Primaris

[DogWelder]

I decided to give the Primaris Marines a very dark twist. Please let me know what you think 

 

+++987.999.M41+++

 

+++Draxis III, Chapter Planet of the Mist Phantoms+++

 

It was as if the sky was raining fire. First Captain Decius of the Mist Phantoms looked through the shattered lenses of his Terminator helmet at the streaks of fiery light blazed through the heavily polluted upper atmosphere of the planet. The thick layer of pollutants that had enveloped the globe had been the product of the planetwide promethium refinery network that choked the life out of any human being not wearing heavy containment suits. However, the very air that tormented the human population of the planet now served to be its salvation as the remnants of the Tyranid landing force burned up in the toxic chemicals. 

 

The invasion had caught them by surprise, he had to admit, the tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan sweeping through the system before concentrating on the greatest source of resistance: Draxis III. However, the beasts had failed to anticipate the fearsome natural defenses of his home. The bulk of the Tyranid landing force had burned up in the planet’s toxic atmosphere within the first few hours of the battle and only a small fraction had managed to make planet fall. The Tyranids, now caught between the active orbital defence lasers of the planet and the Imperial Battlefleet, was being torn to shreds, the husks of destroyed Hive Ships lighting up the permanently red-tinted sky of his planet like a meteor shower.

 

Decius tried to stand but the weight of the collapsed rubble kept him pinned to the ground, unable to move even in his terminator armor. The pain in his pack was excruciating and he felt the chemical stink of the poisonous gases make their way through his broken visor slits. He didn’t regret this battle however. He and this men had done their duty. Without waiting for backup, he and half of the elite First Company had donned their suits of Terminator armor and made all haste for the few areas the Tyranids had made planetfall, knowing that to delay even a minute gave the abominable creatures time to adapt to the planet’s atmosphere and scatter into its many subterranean tunnels. Despite the near-annihilation of his force, they had fulfilled their duty. All of the landing sites had been cleared of Tyranid infestation.

 

A flicker of movement caught his attention and he recognized a large, pale green figure push aside the corpse of a Tyranid Warrior to draw itself up. 

 

“I thought they’d…put up more of a fight” the figure managed through its half shattered vox grille and Decius instantly recognized an old friend.

 

“Sergeant Ixion” he said, smiling through his pain. “I doubt that stunt you pulled was exactly codex compliant”. He tried to sound strict but knew that his old friend would instantly see through the facade. He had known of Ixion’s unorthodox ways for centuries now, ever since they had trained together in the scout company and rose together up the ranks of their chapter. 

 

Ixion gave him a look, his amusement radiating through the faceless helm of his terminator armor. "If I may quote you, Captain” he started “Codex manuevers are for neophytes and Ultramarines”.

 

“Is there a difference?” Decius said with a barking laugh as he repeated his friend’s reply from all those years ago.

 

Ixion’s laugh was cut short as the bolt round broke through his visor lens and detonated inside his skull. The weight of the Terminator armor kept him from tipping over and he stood there, a motionless corpse before the horrified gaze of his Captain.

 

Decius instantly pulled up his plasma pistol and fired off a burst of blue energy in the direction of the shot when his hand tore apart in a spattering of blood, bone and muscle tissue. He bit down a scream of agony and focused on the source of the second shot when the blood in his veins froze. Through the thick, alchemical mist he saw a giant in power armor move towards him. He was tall, taller than a Terminator in full battleplate. Donned in power armor that was more advanced than anything his chapter had in their armor and carry a bolt rifle of a design that even the Master of the Forge found perplexing. He wore the livery of the Mist Phantoms but his demeanor suggested that he was anything but friendly. Decius knew him all too well.

 

He was the Primaris.

 

The gene-enhanced creature wearing his Chapter’s colors lowered his weapon and stepped close to his prone figure. He towered over the Captain like an Astartes would over a mortal.

 

“Greetings, First Captain Decius” he said in a voice that was neither human nor Astartes “The tactical projections calculated that the Tyranids would have wiped out your little task force quite handily…unfortunately one can never rely too much on machines so I took it upon myself to rectify that…error”

 

Decius could barely speak. The pain of his injuries combined with the shocking turn of events had him dumbfounded. “Why…” he managed with effort.

 

The Primaris cocked his head slightly. “I would think that it was obvious. Still…I suppose I owe you an explanation at the very least”.

 

The Captain could barely stay conscious as the pain surged through his body. Slowly, but surely, his uninjured hand inched towards a bolt pistol on the ground near him. His movements were minuscule and he prayed that the creature would not notice him.

 

“You see Captain…in the decades I have been with this Chapter I have learned a great many things” the creature said, looking up to the red sky. “For one, that my presence is not fully accepted by all its members” it looked back down at him. “Don’t look so surprised Captain. I have garnered more influence than you think in the First Company. I know it was you who railed against the acceptance of the Primaris at the council meetings. You who attempted to block my advancement up the Chapter ranks even though my achievements quickly outstripped many of those in the council itself. You who has become the figurehead for those who would stand against us”

 

“Is that what this is about?” Decius spat, his fury bubbling to the surface. “Your pride? Is that why you-”

 

His other hand burst apart in a shower of gore and this time the Captain let out a scream of agony. The creature lowered the barrel of his Crawl-pattern rifle until it was right above Decius’ cracked visor lens. 

