//------------------------------// // Back to Base // Story: The Descent into Madness // by FenrisianBrony //------------------------------// Applejack It was unusually an serene morning on the Forge World. Somehow, a bit of sunshine shined through the clouds and factory smoke that choked the upper atmosphere. A far cry from the Maiden World of Euthanos or the desert wastes of DakkaSmashaBasha. Those places had a more purified feel to them, despite the efforts of the Ork to turn DakkaSmashaBasha into their own version of a Forge or Hive World. The nature that existed in those places were mostly intact. The Eldar alternated between living in harmony with the natural elements of their colony world to altering it to better suit them and DakkaSmashaBasha simply lacked the resources the Orks needed at the time to form a new WAAAAGH!, let alone the materials needed to convert the world into a giant factory complex. This was the defining trait of the humans according to Tau higher command: taking a new world and running it into the ground for the sake of profit, further expansion and conquest. In Aun’Vesa’s eyes, this was simply further proof of the superiority of the ways of the Tau, they were far wiser in using what the various worlds they had and didn't simply strip them to nothingness and move on, building more and more on the planets that could not sustain them on their own. The Imperium of Man was a great beast, but it was diseased and dying, the loss of one world of their empire could lead to the losses of scores of others. There were no worlds in the Tau Empire as productive as a human hive world, none that could match the Mechanicum Forge Worlds for manufacturing power, but they were self-sufficient. They could produce enough food to feed their own populations while human worlds could not. That was why Aun’Vesa knew they were superior, and why he pitied the humans for not seeing the light. “A jack of all trades, and master of none,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “But better than master of one,” Shan'Ta finished as he approached, his battlesuit only making a noise due to the battle damage done to its front leg. “So the saying goes,” Aun’Vesa nodded, before sighing and readjusting his personal protective mask. He was grateful he had this to protect him from the smog; even if it made breathing much more difficult, indeed, the only people he didn't see wearing them were a few of the human converts and the Demiurge, as they were more resistant to the pollutants of this world. Still, resistant wasn't the same thing as immune. He would insist to the other ethereals tighter enforcement of the protective mask usage regulations on Hive and Factorum worlds when he got back. “How goes the hunt, commander?” he asked. “I hope that things are proceeding according to plan?” "We are still on the timeline arranged by yourself and Fire Casts High Command, and loses are within acceptable parameters. The Earth Caste and Demiurge are busy studying the gue'la equipment we have captured thus far. The defence of Factorum Secondus is still on going, their titans are making short work of all but our toughest defences. If we cannot capture Factorum Primus on time and cut them off… we may lose the hive and those within it,” the Shas'O started. “The recent attack on the port we captured claimed the lives of many, only a few squads made it out.” “And?” Aun’Vesa asked with baited breath. “Shas’La Applejack was not amongst those that reported to command. A stealth team saw the attack and has since given their report. The humans took only a single prisoner, all others were put to the sword. We believe the assault was only to capture her. "Why did the stealth team not stop them, commander?" the Ethereal asked with a slight growl in his throat. "Ethereal," the Commander replied with cool restraint, "They had not the numbers or firepower to stop them. The force was a combination of enhanced Skitarii and a light Titan, as you well know. If they fought to rescue her, nothing would've been accomplished and their deaths would have been in vain, they operated as the situation dictated and followed as best they could.” "Of course, I apologize for snapping, Commander," Aun'Vesa took a moment to regain his composure before continuing. "I fear my thoughts may not be clear on this matter. Did the stealth team manage track the gue'la cyborgs to where they came from?" "Of course. She was originally loaded onto one of their crawlers, but was subsequently transferred to a bunker built on top of the lower levels of Factorum Primus. They lost them before they could infiltrate the bunker itself however, it is heavily guarded, and is no doubt far larger than it appears from a first glance, most likely spreading out underground.” Aun’Vesa was silent for a full minute as he looked at Factorum Primus far off in the distance, before finally speaking again. “When is the assault for Factorum Primus due to start?” “Not for two more planetary weeks, Ethereal.” “Can we bring it forward?” “Not without compromising other theatres of war.” “Do the Air caste have any available assets for a lightning insertion?” “No, and the Factorum is too heavily guarded for that in any case,” Shan'Ta shook his head. “We only have two stealth teams currently in reserve, but they will not get through the defences of the bunker. I am sorry Ethereal, but I cannot see a way of rescuing the Equinoid before our main assault.” “If she has been purposely captured by the mechanicum then you know that she does not have two weeks,” Aun’Vesa folded his arms, before massaging his temples. “Pull three cadres of stealth teams out from wherever we can spare them and have them report directly to me. The two stealth teams you said were free, and the stealth team that followed Applejack initially should also be sent to me. You will also re-adjust our Skyray Gunship fire to target the bunker as best we can, it should help our stealth teams to get past their sensors if they are overloaded with more pressing data.” “But…” Shan'Ta began. “There shall be no buts, commander,” Aun’Vesa cut him off. “I realise that this may make things harder for some of our other forces, but I trust you will pull the cadres out from where they are needed the least. Retrieval of Applejack is a matter of importance to the Ethereal high council, and to me. