Skirmish (V)
++Facility 2W6379BJ, Denton III++
++3.637.879.M39++
Twilight’s bolt pistols barked simultaneously. Twin Necrons, held immobile in purple telekinesis, could do nothing to stop the lethal slugs from penetrating their faces and exploding within. Both went limp as their central processing systems were damaged beyond repair, and Twilight unceremoniously tossed them aside.
Behind her came the sound of a plasma discharge. Twilight reeled just in time to see another metal alien, its chest half-melted and aflame, collapse backwards to the ground. Interrogator Kylara, smoking plasma pistol in her right hand, stepped forward to loom over the downed machine. Its arms still attempted to grab at her.
Kylara raised the thin power sword she held in her left hand and plunged it down into the machine’s skull. At once, it stopped moving.
Planting her boot on its neck, Kylara pulled her sword from the Necron. “Xenos filth,” she snarled irritably. Twilight’s practiced eyes caught a glimpse in her direction, but the human said nothing more.
“That’s all of them accounted for,” said Durrane, not yet leaving the wall piping he had been using for cover.
“And good riddance,” muttered Aisen, spitefully kicking one of the downed machines.
“Hold positions,” Twilight gave a whispered order, “There may be more.”
The small group looked uneasy at the prospect, and did as bidden. For several seconds, seven humans and one alicorn waited, pressing themselves into cover as best they were able. But no more of the machines made themselves apparent, and after a short amount of time had passed the Acolyte emerged and bid the rest do the same.
“This doesn’t make sense…” the alicorn thought to herself. “These patrols are too sparse, and too random. This isn’t any kind of assault or holding pattern these creatures have been known to use… And I’ve studied them all… But then…” She shook her head. “Figure it out later. Rescue mission now,” she muttered, before raising her voice. “Alright, move!” She beckoned with an armored foreleg, and to her satisfaction the squad made an acceptable effort to fall in line. Even Kylara was prompt, if sporting an unpleasant expression on her face.
Brother Venris, with his armor’s autosenses the least damaged of the three remaining, was the natural choice for a forward lookout. His genetically-enhanced vision easily penetrated the gloom without his helmet’s aid; with it, he could see as clearly as cloudless summer day in a Terran-grade atmosphere. The Imperial Fist had positioned himself not far from his brothers – with so few remaining they did not dare leave one another’s sight – to give himself the best possible view of the surrounding maze of corridors. Anything that did not come through the ceiling or floor, be it ally or enemy, he would see. It was possible that help would arrive soon. It was equally possible that they had been slain. Regardless, the brothers of the Deathwatch had a duty to safeguard what remained of this facility’s staff, and they would honor that oath.
Venris clutched his empty bolter, now an improvised but effective club, close to his chest as he slowly swept his head from side to side, scanning the area once again. The slightest hint of green registered from a distant corner. Immediately, he wordlessly directed his armor’s machine spirit to zoom in, and was unsurprised to see a mechanical insect leg and green photoreceptor.
“Scarab,” he voxed, his armor preventing any sound leaking out of it. “Corridor U35, right wall, seventeen point two meters. Alone.”
“Acknowledged,” came the voice of Brother Fares, the only other Astartes with a fully-functional vox system left. “Scout, most likely.”
“Agreed,” Venris replied. The loathsome metallic insects, when not sent forward in all-devouring swarms of uncounted thousands, had often been used in ones and twos to scope out Imperial positions. That the machine was simply holding position rather than advancing added further evidence. “Target?”
Brother Fares was a moment in answering, no doubt conferring with Brother Atellus.
“Advise negative,” came the response. “Distance too great, possible trap,”
Venris silently nodded his agreement – for destroying a single, replaceable enemy drone was not worth straying so far from his backup, especially when there could very easily be a silent wraith around the corner waiting to pounce on any fool enough to come close. In any case, it was virtually certain that there were more in the area. Scarabs never came alone.
“Acknowledged,” he said. “Holding position.”
Seconds ticked by slowly on Venris’ internal chronometer. All was stillness and silence in the dark metal corridor, with barely a movement save the dust in the air. Not even breathing could be heard, the capable systems of power armor muting even that sound. The mechanical insect remained unmoving and rooted to its spot, as did the Astartes who watched it warily. Eventually, the seconds became minutes but nothing more was heard of the gunfire that had surprised the Space Marines not long ago.
It was just as Brother Venris was considering abandoning the forward watch position and retreating to where his brothers waited that his keen hearing picked up something.
“Footsteps,” he voxed, “Approaching, north by northwest.” Venris listened for a moment more. “Not consistent with known Necron patterns.” The noises were too light and didn’t resound quite like the metal feet of the invading aliens did on the Adeptus Mechanicus’ constructions.
“Acknowledged. Ours, you think?”
“Possible,” Venris continued to listened to the steadily increasing tempo. “Probable organic. Hold position?”
There was a long pause as the two other Astartes presumably debated what to do.
