Heartbreak117

  Our entry point into Battlestar Pegasus is through one of her upper flight pods. There, the Tech-priests have opened a sizeable hole through a bst door. Politely, I thank the Tech-priests for aplishing such menial work, having noticed that most of them are friendly or familiar faces. Afterward, I apany the Guards in climbing heavy-duty scaffolding and steel ptes that act as stairs for the Space Marines. It's only through such methods that we ehe steps don't break halfway when a Samander sets foot on them. While it may e as a surprise to some, the Guards are moving in front of the formation of Sisters of Battle and Space Marines instead of vice versa. I don't really know how it usually goes in the lore materiel for the 40K universe, but out here where there are nasty surprises that may even one-shot a Space Marine? Yeah, the Guards are ag as the point man, or point unit in this case. It's always better for the Guards ter any ambush first before they hit the much, much more valuable Sisters of Battle and Space Marines behind them. At least, that's how the adian 8th works.

  I find myself agreeing to such a doe, even if it puts me and my unit in danger. No matter how you look at it, the values of a Sister or a Space Marine are immeasurable. Each of them is a paragon of skill, experience, and wisdom. Each of them is ied with fireporote that cost enough Throo outfit a whole Imperial Guard pany. Losing even one of them is uable, especially when they're apanied by a Guard unit. Such a prospect is a stain on the Guard Regiment's honor as a whole and an iigation will be unched. If the ive oute is attributed to the negligence of duty then the easy way out will be that of a issar's bolter. There are worse fates thaion for iude and cowardice. A true Imperial Guard will not hesitate to brave the 's horrors if it will ehe loy of the Imperium's fi. That is the se shared by the Cadian 8th, Sergeant Johnson's 3rd Ptoon, and ultimately, myself.

  Now that Mama and Tsavorae are truly behihough... I won't shy away from a shoith Khorne if the situation calls for it. I value my life, but there is something much more important than that in this grimdark verse of mihis is one of the reasons why I bring a ballistic shield and walk in the very front. Unlike before where I hang back with Weiss, the fined of a vessel means that I have to adapt my approach if I am to have everyo out alive if worse es to worst. By the way, the in-universe name for the shield is Carapace Shield, which is structed using some of the material and teology derived from the Carapace Armor. Nothing truly fancy, but the prote it offers is way, way better thaandard-issued Fk Armor that 3rd Ptoon is wearing. Obviously, it won't stand against much punishment from, let's say, a bolter round. Although to be quite ho, you will want to dud weave when being shot at by something of that caliber.

  Stepping into the Pegasus' flight pod, the first thing that the Guards and I do is... Turning on the helmet lights or the fshlights attached to our srifles or spistol. Yeah, there's little to no visibility ihe Pegasus. The only light source prior to our torches was the ambient lighting ing from the hole the Tech-priests cut. By the way, Battle Meditation is in effect, but the effects may not be easily noticeable.

  "Ok, Froggers, Ein will take point." Johnson speaks up. "Weiss, stick with the Corporal. The rest of you, fan out and watch your steps."

  3rd Ptoon plies with the order silently, tactically seizing the ers and nearby covers as we make space for the Samanders and Mama's Sisters of Battle. Weiss and I pick wreck to crouch behind, which is surprisingly a crashed ial Raptor Mark IIb Heavy, before sing the rest of the Pegasus' hangar for anything else of note. While 3rd Ptoon is o for the unknown, Mama and Chapter Master Tu'shaheir sisters and brothers up the ramp. Following right behind them is a unit of Tech-priests and Guardsmen. Unlike us Imperial Guards, the helmets of the Sisters and Samanders have built-in photo-visor for low-light visibility, ht vision for short.

  Wordlessly, I turn to Johnson who then makes a hand signal for the Ptoon to creep up and clear the rest of the hangar. Standing up and hoisting my Carapace Shield on my left hand, my right is holding a spistol with a ser/fshlight bo, I lead the rest of 3rd Ptoon forward with Weiss right behind me. Advang in a slightly uneven line formation, owing to the many clutter and voidcraft in unknown service dition, 3rd Ptoon checks every dark er or crevice for potential danger. Sensor-skulls are also employed to deted mark potential hazards like unexploded ordinances or hidden traps. While we don't see any of the tter, what we soon discover a mere ten steps forward is bodies... Numerous bodies.

  "What the heck happeo these poor sods...?" A member of the 3rd asks who is also our Ptoon's medic. "They seem to either perish while fighting something or are clutg their chests as if they're without oxygen. Other than that, I think they're pretty much human, judging by their anatomy."

  "Faulty life support?" Johnson shrugs, stepping over the husk that used to be a human crewmember. "Won't be the first time we see something like this. And I thiablished that they're humans with how they're using Low Gothi the exterior hull."

