//------------------------------// // And They Shall Know No Fear // Story: Warpony 40k // by Luckythebrony //------------------------------// Chapter II “And They Shall Know No Fear!” Segmentum Celest Pegusian Gate 1 Imperial Days flight from Pegusa 1907 Imperial Standard She prayed as she had prayed a thousand times before. She knew that She was listening, She always listened to them, especially her. It was almost as if she was her favorite… She scoffed it was silly of her to be so conceded in that manner the Empress listened to all her subjects either magik or not. She sighed as she stood then muttered, ‘Let them bestride the galaxy like the gods of old…’ ‘Sheltering Ponykind from destruction at the hands of an uncaring universe.’ A familiar voice echoed behind her as the sound of war-plated hooves rang across the stone floor of the Chapel. She rose from the floor and turned to face her Battle Sister and Captain. The mare wore the blue battle armour of their noble chapter with the horse shoe chapter emblem on her right pauldron and her combat-mark, three ruby red apples, adorned her other. The similarities of her armour stopped there, the borders of her armour where gilded along with a huge golden harmonia embossed into her chest plate. Her true symbol of authority lay with Laurel attached to the back of her armour behind her head. It gave the illusion of her having a halo from the Empress. Her helmet was removed revealing her face and mane. The latter was a beautiful golden blonde and her fur a handsome orange. It was her eyes however that set her out the most the striking emerald colour it was how she got one of her many epithets “The Emerald Angel.” Her helmet was clipped to her battle bet next to a well wore bolt pistol and long-sword. As the Warrior pony approached her sister near the altar she observed the seemingly pennant pony. She wore her simple purple robes the same colour of her coat with her combat-mark, a large pink star surrounded by five smaller silver ones, on the front. Her mane, or what was left of it, was jet black with a pink and purple stripe down the bangs which hung over her deep purple irises, irises that flickered and twitched with her untold power. Her hood was up so she could cover the series of nightmarish and ugly cerebral implants and cables which allowed her to control her massive magik potential and keep out the haranguing voices of Discord. ‘Librarian Twilight, if I had known that the Sisters of the Librarium prayed to the Matriarch for guidance…’ began the new mare, ‘We do not pray,’ quickly snapped the Librarian, ‘We indulge for answers from the Beacon and they are given. Nothing more Captain Applinia.’ She wasn’t supposed to pray but she did and she shot daggers through her Captain at her revealing her taboo. Applinia returned the glare until she snickered hard and burst out laughing. Twilight joined her in her reverie as the existed the Chapel together. ‘Sometimes you think you are so clever Twi.’ Applinia chuckled as the made there down one of the many hallways of the battle barge Element of Harmony. The ship itself was built in order hold the entire Third Company as a result it was a city in the stars, at least three hundred kilometers long by one hundred kilometers wide. Dozens of training bays and hundreds of sleep quarters lined the hallway they now walked, inside these rooms could be seen the Daughters of the Empress her gene-code made living again sparring, cleaning newly assigned weapons, or shadow dueling to hone their individual styles of combat. One such mare in the deep cobalt, gilded custom armour of the company champion was circling a combat servitor, armed with six deadly weapon-arms, on her hind legs. Clutched in her fore hooves were the Honour Blades, a Broadsword and Poniard set only presented to an Empress’ Champion. Their crackling discharge and vibrant hum of power could be heard from the other side of the room. Applinia placed a hoof in front of Twilight and motioned for her to observe the display. She had her back to them so she could not have noticed them watching, but Twilight suspected that the mare already knew they were observing. The servitor lunged with a spinning saw blade attachment striking out wildly. She dodged and parried all the attacks and with one fluid motion severed the arm itself with a flourish of her broadsword. She lept into the air as the servitor shot out a stream of fire from a flamer attachment on another one of its five remaining arms and with the skill and grace expected of a Champion she landed on her hind legs back swung her broad sword and severed the automaton in twain. She had ended on bended-knee and rose on her back legs sheathing her blades and falling back on all fours. She turned and faced the duo standing in the door ‘Such an uninteresting adversary if it were not for the fact I had to make sure these calibrations where absolute I would have never bothered facing it.’ Her vox grille made her voice sound regal and imposing as if she was talking down to them but both knew it was not so. ‘Sister Rariti has truly out done herself though,’ She removed her helm, ‘I moved flawlessly.’ She smiled smugly at her accomplishment. Empress’s Champion Rainboute Dashina had started as a simple weather pony on Marecragge. Her full potential was revealed during a gladiatorial tournament to decide possible candidates for the Ultramareines Chapter. Her natural competitiveness lead her to try out and eventually win, defeating or killing everyone her opponents. She made it to the final round a three way bought which she decapitated one of her oppentes with her bare hoofs in her blind bloodlust. She quickly out shined every pony of her scout squad and rose quickly to Assault Mareine status. She became the favorite of the Chapter Mistress and was quickly made Empress’s Champion of Third Company where she continued to improve upon her already impressive combat history. She had set a new company record during the campaign on Corn V accruing one hundred and fifteen kills over the course of the action, almost out shining Chaplin Pinkaminas’ single handed killing of a Greater Daemon of Discord. "Whilst we stand, we fight. Whilst we fight, we prevail. Nothing shall stay our wrath. No opponent is worth less than the last. Remember the less of foes may be the one to kill you." Applinia said sagely as Rainboute approached the duo. Twilight took a minute examine her, she was very bit what you would expect from a young champion, beautiful by normal pony standards her brilliant cyan fur didn’t even have a single bead of sweat on it even though the temperature in the hall was substantially higher than the rest of the ship. Her rainbow coloured mane is why she received her name at birth as the Matriarch bore the same distinctive mane colours. Her eyes where a striking rose, a byproduct of the gene-seed implantation surgeries conducted during the indoctrination trials. Many pennant sisters claimed she was the spitting image of the Matriarch. With her combined features it was surely a true statement. Her armour colour was a deeper cobalt than other Ultramareines and it was also more lavish than Applinia’s. Gold trim edged the plates while purity seals and honour marks hung all over from her pauldrons. On her chest plate was the holy Harmonia the symbol of the Imperium cast in gold. Her wings where equally cased in ceramite plating and the compact jump pack was much less bulky than a standard issue assault mareines. As with all the others she bore the Chapter emblem on her right pauldron and her combat-mark on the other, a golden thunder cloud shooting out a rainbow lighting blot cast in ruby, sapphire, and yellow diamond. She expelled an air of sureness and confidence and she approached. Reaching to embrace her sisters she noticed they stopped and looked at each other, back to her, then back to each other as if unsure to except. Rainboute started to withdraw as though wounded by the sentiment and her face visibly sank. Applinia was the first to break out chuckling and grabbed her sister in a tight embrace only given between two mares who had forged a bond in slaughter and combat. Twilight followed suite if just a little more reserved, she did not know Rainboute the way Applinia did. The laughter continued until another pony cleared their throat from across the room. No pony had even noticed the Tech-Mareine hidden near the back of the chamber as they were focused on Rainboute’s bought with the servitor. As she approached the group though all attention was turned to her. ‘Of course there’s the lovely mare now…’ Rainboute stated sarcastically. ‘Rainboute is too kind in her accolades... And her boasting,’ stated Rariti analytically. Her terminator armour, the deep crimson of her calling, clanked against the deck plating. Like those around her she had removed her helmet so they could see her face. Rariti’s deep purple mane was elegant and perfect, as was everything she did, and her snow white coat was absolutely pristine, a surprise given her trade. As she walked her mechendrites moved about bringing data slates to her face as she confirmed her suspicions. Her diamond coloured eyes sparkled with the data she was absorbing as quickly as one drank water, thanks to her series of implants the Marechanicus had given her upon becoming a Tech-Mareine. As the Company Tech Adept it was her job to oversee the ritual maintenance of all of the vehicles the company could field. Though she was known to dabble in building her own inventions and improving upon the already