[Epic] More of Kelly's fluff (LONG !) LAST batch

From: Oki Purwanto <oki_at_...>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 09:21:06 +0800

Without much further ado......

This is the last installment, do read part ix and x first - I just send it
over 5 min. ago.

Regards
Oki



"Insurrection"
Part XI

   "The Eldar are a far-seeing race, and forever they watch the tides of the
future. Ordinarily they do little to intervene, but when larger events begin
to transpire they can be quick to lend assistance. Or resistance, as the
case may be. They do not care about anything other than how it impacts
themselves, and for that they are a selfish people. But when your aims and
theirs intersect, they are a generous ally.
   "They have foreseen a time of great upheaval in their lives, caused by
humanity. This, they are accustomed to, for to them humanity is but a child
with dangerous toys. But amidst this upheaval they began to see their own
destruction, and so they set out to counteract it before it began." Gideon
paused, armored fingers clasping at empty air in search of words. "That is
why they are here, on Mraba IV."
   Ezekial made as though to interrupt, but Gideon pressed on. "I know, you
think they are here to stop the Imperium from reclaiming this world. And in
one sense they are, for the knowledge contained on this planet would greatly
strengthen Man, and consequently weaken them. But that is only a side
benefit, a 'bonus' if you will.
   "They are truly here to stop the capture, however accidentally, of one
man. This man, and what he represents in their future-sight, is the sole
reason that they die in droves beneath your guns. In him they have foreseen a
bypass to their destruction, or at least a lessening of the chance of it
occurring. If he dies, then to them all is lost. They would rather all die
now than to submit to the end Fate would give them."
   "Is it you?" Ezekial asked.
   Gideon laughed with surprise. "No, it is not I they seek to protect. They
would, perhaps, not kill me right away, but they will not die for me.
   "There are others like me, already here on Mraba IV. Most have made their
ways here over years of secretive travel, and many have been stranded here
much longer than I, waiting for the rest to arrive. We chose this planet
because it was isolated by the storms, and would make a secure redezvous
point; how could we know that those eon-lasting warp storms would abate
almost at the same time as his arrival."
   Gideon stopped short, manner suddenly fully attentive. "What was that
noise?"
   Ezekial, wrapped up in the story, had heard nothing. Attuning his hearing
to a more sensitive pitch, he listened closely. After several long moments,
both men shook their heads. "It was nothing. Perhaps the Eldar have gained
entrance," he said. "My wounds weaken me. Finish your tale. Then we shall
return to the main hall."
   "Very well then." Gathering his thoughts, Gideon resumed speaking. "I
fully believe that the gods of Chaos somehow removed the blockade of warp
surrounding this planet. Things are coming to a head, and they know it. They
fear this man's arrival as much as the Eldar wish to allow it. So they
permitted the Imperium to rediscover Mraba and hoped you would react as you
have, by sending in enormous forces to secure it. The warp gods want the
destruction of the Eldar to be brought on by this man's death, and fear the
coming stillness his survival will bring. Do you understand me?"
   "The Eldar saw the Chaos gods lessening the warp storms so that the
Imperium would find this man you speak of," Ezekial replied, "and if he is
found they will die. So they have come here to prevent his being found."
   "Yes! If he lives, Mankind will prosper as it has not done since the Great
Crusade! If he dies, so will the Eldar, and Chaos will reign supreme. Rank
blackness will engulf the universe, and no one and nothing will stand before
it. This is the man I have come here to meet. I, and others like me, seek to
join his cause."
   "On what basis? Only that the selfish Eldar do not wish him to fall into
men's hands? Or that, coincidentally, the warp abates now around the planet?
Worlds are found and lost each day as the warp tides shift and flow! How can
you risk your soul on such flimsy evidence?"
   "Because," Gideon answered slowly, "I knew him before. He was once a Dark
Angel just as we are, from the time of the Emperor, just as I am. I served
shoulder to shoulder with him in hundreds -- nay, thousands -- of campaigns!