“Advise hold. But be wary. Even if human, possible xenos taint.”
That made sense. If help didn’t come, the Astartes and their wards were dead men anyway – there was no way out of the base for them all, and even if there were all transports were destroyed in the opening minutes of the battle. It was worth taking a small risk to see if aid had finally arrived. But then, it was always possible that even if the approaching figures were human, that they were some manner of xenos cultist sent to make the Astartes lower their guard. Such things were not unknown to the Deathwatch.
“Acknowledged.”
The slight sounds came closer and closer, and by their low decibel level and frequent pauses Venris guessed that the mortals were attempting to be stealthy. It was an effort, but was unlikely to fool well-trained warriors. He gripped his empty boltgun, ready to move at the first sign of an enemy attack.
Without warning, the Scarab that Venris had spotted was lifted into the air by a violet glow. Its legs and mandibles flailed wildly, and then its head compressed into a miniscule ball with an audible crunch. The insect-machine’s struggles immediately ceased, and it fell back to the floor in a scrap heap as the aura surrounding it disappeared as quickly as it had come.
“Witchcraft…” breathed Venris. On the one hand, Necrons were not known to use the Warp or its powers. On the other, anyone as flagrantly ostentatious with psychic witchery as to evoke it to destroy a single insignificant drone was unlikely to be in Imperial employ. Chaos cultists, perhaps?
At long last, after what felt like an eternity but couldn’t have been more than a minute, the sounds finally reached the corner where the Scarab had been. Venris wished for the latest in Emperor only knew how many times that he had more ammunition for his boltgun.
A head poked out around the corner. The Astartes’ enhanced vision caught it easily, despite the darkness and its own attempt to minimize its presence.
“What the hell is that?” thought Venris.
It was a small, violet head not even reaching up to the Space Marine’s knee. Ears pointed up from its head, swiveling even as the Deathwatch brother observed. Dark purple hair with streaks of violet and pink dangled down, giving the head a distinctly feminine appearance. Eyes that looked altogether too large for its face honed in on Venris, and the expression on its face became one of cautious relief.
Venris resisted the urge, ingrained by countless hours of hypno-indoctrination, meditation, and bitter experience, to clamp down on his bolter’s trigger only by remembering that it still had no ammunition. This was a xeno. Different as it might have been from the Necrons he had seen, it was still an alien on Imperial soil and thus he was bound to destroy it.
Then the creature stepped into the open, and Venris’ surprise turned into hot rage. The equine-looking xeno wore armor in the style of the Imperium, which was bad enough. But even worse was the symbol displayed prominently on its shoulder. The sacred rosette. The symbol of Emperor’s Holy Inquisition. To see it on the armor of an alien was an affront to any loyal servant of the Emperor, and demanded retribution. His mind hurriedly processed the odds of killing it with a thrown object before it could use the two boltguns he saw on its belt.
“Greetings,” it said in unaccented Gothic. Its voice was noticeably feminine as well. “I am Acolyte Twilight Sparkle of the Emperor’s Holy Inquisition, serving under Lord Inquisitor Tas Rovini. I am here on a mission for my master, and perhaps we might help each other?”
Venris voxed his brothers, not bothering to include the alien. “This “Acolyte” you hear is xenos scum.”
Brother Fares hissed audibly through the vox, his Chapter’s special hatred for the foes of man no doubt running through his mind.
“It has weapons. Bolt weapons. I do not think I can kill from here it before it gets a chance to shoot me. And something displayed psychic witchcraft.”
“Act as if you agree,” urged the Black Templar, “Then kill it when it gets near.”
“A good plan.”
The xeno continued. "I can, of course, present a token of my service, if you do not believe me," she said, before a small medallion floated from a pouch on her utility belt, surrounded by the same violet aura from earlier. She held it up, giving the Astartes ample time to look at it.
“Twilight” then beckoned with a front leg, and two more figures stepped out from the same corridor it had come from. These two, to Venris’ shock and anger were human, and also bedecked in the symbols of the Inquistion. One was a male holding a rifle in Stormtrooper armor, the other a female with a blade in one hand and pistol in the other in a customized suit.
“Further, my colleagues are Interrogator Kylara and Stormtrooper Titus. They will vouch for me if you require it, honored Astartes.” Twilight with a slight bow.
Venris hesitated, looking from one to the other. Humans? With a xeno? Serving the Inquisition? It didn’t seem possible. But at first glance the stoic man and sour-faced woman didn’t show any of the more common signs of brainwashing. The latter was even glaring distastefully at the xeno.
“She is right, my lord,” said this Titus, bending his head respectfully. “We’re here on behalf of the Inquistion. Isn’t that right?” he looked briefly to the woman.
“Yes,” said Kylara, simply.
Before Venris could take the time to decide what to do next, he heard a sound he had become uncomfortably familiar with. The air some distance behind him crackled, and he swung his head quickly to look.