  I hold my tongue, not willing to ent just yet. Weiss is also much of the same, holding her srifle up with a keen wariness. Once again, an a that is not very Rookie-like of her. Still, no malio issue, yet.

  Chief Librarian Vel'a, who is walking right o Tu'shan, ents audibly through his helmet. "While it may be muffled by the volume of this voidship, I e to sense no life, at least in our near viity."

  "A dead hulk, you say?" Tu'shan raises an eyebrow beh his helmet as he stops to s the obviously fotten battlefield.

  "It would seem so, for now." Vel'a nods.

  "Still, caution must be upheld. Whoever or whatever syed the crew of this Pegasus could very well be here, hidden out of sight." Mama adds before turning to Tsavorae. "Patiake a Fireteam and escort 3rd Ptoon. They may very well be the first to be hit by a potential ambush."

  "Uood, ess Superior." Tsavorae nods seriously before stepping ahead of Mama and the Samanders, leading a team of four other Sisters of Battle.

  Very soon, I feel Tsavorae and the Sisters' presence spreading behind Weiss and me. I slightly quirk my lips upward, yet not enting on their as. Instead, I keep walking ahead slowly. Noting down any object of i, I soon e across another bst door, ohat separates the upper hangar from the rest of the Battlestar. Stopping at the door, which is also one of the st spots we o check, we e to see something... Most troubling.

  I speak up through the local vox el and alert the JTF units in the hangar. "Be advised, we may have e across an expnation as to what happeo this voidship and her crew. vene by the left-side bst door when you ."

  Warily, I crouch down to get a closer look at our new subject of i, my spistol's targeting ser is still trained on the head of the thing. Weiss, mirr my a, asks.

  "What is that ugly thing...?"

  Tsavorae, who is t behind us with her bolter aims right for the thing's ter mass, adds. "Whatever it is, it ain't biological. So Nes?"

  I shrug, feigning ignorah ease while looking at a turion leaning against the bst door. It seems to be trying to get in before beiivated or destroyed, judging from the battle scars and holes.

  "They don't share the same aesthetic, though the skeletonized desigo fit. Still, I don't think there's ever a case of a Ne sp a gleaming e exterior, at least not that I know of."

  ing to a thumping stop behind us, Tu'shan interjects. "Indeed, young Ein. This is a most iing find."

  Mama nods. "Whatever it is, it seems meical and fits none of the known design nguage."

  I shake my head before standing up, turning to look at Johnson esc the Tech-priests up to he bst door. "Magos Hedagine, we must trouble you to identify our finding, then. The being seems to be meical in nature, g any noticeable biological aspect. Robotic, at worse, but if not that..."

  "Then it's an Abomielligence." es the reply of the female Magos. Smming her multi-purpose staff onto the metallic floor with a resounding k, the Magos tinues. "This matter will require careful iigation. The Tech-priests will analyze this potential threat as well as open the doorway ahead."

  Tu'shan nods. "Then we will remain on guard until the bst door is removed."

  "If the threats are mere maes in nature, I fear that my ability to detect will be drastically reduced." Vel'a warns. "They are, after all, unalive."

  Mama adds. "The way things are, the Pegasus could have been hit by a b aaes don't need rest like humans, it may be possible that some of them are still active, depending on how long this vessel had been adrift."

  Tu'shan hums lowly in agreement. "Then it's a good thing we bring enough firepower aboard. I want everyoo spread out and see if you find anymore..." The Chapter Master struggles to a term for the .

  I helpfully suggest. "ker?"

  Tu'shan nods at me in gratefulness before finishing his sentence. "See if you find any more of the kers for the Tech-priests to catalog. They could be hidden among the wreckage."

  Magos Hedagine adds a warning. "Yes, but be warhat these... kers are armed. Each of their metallic arms is equipped with a kiic on, hiddeh retractable protective shells."

  To demonstrate her point, the Magos uses her meical limbs to reveal the turion's hidden onry. "It doesn't seem to be that devastating, given their small sizes, but one must remain vigint, heless. Maes are known to be accurate in their aims."

  "Duly noted, Magos." Tu'shan and nearly everyone nod, taking the advice to heart.

  This is unknowory, after all, caution is alreferable. Apanying 3rd Ptoon and some Samao once again vas the hangar, I stop for a bit to wordlessly nod at Mama. She pats my shoulder reassuringly, letting me know that she won't go anywhere. I smile behind my helmet before returning to the formation. Iween the search, I idly wonder whether or not we will see some CQC a against a truly meical enemy.

  Knowing the 40K universe, we may very well see some by the end of the day.

  Heartbreak117