 

“Shut up” it said, and for once, the Astartes could hear a hint of annoyance in the creature’s voice. “No, Captain. Unlike you, we are above such petty concepts. What I do is for the good of the Imperium and in service to the Lord Commander.” the creature seemed to pause for a moment, as if it was confused by it’s sudden outburst of emotion.

 

“The Mist Phantoms are a rather useful asset to the Imperium” it said, returning to its cold, clinical voice. “Your records indicate that you were created to be an elite fighting force that excelled in highly polluted environments. Therefore, Draxis III was a perfect fit to be your base of operations. For millennia, you have served the Imperium with distinction, deploying to some of the most hostile planets in the galaxy but almost always emerging victorious. However, recently you have become…uncooperative. Mired in your silly little traditions and rituals, obsessed with discovering your primarch as though it was a matter of great importance, refusing certain orders from Terra on the baseless grounds that it went against your ‘honor’…no, this certainly will not do”.

 

“We are the Warriors of the Mist” Decius repeated the mantra of his chapter. The pain was threatening to overwhelm his senses and the blasphemy this creature was spewing was battering against his mind. He gritted his teeth and fortified his spirit. He fell back on the words of his ancestors that prayed to them for strength. “We are the Phantoms of the Shroud. We walk through the storms of poison and fire. We carry the light of the Emperor through the raging Dark. We-”

 

The creature lightly waved his bolt rifle in the approximation of a shrug. “Yes yes, I’ve heard your pathetic little screed before. Your Chaplains could not stop themselves from repeating it ad nauseam before combat and I must say it took all my self-control not to tear those little skulls from their shoulders and crush them in my hands. 

 

“You won’t get away with this, creature” the Captain hissed. “The Chapter Master will-”

 

“Oh I believe I will” it interrupted him. “When I come out of the fire carrying your Crux Terminatus, a grim look on my face as I explain to our dear Chapter Master that, for all of my efforts, I was not able to save the noble Captain of the First Company. He will be rather mournful to learn of your death. However…eventually he will need a new Captain for a First Company.” the creature paused and even through his pain-induced delirium, Decius could almost see the wicked smile through the helm of the Mark X armor. “I will be in for quite a promotion don’t you think?”

 

The Captain howled in rage and attempted to throw himself at the creature, every muscle in his body stretched to breaking point as anger flooded through his body. Slowly, the rubble began to give way and for a moment, hope flared in Decius’ mind as he thought he might at the very least go down fighting like a true Mist Phantom.

 

“Now…I believe I have a Chapter to make ready for the coming Indomitus Crusade” the creature said, all trace of amusement gone from his voice. “You will thank me for this in the afterlife, Captain Decius. I shall strip away the silly little superstitions of this Chapter and make it a professional fighting force for the Lord Guilliman to command in his campaigns”. He gave the enraged captain one last look. 

 

“Goodbye, old man” he said and pulled the trigger.

 

For a heartbeat, Decius felt the chemical stink of his home linger in his lungs. The acrid smell was like the sweetest fragrance in his final breath.

 

Edited June 8, 2017 by Caius Tadius

[Kierdale]

I liked it :tu:

[Julgolax]

Umm, that's just straightforward betrayal. I highly doubt a Primaris Marine would be so overtly heretical like that. :P Fratricide like that only happens in the most dire of circumstances, and unless you're trying to set up a fall to chaos or civil war type deal, this would probably end in a civil war to the death among the chapter's "normal" marines and the guillimarines.

 

Your writing is pretty good though! Don't give up on that, I just can't get behind the story. :P

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

I don't know, to me it reads as if the Primaris doesn;t see it that way, it sees "classic" astartes as they see humans.
Plus the idea that G man could be using them to finally wipe away his brother's legacies and ensure he is the sole figure of respect and power in the imperium was quite obvious, and to gradually replace those truly connected to his brothers with his own sons in their colors.

[Cpt_Reaper]

I think you started a trend Caius.

[Wargamer]

I'm not a fan of the outright betrayal myself. It doesn't feel true to the Astartes at all, and for all their differences Primaris are simply meant to be "better" Astartes.

[Captain_Krash]

Loved it. Pretty much sums up opinions of Primaris :P

 

Krash

[Brother Hellion]

This is like the biggest fear any current marine would feel about the primaris and how they would slowly replace them all from the inside. 

[Brother Lunkhead]

Oooooo... I sense a fall to chaos coming amongst the Primaris  Good story! Well written and a nice twist. Keep up the good work 

[Jagus Kumkani]

Great story! I for one love the dark twist in this story. I could very well see normal Marines being resistant to the inclusion of Primaris.

[ClatterSharp]

There no doubt in my mind that these types of conflicts could develop between the regular marines and primaris marines.  A could imagine that many primaris marines would go this route if they were treated with the cold shoulder/mistrust/hate towards them even though they have proven themselves and even more so if they suspect/know that the chapter they thought would easily accept them started sending them to suicidal battlezones in order to just attain their geneseed. 

[Trevak Dal]

That was great. You missed a perfect opportunity for a "You have been out dated," *boom headshot*. Having not read any of the black library stuff on the new lore yet, I kinda keep playing over and over the awesome (if blatantly false) advertisements for Halo 5, specifically the one where Chief comes in on a wounded Locke when I think of Primaris Marines. Also Soldier (starring Kurt Russell) Edited November 19, 2017 by Trevak Dal

[Pulse]

Exactly how Primaris will see Space Marine chapters of the past 10,000 years, superstitious and backwards, and so very much part of the stagnation of the Imperium.

 

I can't wait to see Primaris to sweep away the old.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Pulse