Green lights flashed in rapid sequence, and where once was a deserted corridor there were suddenly several tall, black-bodied, white-faced Necron soldiers, each bearing enormous double-barreled weapons. Near their center was a unique machine, with a metal hood and cloak, bearing a long staff in its hand.
Even as Venris began to dive back towards his brothers, he heard the little xeno scream out in a voice that sounded like it carried the Warp’s own fury.
“YOU!!!”
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So Twilight finally comes face to face with her most hated of foes.
Here's hoping she gets a tiny piece of the puzzle for her rescue mission, because screw him!
Go Twy Rip that scum xeno a new one.
Xeno that serves Imperial Inquisition?
BAHAAHHAHAHAHA!!!
5179945
Inquisitor Coteaz and his jokaero (which is a xeno) assistant are official.
5179945 it can happen. Not with orthodox inquisitors mind, but unorthodox inquisitors arent above hiring xenos mercenaries. Hell, i imagine a little purple horse witch isnt even a blip on the radar.
5179945 jokaero
5053752
Death Watch is Spec/Black Ops to regular Army/Marines in terms of skills and training.
Grey Knights are the freaking Ghostbusters mixed with HELSING (of the anime world fame). They are in a different league altogether. Granted, even knowing about them is supposed to be enough to get you a one way trip to titan if you aren't a specially cleared person (Inquisition don't necessarily qualify either). They are that deep-shit-need-to-know basis. The Malleious branch have 'Liquidated' whole regiments of the IG just for being ON PLANET with them. Deathwatch? You shouldnt even know they were there. You can KNOW who they are supposed to be.; that is it.
Otherwise you are spot on on most things- The robo-zombies wouldn't burrow. THEY F**KING TELEPORT.
Oh, they met again. I think it can make cooperation with Twilight and Death Watch, perhaps temporary or not.
5179945
Some extremly radical Inquisitors even create their own Daemonhosts, by trapping a Demon in a (normaly more then unwilling) human to use them as weapons.
Using a xeno is rather commonplace. Using them like a disposable weapon, that is.
Oh my, I can't see this ending well for Twi.
Royal Canterlot voice?
Don't get you hopes up twi, even if you kill him it'll just turn out to be some random necron lord body double.
5180516
Not to mention that the Grey Knights are mostly attached to the Ordos Herictus branch of the Inquisition, and deal mostly with Chaos cultists, the Traitor Legions, and the Ruinous Powers. When an entire planet falls to the Daemons, they are the ones sent in to deal with it.
They Deathwatch are more associated with the Ordos Maillus (I don't think i spelled that right), though the other branches of the Inquisition use them as well. They are the ones that are given the missions that will make even other space marine go "Wait, you want me to WHAT?"
Like, capturing a new 'nid organism so some high ranking cog boy can develop a new armor from it's hide. for example.
And Deathwatch leave no witnesses.
5265231
wrong!
new1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/4686944+_343d5a590bbb3b1a6b0e26c76f33f15d.jpg
they are Ordo Malleus (or however you spell that)
they are DAEMON hunters, and that is their branch of the inquisition.
true the hereticus branch deal with heritics, but they aren't DEVOTED to holding the daemons of hell at bay, just the mortals.
Deathwatch is ordo xeno- the branch that deals with aliens.
...........................................................
GOD I WASTED MY LIFE IN THAT GAME.
5265318
I did, too...
And my brain didn't quite retrieve the appropriate data correctly. I'll need to reconsecrate my data banks. To the Mechanicus Shrine!
5266774
if it sounded like i was yelling at the start, i wasnt btw. it was supposed to come off as an
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/326/a/0/request__34___cloudy_rain_objection____by_raylionheart-d5lsjlr.png
5268248
Yeah, I kinda figured that.
I wonder if Twilight has realized yet that the Imperium really are the good...umm...nice...errr...close-enough-to-good-that-they-don't-rip-out-your-soul-on-a-whim guys. Really, though, the Imperium just wants to live in peace. Twilight calls them monsters just for doing what is necessary to survive another day. This is after the Necrons basically exterminated her species. You'd think she'd have realized by now just why the Imperium is xenophobic and realized that the very fact they are willing to spare her and even help her get her surviving people back from Trayzn should be enough proof that the Imperium is still morally superior to every other faction. The Tau don't count as moral since they use mass brain washing and planet-wide sterilization (the child-producing kind) for having a different idea of what "Greater Good" means than they do. Basically, if it isn't for their good, then it is automatically evil and everyone must be punished. At least the Orks are just in it for the lulz.
This is so exciting! I feel bad for waiting so long to read this chapter!
Hmm, maybe you should put this story On Hiatus if you're currently focusing on "Winter Storm"?
5397860
I don't really consider either to be on hiatus at the moment. It's just that this is a really busy season for me. All I did was release a few chapters I had in reserve.
I've literally written nothing at all since mid-November.