The Captain

[Captain Juan Juarez]

The crackling silver glow dies slowly from the eyes of the Librarian, his force axe hanging limply in his right hand as exhaustion settles on him. A grimace crosses his lips as a surge of psychic power washes over his mind and the axe drops from his hand to clang against the ground, his hands going up to his temples.

 

With startling speed the pain washes away, replaced by a feeling of unease as he senses the presence of another Astartes. The Captain stands over him as he gathers himself, his very presence a psychic dead zone.

 

The Epistolary wonders once again who this enigma is who enjoys such respect from the Inquisitor and commands a Kill-Team of the Holy Inquisition.

Not in twenty years of service to the Deathwatch has Epistolary Valerian seen the Captain remove his Corvus-pattern helmet. His armour blacked out ritually in service, bears no markings save the symbol of the Inquisition at his shoulder whilst the other pauldron remains bare.

 

With a speed that is still startling the Captain spins in place, a power sword appearing in one hand even as a power axe appears in the other and with a voice like the wind drifting over a tomb the Captain speaks, “They are amongst us, Librarian.”

 

 

For sixty years he has possessed the bionic right hand, ever since the Vale of Pain and that nightmare skirmish.

 

For the first time in sixty years he can feel his fingers twitch.

 

It took less than an hour for him to remove his gauntlet, using his augmented senses to stare at the still bionic before him and with a surge of anger he punches the wall beside him, pushing his fist clear through the aged stonework. Yet still the twitching.

 

Slowly, his anger and frustration mounting, he removes the bolt pistol from its holster at his side and brings it up to rest squarely beneath his jaw as he removes his helmet.

 

It is only as his finger caresses the trigger that the twitching ends, a mass reactive bolt round exploding his brain.

 

A tall lithe figure steps from the shadows, holding a staff in its right hand as it gestures at the fallen figure. “This one was weak, the others will not prove so easy but they are only mon-keigh. Purge them from our world, let none leave alive.”

 

With breathtaking grace the nine warriors accompanying him snap swords from their backs and charge effortlessly through once arching doorway.

Three more figures step before him, each bearing a long spear that blazes with energy in his witch sight.

 

“Come, we will activate the webway. Slay all who stand in our way.”

 

 

His sword sings with power as it blocks the xenos blade, a surge of silver energy erupting from the outstretched fingertips of the Librarian into the mask of the xenos fiend. He can feel the dead zone of the Captain behind him, not having time to turn and see how he fairs.

 

The Captain needs no help though, his sword blocking and parrying effortlessly as his axe takes first the sword arm and then the head from one of the warriors. With economy of motion he stands and fights, no strikes wasted and each block and parry just enough to open the foe to a killing strike.

 

The Captain pivots at the waist, his axe crashing through the psychoplastic armour with ease as he spins his sword across his palm to thrust behind him savagely.

 

As another Xenos drops at his feet he spins in place, blocking a heavy overhand cut aimed at the prone form of the Librarian. His booted foot crunches into its stomach to launch it away, even as a bolt round enters the back of its head.

 

Beneath a low doorway stands another Astartes, his entire armour black, with his bolter still at his shoulder and aimed. The steel coloured gauntlet on his shoulder pad is barely visible, though his contempt is evident in his voice as he glances down at the prone form of the Librarian. “Flesh is weak.”

 

The Captain ignores the barb, turning to look through one of the few remaining windows and a low curse escapes from his lips at the vista before him.

 

A veritable fleet of Thunderhawks descend on wings of fire, their armoured hulls resplendent in blue and the feared and loved symbol of the Ultramarines displayed proudly.

 

“Teams Alpha and Beta, report to extract zone four, Team Gamma with me at point three.”

[Legio Draconis]

I like it, nice use of suspense looking forward to more.

[Dosjetka]

I like this story. But I have a question, are the Eldar trying to control an Astartes? It's a good idea but I'm unsure if it's correct.

 

++Over++

[Captain Juan Juarez]

I like this story. But I have a question, are the Eldar trying to control an Astartes? It's a good idea but I'm unsure if it's correct.

 

++Over++

 

Not control, influence.

 

Suddenly, after so long with a bionic the Marine can feel his fingers and in the end the subtle manipulation pushes the Marine over the edge; it's less control than beckoning along a certain path!