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more, but this knowledge comes down from the top.” “Very well, Ethereal,” Shan'Ta sounded bitter as he agreed. “We all serve at the will of the Ethereal. Clearly you know which battles are of import and which are not, just like back on Styro. The teams will report to you before daylights end. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Ethereal, I must make arrangements to change our battle plan.” With that, Shan'Ta turned and walked off, his two silent bodyguard suits turning with him, leaving the Ethereal alone with his own bodyguard. “Again, I feel like I have fostered resentment in the commander,” he sighed. “It seems whenever we meet, the two of us find ourselves at crossed paths, and he comes off the worse for it. I fear that if we continue like this, tensions will be strained so much as to affect efficiency in battle.” “Do not fear that, Ethereal, Shas’O Shan'Ta is wiser than most,” one of the Firewarrior bodyguard shook his head. “It is the reason he was placed in stasis at the end of the Damocles Crusade, his wisdom and skill in battle is legendary amongst the history of the Pa’Laa sept.” “Yes, I remember reading all about it,” Aun’Vesa nodded. “But enough talk, we must make ready to meet the stealth teams that we have acquired.” *** “Subject thirty two, can you hear me?” Fonteyn asked, the table Applejack was strapped to rising up until it was at the optimum height for the tech priest. Applejack croaked as her eye focused on Fonteyn, the other socket now devoid of its bandage, cruel stitches holding it closed, a scar covering her face from where she had briefly broken out of the restraining straps and thrown off Fonteyn’s précising cuts. Fonteyn had said she was lucky that the eye had been saved, otherwise the pain she had felt before would be like stubbing her hoof. All the straps that had held her since had been metal. “I am glad you are awake,” Fonteyn straightened up once more. “Today will be the last day that we are together, I have learnt all I can from your outside, now I must get inside. As a last test of your endurance for my notes, we will not be using anaesthetic.” Applejack’s eye went wide as terror unlike any she had known, even in her time here, gripped her, and she struggled as best she could against the unyielding metal and her own fatigue. Fonteyn didn’t seem to notice Applejack’s struggles, instead preparing a needle, tapping the side to dislodge an air bubble, before attaching it to a mechanical arm. Applejack whimpered in fear, biting down on the leather strap that cut into her mouth, keeping her almost silent. “Now…let us begin,” Fonteyn picked up a scalpel, examining it close to the light, before a soft rumble shook the hanging glow globe. Fonteyn paused for a moment, looking up at the ceiling, before sighing and placing the scalpel back on its tray. “It seems that your Tau friends are making a push against the Factorum. You don’t mind if I go and see what exactly they are doing, do you?” Applejack whimpered again, her eye still wide in terror. “I thought not.” With that, Fonteyn left the room, the door sealing behind her, leaving Applejack alone. For two minutes, Applejack’s chest heaved as she tried to calm herself down as best she could, not managing to assuage her fears in the least. Then another rumble shook the room, this one much louder than before. Then another, and another. Soon they were coming thick and fast, bits of the ceiling raining down on Applejack, one particularly large chuck slamming into her right forehoof. She howled in pain as blood erupted from the wound, trying with all her strength to pull the limb back. Metal scraped against flesh, bones groaned in protest, before with a wet ripping sound, the limb came free, the fur on the end scraping off, revealing raw muscle beneath. The pain was intense, but nothing Applejack hadn’t experienced ten times over. Her mind swam in and out of focus as she realised for the first time in a long time, she had a part of her free. She was shaken from her daze by another explosion that shook the room, a small clinking drawing her eye to the adrenaline needle. A plan instantly formulated in her mind, and she reached towards the needle, straining to reach it, managing to grab hold of it after a few seconds of frantic scrabbling. Applejack wasn’t a doctor, but she had seen enough of the liquid being pumped into her that she knew its effects, and with a raspy cry, she rammed the needle into her chest, depressing the plunger fully. The effect was instantaneous, Applejack’s iris widening to fill almost her entire eye, before suddenly contracting once more. Applejack could feel her heart rate increase as the pain in her body rescinded. Letting out a cackling laugh, Applejack strained against the bonds, her muscles screaming, before they triumphed, the metal buckling as she freed herself, sprawling to the floor. Normally whenever her hooves touched the floor she fell over in pain, but this time she felt nothing, her eye focusing on three more needles. She didn’t quite know what they would do, but she had nothing left to lose. The servitor guarding the door stood motionless as it always did, uncaring about the debris bouncing off its body. It had been programed to guard this place, and it did not have enough of a brain