Brother Marine Leviticus stared into the night sky of Filvian VIII. He was on guard duty for the local Adeptus Astartes fortress. The night sky was still and unexciting. In the forests surrounding the Marine fortress, nothing stirred. The only sound was of the occasional animal crying out to its mate or pack. Leviticus stared once again into the night sky and the four moons of Filvian VIII. As he did so, he noticed a shooting star in the distance. He thought to call it in, believing it may be a ship. But instead he disregarded it, remembering the heavy meteor traffic Filvian VIII usually had.
* * *
Kertan Serkanai swore as his Dahkifini fighter crashed through the jungle tree canopy on the Imperial world of Filvian VIII. As the fighter hit the ground, the Ferakai on the forward wings broke off, producing a shower of sparks. The forward wings crumpled on impact with the hard surface of the planet, shredding internal components and snapping power lines. Electricity danced along the wings of the fighter until safety systems shut off the power to the wings.
The rest of the fighter slammed into the ground, throwing Kertan back in his seat as the cockpit spine snapped. Diagnostics panels glowed red as the ship skidded along on the jungle floor. Trees snapped with the impact of the fighter, slowing the ship until it finally stopped.
Popping the cockpit canopy open, Kertan stepped out of the ship. He reached behind the pilot's seat in the cockpit and pulled out his equipment. He strapped on his obsidian-black armour anbd wrapped his combat.utility belt around his waist. His Karunai was strapped to the right side of his belt while his Jerutai was in a holster on his left side. He strapped his single Korinai onto his right forearm. He slipped five Denvitai throwing blades into a sheath on his left arm, and then pinned his helmet to the back of his belt.
With all of his equipment on, Kertan surveyed his destroyed Dahkifini. The full sixteen meters of the ship was smashed, gaping holes showing internal systems, wires hanging from assorted places, engines crushed by a fallen tree. Shaking his head in despair, Kertan turned away from the ship and headed off through the forest, hoping to find a town or fort or other settlement with some kind of interstellar ship.
* * *
Brother Marine Leviticus watched in awe as a squad of Marines rushed out of the Space Marine fortress. The squad wore the traditional blue armour of the Ultramarines, but they also wore camo cloaks that constantly changed colour to match their surroundings. The Marines carried assault weapons and bolters, obviously expecting a close-in fight. They hurried into the jungle, running in the direction of the recent fallen meteorite.
Maybe, Leviticus thought to himself, just maybe it wasn't a meteorite.
* * *
Kertan Serkanai walked through the thick forests of Filvian VIII, slashing away thick branches and undergrowth with his Korinai. He was about to slice another branch out of the way when he heard a sound. He stood still for a moment and listened to the sounds in the air until he located the unusual sound in the jungle. He heard metal boots crushing the undergrowth in the forest a few meters from him. Silently he slipped on his helmet.
"Activate heads-up display," he said quietly. The helmet's built-in HUD came on, showing him the statistics of him, his outfit, and his surroundings. He slowly turned his head, mentqally switching the helmet's viewscreen to infrared. He spotted ten Imperial Space Marines, approximately thirteen meters from him, all heading toward him.
"Power up Korinai," he whispered into his helmet. He turned to look at his Korinai, which was steadily becoming lightly tinted blue. The weapon powered up with a silent thrumming.
Kertan pulled out his Karunai, powered it up also. He then moved behind a tree where he could wait and ambush the Marines. He slowly and skillfully lifted and aimed his Karunai. The gun's crystal glowed bright blue as it was pointed toward the spot where its prey would emerge.
As the Marines emerged into his space in the jungle, Kertan fired his Karunia. A blast of blue-white electricity arced through the jungle, hit the lead Marine. Blue lightning played over the Marine's powered armour, frying systems and weapons. The Marine let out a chilling scream of agony as his body was electrocuted, all of his nerves firing up at once and then going silent as they were burned away.
