was in a position of authority within the governor’s inner circle.
Jeremiah and his kill team had been sent to reconnoitre the situation and, if possible, capture and detain the member of the Fallen until an interrogator-chaplain and reinforcements could be dispatched.
Only the Dark Angels’ most senior officers and the Deathwing were aware of the terrible shame the Chapter carried. For ten thousand years they had hunted
down the Fallen, rooting them out wherever they hid and thrusting them into the cleansing light of the Emperor. So it would be with this new report of one of the Fallen being present on Hyades. He and his kill team would confirm his presence and then capture him, turning him over to the interrogator-chaplains. Then, if need be, reinforcements would descend and remove any additional Fallen and the contamination they may have left behind.
As the other members of the kill team were not aware of the existence of the Fallen, they had been told their mission was to locate and capture a heretic commander who had thrown in his lot with the Dark Powers.
Their preparations complete, Jeremiah finally signalled the Techmarine to begin the litanies of transport. Slowly the pillars began to glow until a searing white light filled the chamber.
There was a flash of light in the jungle as the Dark Angels kill team materialised on the surface. At night a flash of this nature would be visible several kilometres away, however Hyades’s thick jungle canopy restricted the flash’s visibility considerably.
Slowly, the kill team began to move, each member taking his position to secure the drop area, their dark green power armour virtually invisible against the night. Five of the Space Marines moved out from the teleport site enlarging the circle while one remained at its centre.
Releasing the auspex from its belt restraints, Elijah made several adjustments to the controls. Its screen
blinked in and out, revealing only quick glimpses of what it detected in the area. He studied what information it did reveal very closely to ensure that his report would be as accurate as possible.
‘Brother-Captain, there is some kind of interference that is diminishing the auspex’s effectiveness. However, I believe we have deployed approximately fifty metres off our original target point, which places us 1.5 kilometres from Lethe.’ Elijah pointed in the direction of the city.
‘Understood,’ Jeremiah responded. ‘Also Elijah, we all share the same risk and fate this night, so normal protocols are not required. Please refer to me as Jeremiah.’
‘Yes, Jeremiah,’ Elijah responded.
‘Besides, my brother, it will hide from our foe the chain of command. Plus Jeremiah knows his rank, so we do not need to remind him.’ Nathaniel’s humour made the entire team chuckle.
Jeremiah looked at each member of his kill team in turn, then spoke.
The Lion watches over us, his guiding hand leads us this day. Praise the Lion.’ His words made a physical impact on his team. Evoking the name of their primarch sent a ripple of pride through his men, reminding them all of the importance of their mission.
‘Who are we?’
“We are Sons of the Lion! We are Dark Angels.’ Their response was in unison, a testament of their honour, an oath to right the sins of their brothers. Each in turn fell into line, taking up the position that he had been assigned.
Elijah was the most recent addition to Jeremiah’s team, having proven himself on several campaigns before finally earning the honour of this placement. Although the youngest in age, his experience was equal to that of any of his battle-brothers, and his keen eye and attention to detail made him the perfect choice. Nathaniel was next, being the oldest and most experienced as indicated by the grey that gathered at the temples of his short-cropped black hair. He and Jeremiah had served together the longest and he felt it his duty to look after the younger Elijah. However, his constant reference to Elijah as ‘y°u ng one’ at times visibly annoyed his battle-brother.
Marius was always third. His plasma gun was best suited to supporting Nathaniel and Elijah should they ran into unexpected trouble. As always, Jeremiah took the fourth spot, allowing him a tactical position should the need arise. He was followed very closely by Gilead, with Sebastian bringing up the rear.
Once again Elijah attempted to scan their surroundings. The soft almost imperceptible hum of static was the only reading that he could obtain. With ritualistic precision Elijah made a series of adjustments. A slight change in the hum’s pitch was the only result.
‘The interference seems to have worsened, Brother-Cap… Jeremiah. I’m uncertain as to the exact cause,’ Elijah explained as he brushed away a large beetle that was crawling across his helmet visor.
‘We could be picking up some kind of feedback or impulse from the promethium mines,’ Nathaniel theorised. ‘Intelligence reports indicated that the entire
area was honeycombed with mine shafts and pipelines that feed to the many refineries on Hyades.’
Jeremiah nodded his acknowledgement and signalled that they keep moving. As the team moved through the dense brash the jungle seemed to engulf each member. It became so dense at times that Jeremiah would momentarily lose sight of his battle-brothers.
The foliage of Hyades was of a type that he had never seen before. Its shapes and colours all appeared similar, but it was dramatically different. Leaves like small combat knives scraped and scratched as they tore across Jeremiah’s armour, and the vines and branches seemed to
voluntarily constrict and contract around his arms and legs as if trying to capture or restrain him for some purpose. This feeling was reinforced by the many sounds that swirled around them. Most were similar to sounds he’d heard on other worlds, others however, seemed to be calling out to one another. Jeremiah was certain that they were being observed. His only concern was whether they were being stalked as well.
The team continued to make its way through the jungle. As they proceeded, Jeremiah noticed skeletal remains of small creatures ensnared in ivy-like foliage around the base of several trees. They continued to trudge through the thick jungle, receiving momentary respite from the native fauna of Hyades when the occasional clearing would appear. The jungle ceiling was not as generous. There were no breaks or openings, with the canopy allowing no light to penetrate its shielding of the jungle floor. The visual
enhancements of their helmets coupled with the Lion’s gift of genetically enhanced vision were all that allowed them to see.
They were moving through one of the few clearings when a fury of sound and movement erupted from beneath a thicket of tangled vine to Jeremiah’s right. He unleashed his sword ready to meet whatever was coming for them. A small, fur– and feather-covered creature leapt up onto the exposed gnarled root of one of the trees. It turned, hissed and spat at Jeremiah, spraying the right flank of his helmet. The ceramite underneath the creature’s spittle began to blister. The poisonous phlegm was not strong enough to actually penetrate his armour, but Jeremiah did consider that if the creatures were bigger they could pose a serious threat.
The rodent-like thing hissed again in defiance and leapt from the root. It had made two hops deeper into the woods when suddenly the ivy-like growth ensnared it. The creature instantly began to convulse and blue-white tendrils of electricity danced across the ivy and its now stunned victim.
‘Stay vigilant brothers. It would appear that Hyades’s reputation is well deserved.’