left to do anything but that. It did of course have the programming to react if something happened inside the room, or to the door leading to it. A dent suddenly appearing in it filled that criteria. The servitor turned, looking at the dent, before another two appeared. Just as it readied its claw and moved to open the door, the metal frame was thrown outwards, catching the servitor unaware and crushing it against the opposite wall. Applejack turned back around from her bucking position, barely even breaking a sweat as she sprinted off into the facility at a speed that even Rainbow Dash would have struggled to keep up with. She encountered more servitors along the way, none armed for anything more than prisoner guarding, and none giving her more than a few seconds trouble. Blades occasionally pierced her sides, covering her fur with yet more blood, but still she ran, before finally coming to a halt in the prison block. She paused for a second, before grabbing hold of the door to Ko’roc’s cell and pulling back, the lock cracking and allowing the door to swing wide open. “Ko’roc, Ko’roc it’s me,” she rushed towards Ko’roc, skinning to her knees as she placed her ear beside his mouth, hearing the faintest signs of breathing. “Ko’roc!” “A-Apple…jack?” he croaked softly, opening his eyes just a crack, focusing on her. “You…you can’t be…in here. I’m…dreaming.” “No, no I’m here,” she shook her head. “I got free, I’m getting out of here, and you are too, just hold on.” “Free…me,” he whispered. “I will, I will,” Applejack nodded, grabbing hold of the chains around his ankles and pulling. “Just give me one second.” “Free…me,” he said again, placing a hand on Applejack’s hoof and looking her straight in the eye. “Ko’roc, we can get out of this, together,” Applejack shook her head, not quite believing what she was seeing as Ko’roc guided her hooves to either side of his head. “I can get out…now,” he muttered, a tiny smile flitting across his face for a second, before turning into a grimace once more. “You…have to free…me. Do it…Applejack…set me free.” “I can’t,” she cried, fresh tears filling her eyes. “Yes you can,” he encouraged her softly. “Free me, Applejack, and I will… see you again…someday…somewhere.” “I’m so sorry,” Applejack sobbed, before twisting his head to the side, his neck snapping like a twig. *** “They are persistent, I will give them that,” Fonteyn looked at a display of the bunkers defences as more missiles began to rain down all around it. Some were impacting among the building above it in the Factorum, but the Tau were always accurate with their fire, and most were hitting the base. “They must know that they cannot hope to take this base without first securing the Factorum. What could they be… recalibrate the sensors! Scrub out the noise created by their missiles and rescan in the ultra-violet spectrum.” The few servitors quickly obeyed the instructions of their leader, their mechanical hands flying over the keyboards as Fonteyn glared at the cameras to the outside world. “I’ve been blind,” she growled, before a banging filled the room, the door buckling in protest. “What the…” Fonteyn began, readying herself, before the door swung open, bolts and hinges shattering, one catching the closest servitor, ripping it to shreds, forcing Fonteyn to cover her eyes. When she opened them again, she expected to see the faint shimmer of a Tau stealth operative. Instead, she saw Applejack, covered in oil and blood, on top of the one remaining servitor, raining down blows into the machines skull, crushing it utterly. “My my, you are full of surprises,” Fonteyn chided, her mechadendrite unfolding in preparation to fight. “I did not expect you to escape, and you are exhibiting surprising strength. Truly you are a fascinating creature.” “I am not, a test, subject!” Appejack roared, her voice hoarse, before she leapt at Fonteyn. It was not a lengthy fight, Fonteyn trying to catch Applejack with her tendrils as she leapt forward. At normal speed, Applejack would never have avoided the blow, but with the adrenaline in her veins, things seemed to move slower. Twisting in mid-air, she grabbed hold of the closest mechadendrite and using its momentum to whip around, both her rear hooves slamming into Fonteyn’s face. Blood erupted when she hit, Applejack and Fonteyn both falling to the floor. Applejack got up, Fonteyn did not. The tech priest writhed on the floor as what was left of her organic face was ground against the cogs within, covering them in blood and muscle. “How does it feel?” Applejack roared, striking Fonteyn’s leg with enough force to shatter bones. “How does it feel to experience half, of what you put everyone here through?! Of what you put me through?!” Every accusation was accompanied by another blow to Fonteyn, Applejack shattering her ribs as she brought both of her forehooves down at once, before pulling herself up to her full height and breathing heavily. “But this…this is for Ko’roc!” She raised her hooves above Fonteyn’s head, her face now completely ruined, but her sneer was somehow still visible. “I…win…Applejack,” she spluttered, before Applejack brought her hooves down on Fonteyn’s head, crushing the skull like an over ripe watermelon. For a long time Applejack stood there, bringing her hooves down again and again into the tech priests body, slowly reducing it to pulp, before the adrenaline began to wear off, and her wounds started to catch up to her. Slumping to the floor, she turned her head towards the door as a lone figure seem end to appear out of nowhere, crouching down beside her. “Ethereal, we have Applejack,” the Tau spoke into its helmet. “All teams, prepare to withdraw.” Applejack watched as the Tau pulled out a shimmering cloak, wrapping her in it fully, before once again fading from view, as Applejack slipped from consciousness.