The remaining nine Space Marines suddenly stopped, scanning the surrounding jungle while keeping their bolters at ready. Kertan gave them one second of admiration before firing on another Marine, frying its nervous system as well as its armour. With two quick jerks of his left wrist he had two Denvitai blades in his left hand. He threw the blades at the Space MArines, one lodging in a Space Marine's neck, the other puncturing a second Marine's eye socket. The Denvitai exploded, instantly decapitating the first Marine and completely destroying the other's face and upper cranium.
The other Marines then began firing with their boltguns, trying to sweep the surrounding jungle with their bolter shells.
* * *
Brother Sergeant Fulvius was stunned when he saw a blue-white burst of electricity fire out of the forest and cut down Brother Brutus in a shower of sparks and electricity. That moment of surprise also cost him Brothers Siccius, Epurnus, and Lepidus. He quickly hurried to correct his mistake.
"Brother Marines, suppressive fire," he said into his helmet comm. "Find the enemy and destroy them. The Emperor's Will guides our shots."
As one, the Marines began firing into the jungle around them. Leaves, branches, and other pieces of the surrounding foliage flew into the air, creating a chaotic swirl of green and brown.
Out of that chaotic swirl came a flying blade, about the length and width of a man's small finger. The blade struck Brother Servius in his shoulder. It then exploded in his armour, tearing off his right arm and shredding his chest.
Fully half the squad was dead now, and Fulvius's four other Marines were very disheartened by their lack of success in locating and destroying the blasphemer. Fulvius scanned the jungle, but could not find any trace of a living being. The jungle around him was filled with only the sound of bolter fire, the chattering roar of weapons drowning out even the sounds of the local nocturnal jungle life.
He felt dismay as he glanced around, seeing no heretic to destroy. He grimly switched on his helmet comm with a twist of his chin, and spoke to his squad. "Fall back and regroup," he ordered. "Distance... Twenty-five meters towards base."
His men began to back away from the disaster, their bolters chattering as they gave ach other covering fire. As Fulvius turned to retreat himself, he saw a blue flash from a nearby tree strike Brother Caelius, felling him in a shower of sparks and a screech of tortured hydrolics. With a final scream of agony, Caelius fell to the ground.
And then there were only four.
* * *
Kertan Serkanai watched as the four remaining Space Marines retreated. He admired their ability to stay cool under pressure as they covered each other. He allowed them to retreat as they made their way through the jungle, and then watched as they regrouped twenty-five meters away from their previous position.
He watched as they talked amongst themselves, most likely discussing what to do about him. He had no desire to become a prisoner of the Imperium of Mankind, or to die on this lousy backwater world. His only desire was to find a ship and escape, leaving this world and its miserable Warriors behind.
Kertan scanned the Imperial Space Marines, locating the Sergeant as he did so. He would kill the Sergeant last, in hand to hand combat. Champions desrved an honourable death such as that. He aimed his Karunai slowly towards the next Marine and fired.
A blast of electricity shot through the air once more, striking the Marine. Kertan watched as the Marine dropped his weapon and started to fall forward as he let out a scream of agony. Before he could fall forward far enough to drop to the ground, the MArine's armour screeched as it seized up, freezing the Marine in mid-motion. Blue-white electricity danced inside the metal suit, lighting up the eye sockets and the mouth filter of the Marine. As the lightning died away, smoke began to billow out from the armour, and the sickly stench of burnt flesh filled the air.
* * *
Brother Sergeant Fulvius stared in horror at the silent, frozen form of Brother Lucilus's armour. He stared around, disbelief clouding his mind as his squad fell apart around him. Where minutes ago there had been ten Marines, now there were three.
Fulvius drew himself together and began to give his two remaining squad members orders. "Locate the enemy," he said into his comm. "Seek and des-" Fulvius stopped as he stared in horror at the scene unfolding in front of him.