seemingly perfect, her own armour was a testament to that. Besides the mechendrites which allowed multitasking, it allowed her to teleport short distances and increased her strength by four times that of the average Mareine. It was bedecked with a shoulder mounted plasma cannon and two gauntlet mounted stormbolters. All of the Company was also pretty sure she had other tricks no pony had yet to see. Her combat-mark was three perfectly cut diamonds to display her need of perfection and in place of the chapter emblem her other pauldron bore the symbol of the Marechanicus. A pony’s skull bisected with one half heavely augmented in honour of the Ommaresiah, the Empress in Machine form. Rariti disliked this side of her religion and opted for more pony like implants behind her eyes and under the skin of her ears. She held up a data slate with her mechendrite, ‘As you can plainly see by my calculations her reaction time was off by point three four seconds during the initial assault and here,’ she scrolled to a new page with her mechendrite, ‘Her landing caused a tissue degradation ratio of point five three to the knees!’ She gasped and press her face to Twilights, ‘Point five three!! If that continues at this rate, which it will increase rapidly given the factor “It’s Dash”,’ The aforementioned pony pouted a little, ‘her knee’s will be all but useless in…. three hundred and seventy four years!!!’ She gasped harder. ‘This is… THE… WORST… POSSIBLE… THING!!!’ ‘Please Sister calm yourself, what is the probability of any of us lasting that long anyway?” Twilight stated. As Rariti moved to answer her, Dash placed a hoof over her mouth, ‘I’m sure that was hypothetical am I wrong sister?” Twilight just shook her head. They all had a little laugh and left the chamber, but not before Rariti called in servitors to come cleanup Dash’s mess. As they made to leave down the hall a transmission came through for Applinia on her surgically implanted microbead and she pressed her hoof to her ear. ‘This is Applinia go ahead,’ the other three had stopped chatting and turned to face their noble Captain, ‘affirmative, I will gather the Squad and arrive on the command deck in thirty minutes, Applinia out!’ She barked quickly to bring the subject to a close and turned to face her Squad Sisters, ‘It seems the Pegusians wish to make contact with us on the bridge via the Navy and long range vox.’ ‘Most troubling. Are they under invasion?’ Asked Rariti a look of mild concern on her face. ‘Impossible!' Dash interjected. 'We would have known long ago,’ Dash turned to her Captain, ‘right?’ she added ‘It is actually a possibility that marauders slipped past us, but I doubt that is the meaning.’ Applinia stated matter-of-factly, ‘only way to find out is head to the bridge though.’ The group then turned and started to make their way to the bridge and Dash placed a hoof to her ear as Applinia had done. ‘Sister Fluttica come in its Dash…’ A few moments of silence and a soft but firm voice came over the net, ‘Fluttica here, send it.’ She responded ‘Grab Chaplin Pinkamina and meet us on the Command Bridge we are being hailed by the Pegusians through the Navy.’ ‘Consider it done Dash!’ She replied in an excited squeak. ‘Roger, Dash out.’ And with that the conversation ended, ‘Flutters and Pinkie are on their way to the bridge we should be able to meet them there.’ Dash stated to the group. ‘Good I want them to see what’s going on.’ Applinia replied in her usual manner. ‘Sister Captain,’ Twilight made to speak but suddenly changed her mind. ‘Yes?’ Applinia turned to look at her good friend and Twilight quickly looked forward, ‘Nothing it can wait.’ Applinia noticed that Twilight had been acting different all day and made a mental not to ask her later. As the four ponies made their to the command bridge there were no more hails over the vox and the trip was otherwise, uneventfully dull much to Dash’s’ dismay. Only when the opened the blast door to the command deck did she begin to get excited again. The command deck itself was not much to look at, darkly light and the walls painted black it gave off a very marshal air about it like this was a ship prepared for only war and bringing the Empress’s justice to her enemies. Control stations with busy serf-ponies manning the various auspex and systems of the ship lined the wall and the far end sat the ships command throne. A large hololithic console stood just before the command throne and this is where another mare stood. Dash approached the black terminator armoured mare standing staring into the three dimensional display of the system, minus the Eye. If her Combat mark of three different coloured spiked balls on chains didn’t give her identity way her cracked Grinning Skull war helm was all the conformation