Two blades flashed out of the jungle, striking Brother Plautius's armour in his chestplate and his right thigh. He staggered backward toward Brother Clodius before the blades exploded. Plautius's chest was torn apart, and his right leg was soon separated from his body as well. Pieces of ceramite and adamantite shrapnel flew outwards in all directions, striking Brother Clodius's helmet and chestplate. Clodius's armour was shredded by the hail of shrapnel, and both he and Plautius fell to the ground in twin pools of flesh and blood.
And then there was only one. Fulvius.
It was only then that the assailer allowed himself to be seen. To Fulvius, he looked like a nightmare.
A figure two meters tall stood in front of him, wearing obsidian-black armour. The armour had both sharp points and rounded corners, giving it an elegant yet deadly look. The creature in front of him clipped an odd gun with a crystal instead of a barrel onto its belt. It wore on its right arm a set of claws of some kind that glowed light blue. On its left arm it wore a small sheath that was empty.
"Who are you?" he asked, trying to sound defiant.
"The creature stared at him, then spoke.
"I am Kertan Serkanai, Warrior of the Callaran Empire. I seek passage off of this world. You stand in my path, an obstacle. An obstacle that I shall remove." The Callaran flashed its claws at Fulvius.
"I am allowing you the death of a Warrior, an honourable death. But before I begin combat, I would like to know the name of the man I am fighting," Kertan said.
"I am Fulvius," Fulvius replied. "Imperial Adeptus Astartes Sergeant, 3rd Company of the Ultramarines Chapter. It shall be my pleasure to dispatch such a blasphemy as yourself," he said, pulling out his power sword and dropping his bolter on its sling. He slowly powered up his weapon, hoping that its ominous humming noise would at least impress the Callaran, if not unnerve him.
Kertan Serkanai moved toward Fulvius, swinging his claw in a vicious arc. Fulvius tried to make equally impressive swipes and stabs in the air, but his impacience showed and his swings were too wide, his stabs too jerky.
As Kertan came closer, Fulvius ended his show and assumed a defensive posture. The two combatants stared at each other, waiting to see who would be the first to strike. It was Kertan who made the first move.
Kertan lunged forward, shoving his claws toward Fulvius. Fulvius parried with his power sword, the two weapons clashing in the darkness with a sound like thunder. Kertan swung again, and again Fulvius parried. The two weapons made a tremendous shrieking noise, and sparks flew as they struck. For a brief moment the surrounding trees and other greenery were bright as day. So began the Warriors' dance of death.
The two combatants slashed, parried, thrust, parried, their weapons glowing in the darkness and throwing off sparks. The silence of the night was split and pierced by the shrieks of striking metal, as claw met sword. Light blue reflections danced on the obsidian black armour of Kertan Serkanai, highlighted the blue of Brother-Sergeant Fulvius's armour.
Marine and Callaran fought each other viciously for what seemed to Fulvius like hours. Fulvius's arms grew tired and weary with the constant fighting, while Kertan Serkanai showed no signs of fatigue. Fulvius's thrusts and swings grew fewer as he began to take a more defensive style of fighting.
Soon Kertan's strikes became too powerful for Fulvius. He reeled from the might of Kertan's blows. The strength behind Kertan's strikes seemed to grow, and Fulvius tried desperately to parry Kertan's blows. The blows came quicker, and with seemingly more ferocity with each strike. Fulvius fought to remain standing on his feet.
As he sought to parry yet another strike, Kertan's claws changed direction in midair. Almost too fast for Fulvius to see, the claws sliced through his right wrist, severing tendons and slicing through bone with ease. The power field surrounding the claws cauterized his wound, and Fulvius stared in mute horror at the bloodless stump of his right forearm. He turned his gaze to the gauntleted hand on the ground, still clutching his power sword. Fulvius staggered backward like a drunken man.
Too late, he looked back up at Kertan. The Callaran's claws angled toward him, cut through his neck with even more ease than his wrist.
The headless body of Ultramarine Brother-Sergeant Fulvius fell to the ground, hitting the earth with a loud thud.
* * *
Kertan Serkanai looked at the headless form of his opponent. The Ultramarine Fulvius had fought well, but not well enough. Giving the body a last look, he bowed to his opponent's remains in respect, honouring his fallen foe, and turned away from the scene of carnage.
"Power down Korinai," he spoke into his helmet. The weapon's light blue glow faded away, leaving only the dull metallic silver of the claws.
With a quick look around, Kertan discovered that no Marine had survived his attacks. He spoke into his helmet again. "Infrared vision, noting anything mansized and of moderate to high temperature." His helmet indicated that it noticed nothing unusual, and neither did he. "Normal vision," he said. "Deactivate heads-up display." Teh helmet reverted to normal viewing mode and its HUD disappeared.
Kertan removed his helmet and clipped it to his belt. He then retracted his Korinai's blades. Kertan took off his Korinai and placed it in his largest belt pouch. With one last look around, he began to jog in the direction that the Marines were retreating.
After twenty minutes of jogging at a steady pace, Kertan approached the edge of the jungle. Silently and cautiously he glanced out toward a towering Imperial fortress. One Space Marine stood guard, holding his boltgun in a ready position. No other guards could be seen.
Kertan moved around the edge of the forest, positioning himself approximately ten meters from the Marine guard. He then silently jogged up to the Marine's side. A moment's thoughts, and then he tapped the Marine on the shoulder.
* * *
Brother Leviticus turned, startled, to see a two-meter tall man standing in front of him. The man was dressed in obsidian-black armour from his neck down, but his head was visible. As he looked at the man, Leviticus noticed slightly pointed ears, and eyes the colour of molten lava. Hurriedly he brought his bolter to bear on the man.
"Peace, friend," the strange man said, making a gesture of calmness and peace by spreading his hands out in front of him.
"Who are you?" Leviticus asked. "State your name and your business here."
Surprisingly, the man in front of Leviticus smiled. "I am Kertan Serkanai, Warrior of the Callaran Empire. I seek a ship to take me from this planet."
Leviticus looked at the Callaran, wondering what to do. Confused, he did the only thing he could think of at the moment. "The ships are in the rear of the fortrss, Sector 78-A."
The Callaran smiled and said, "Thank you. Now, if you'll please let me though?" The Callaran began to move around Leviticus. Leviticus moved to block him.
"Where do you think you're going?" Leviticus asked.
"Sector 78-A. Now, please, let me pass," the Callaran said.
"If you think I'm gonna' let you though just because you asked, you-" Leviticus was cut off as a hand too fast for his eyes to see swung around from the Callaran's right side and grabbed his neck. In one solid, fluid motion, his neck was snapped and his spinal cord disconnected.
Leviticus saw his body fall to the ground, yet he did not feel it. He had no feeling below his neck, only his head. He heard the clatter of his boltgun hitting the concrete ground.
"Apologies, friend," the Callaran said as it looked down at him. The Callaran put on an obsidian-black helmet, and then moved from his sight.
Leviticus stared at the stars as the last of his life drained away. His last thought, before everything went black around him, was, Well, it wasn't a meteorite after all.......
* * *
Kertan spoke into his helmet and gave it commands to activate the built-in HUD yet again. He then glanced at the fortress doors. "Analyze material and thickness," he said. The HUD displayed the results of its scan:
Adamantite, 1.5 meters.
Kertan then looked up at the fortress walls. "Analyze height and thickness."
15 meters, 3 meters.
Perfect, Kertan thought. "Leg joints strengthen; extended leap. Height of leap 17 meters. Length of leap 0.9 meters." The helmet beeped confirmation.
Kertan crouched down, then sprang into the air. He landed on the fortress walls with a muffled thud, and then looked around. "Leg joints normal," he said into his helmet.