anyone need to know that this… This was Chaplin Pinkamina Diane Scourge of Daemons, Jester of Death, and The Grinning Doom. Dash was always in awe by her presence, as was the whole group when the rest approached. It was hard to believe that not even one century ago a bubbly, smiling, young daughter of a rock farmer on Marecragge entered an Ultramareine Recruiting Tournament and killed every combatant in the most brutal fashions imaginable on the first day. She turned to face her comrades and embraced each as Dash and Applinia had earlier. ‘Sisters, it is wonderful to see you all well,’ the menacing red optics of her Grinning Skull locked with Twilights purple irises, ‘Sister Twilight I heard you were in my Chapel earlier may I inquire as to why?’ ‘Well… I needed some guidance I suppose.’ Her answer was a half-truth and all present knew it, but Pinkamina backed off after her answer was given and nothing more was said on the matter. ‘Where is Fluttica?’ Inquired Dash looking around noticing her absence. ‘Apothomare Shywing is below assisting the vox operator,’ Pinkamina’s helmets’ vox grille made her voice sound regal and yet chilling like death itself, ‘apparently I am too abrasive for the serf-ponies.’ She stood on her hind legs while dialing in the coordinates of Pegusa into the control lectern. Fluttica appeared coming up the stairs leading from the menial deck almost as if on que a moment later. The boots of her pristine snow white power armour tolled on the metal deck plating as she approached the group of her Sisters. Like most of the command squad she wore no helmet and it was resigned to being clipped to her battle belt. Her pastel pink mane and yellow fur gave her the illusion of being soft without needing to touch her. Her left eye had been replaced by a harsh augmentic “bale eye” after it was ripped out on Corn V by a Hog Nob. The unblinking red sharply contrasted with the gorgeous blue of her natural eye colour and many of the company veterans have claimed that she could calm anything in this galaxy with her stare alone. Like all the others she bore her combat-mark on her left pauldron, it was three pink butterflies which no one to this day understood what it meant or stood for. ‘Good Evening Sisters.’ Her voice was soft and lovely it sounded as though spring and been called through her lungs. She did not move to embrace any of them and quietly took up her position next to Pinkamina as Applinia gave the order for the transmission to be opened. At first nothing happened and then the hololithic display flickered and shut off completely. ‘What is the meaning of this?!?’ Pinkaminia’s voice boomed from her vox grille. ‘Shipmaster Delyla Hooves I want an answer,’ this time it was Applinia and it was apparent that the irritation in her voice was the irritation of the squad, ‘now Shipmaster!’ The control throne spun around and a grey Pegasus pony dressed in chapter colours with a blond mane and amber eyes, that where for some reason wall eyed which seemed to be due to her current status of being hooked to the ship itself via her neural implants, stared in the general direction of the squad… sort of. ‘I just don’t know what went wrong!?!’ She sounded panicked and began to move large portions of data in front of her face via hololithic display, ‘Here found the fault!’ She clicked two small squares and the transmission opened up with the head of Field Marshal Gillimane appearing on the display. ‘Battle barge Element of Harmony this is Field Marshal Redlord Governor Militant of Pegusa. Is anyone there?’ The holographic head spoke to the squad. ‘I am Capitan Applinia Jacqueline of the Ultramareines what is your message Governor?’ She replied for the group. ‘First my lady please Gillimane is fine, second we have received reports that the Archenemy is coming out of the Eye again for another Black Crusade,’ His face even though a hologram was very grave, ‘We beg of you to come to our aid.’ Applinia’s blood froze in her veins, Another Crusade Empress help us… she thought ‘Gillimane we shall assist you there is no need to beg, we are Ultramareines from which all others were born. We would sooner let the warp take us than abandon any part of the Imperium. We will meet and talk when we make planet fall. ’ ‘The Empress Protects,’ Gillimane’s head stated his features where more relaxed now, ‘Thank you Gillimane out.’ And the transmission ended. Applinia turned to face her sisters and friends. ‘Sisters!! We march to War!!’ Applinia shouted standing up on her hind legs and throwing her hoof into the air the assembled squad copied her and cheered their approval, ‘We march for Marecragge!’ Pinkamina cried through her vox grille ‘And they shall know no fear!!’ The Squad replied as they raised their right hooves into the air.