As Kertan examined his surroundings, he noted many slate-grey buildings, with markings noting each of them. He glanced around, trying to find Sector 78-A and the ships within that sector. After a few minutes of searching, he found the sector of the base.
As he prepared to make his run across the rooftops to Sector 78-A, Kertan noticed a searchlight turning in his direction. As the searchlight neared, Kertan began to run.
Kertan leaped from flat rooftop to flat rooftop, searching for a spot to hide from the searchlight. As the searchlight began to gain on him, he spotted a rooftop about sixteen meters away from him with many stacked crates piled on it.
Kertan ran with more speed as he raced the searchlight. The distance closed between him and the light as he neared the desired rooftop. With one final leap, Kertan jumped to the covered building. Hre was in the air for two long seconds, and then with a clack and a thunk he was rolling along on the target rooftop. He rolled behind a large crate, just as the searchlight passed and illuminated the crate he was hiding behind. The searchlight passed on, illuminating other rooftops, and Kertan let out a short sigh of relief.
After making sure that the momentary danger was over, Kertan began to run toward Sector 78-A once more. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, running silently. He glanced around as he ran, making certain that no one had noticed him. As he reached Sector 78-A, he slowed down. He stopped completely as reached the edge of the rooftop nearest Sector 78-A's landing field.
Kertan crouched low as he scanned the perimeter of the landing field. He noted five Imperial Space Marines standing in separate areas as guards. Kertan wished that he had not used all of his Denvitai blades, they might have come in handy in this situation. Instead, he had to use his Karunai.
Kertan pulled out his Karunai, slowly powered it up. After it reached fulled power, Kertan quickly fired a shot at each of the Space Marine guards. Five blue-white balls of electricity flew through the air, then impacted five Space Marines. The Marines' powered armour seized in place, leaving each Marine frozen in his death throes as he thrashed about in agony.
Kertan leaped off the building rooftop, running toward a close small Imperial shuttle. Glancing around, he saw a technician pulling out a laspistol and trying to aim it at him. He fired a shot at the tech, watched as it hit the man. The tech began to scream in agony, but he was cut short as his brain's electric impulses overloaded and burned his brain cells. The man's body writhed and twisted as the electricity played over his body, flash-frying his nerves and burning his skin. Sinally the man dropped to the ground, still twitching as his brain destroyed itself from the inside out.
As Kertan reached a shuttle and ran inside, he heard an alarm begin to sound in the fortress. He ran through the ship toward the cockpit, and when he reached it he tossed his Karunai into the copilot's chair as he seated himself in the pilot's seat.
Kertan frantically began pushing controls to begin the shuttle's start-up sequence. The shuttle had just beeped confirmation for ready to take-off when a full three squads of Imperial Space Marines poured out of the alleyways and buildings of the fortress. He barely had time to get the shuttle into the air when thirty boltguns opened fire on the shuttle.
Kertan lifted the shuttle nine meters off the ground. The constant metallic chattering of the boltshells ricocheting off the armour made Kertan uncertain of the wisdom of his choice. But as he raised the shuttle's shields, the chattering noise died away. It was replaced by the hissing sound of rapid fire splashing against the shuttle's shields and being absorbed by the giant energy bubble.
Kertan quickly found the thrust controls and, pointing the shuttle's rear at the ground, fired up the engines at full thrust. The shuttle shot away from the ground, leaving a scorched landing pad and a half-dozen burning Marines in its wake.
As the shuttle pulled away from the planet, Kertan stared into the sky. "Activate star recognition," he said into his helmet. Names and numbers for each ofthe stars in front of him appeared on his helmet's heads-up display. Glancing around, he picked the nearset friendly system - Denebar.
With one last glance at the planet behind him, Kertan Serkanai offered a prayer to Erritekan, Callaran God of the Stars. Pulling a lever, Kertan watched as his shuttle escaped into Warp space, leaving behind the planet Filvian VIII.
The End?