He is branded as heretic just as I am, but I know he is as loyal to the
Emperor as I am. He carries a fierce weapon from the early days of our
Chapter, straight from the hands of Lion himself. I am sure of it, though he
has never drawn it from its scabbard to my knowledge. He will be the means of
our salvation. His is the plan we shall follow. The glory of our Emperor will
be restored, Zeke, and we shall be there to witness it!"
   Ezekial was willing to accept anything Gideon said now, but his curiosity
still held sway over him. "But... who is he? What is his name?"
   "His name is forgotten, lost in the mists of time. It no longer matters,"
the other replied. "Now he has a new name, one that tells who he is without
revealing anything: Cypher."
   If Gideon had hoped for a response from the younger man, he was
disappointed. Ezekial had not served with the Dark Angels long enough to be
inducted into any of the inner Circles of knowledge, and consequently had not
heard the truth of the Fallen. Cypher was the most feared and despised of the
Fallen, and as such his name was whispered only in the most secret conclaves.
A mere Sergeant could not be expected to know anything of the dark shame that
rode the Chapter like a hag. Instead, he simply shrugged his shoulders, and
said, "How will we find him now?"
   Gideon was still wrapped up in the picture he had painted, but quickly
shook himself back to awareness. Looking around, he started gathering up the
dead Marines' weapons, and handed Ezekial back his helmet. The black-armored
man's own helmet was already in his hands, as he prepared to replace it.
   "First, we must stop the Eldar from killing your Guardsmen, and stop your
Guardsmen from killing more Eldar," he answered. "Then we will send the
Stirkans deeper into this fortress where they will wait in ignorance of all
that has transpired. You see, Zeke, I do not wish for the killing of
innocents. Just do not show me any more zealots, and we will be fine."
   With a trace of wry humor, he placed his arm around the wounded Sergeant
to help support him. Ezekial, more weakened by his wounds than he realized,
leaned heavily against his friend. Together, they began making their way back
to the entrance of the City of Might. They continued speaking as they walked,
talking of lesser things. Their attention distracted, they did not see the
grenade until it landed at their feet.
   In the instant before it exploded, a thousand thoughts rushed through
their minds. They tried to throw themselves away from it, but their entangled
bodies prevented them from escaping. It exploded with a thunderous noise,
showering their unprotected heads with murderous shrapnel. Still supporting
each other, they died.
   The blast echoed up and down the corridors for several long seconds,
reverberating deeper each time. As the last sound ebbed away, a hobbling
figure moved next to the two still forms. Interrogator-Chaplain Vicconius had
been gravely wounded by this Fallen Marine called Gideon, but he had not
died. Unconscious, bleeding profusely, he had lain exposed to the killing
blow, and the heretic, no doubt thinking him already dead, had not finished
him off. Eventually he had awakened, and, seeing his soldiers strewn around
him, had started walking, not knowing which way he was headed.
   The sounds of fighting, and then of voices, had stopped him before he had
revealed himself. His heart had broken then as he listened to his favored
Sergeant turn from the love of the Chapter at the honeyed words of the
renegade Dark Angel. He reprimanded himself for not being stronger with
Ezekial sooner, but he did not blame himself for the other's failure. A Dark
Angel was a Dark Angel only so long as he followed the Chapter's teachings.
There was no middle ground for the Fallen, and by renouncing the Chapter and
voluntarily listening to Gideon, Ezekial had become a Fallen. For such
insurrection, death would come before redemption for the Sergeant; Vicconius
would not waste his time seeking his confessions. For Gideon... let him count
himself fortunate that the Interrogator-Chaplain was too wounded to subdue
both men; he would die with his corrupted companion, cleanly and quickly,
which was surely more than either deserved. The heretic was accounted for,
that was what truly mattered. This time, there was no other way.
   Vicconius was fortunate that they had spoken of Cypher before they began
walking towards him, towards the entrance. Otherwise he would not have known
of the hated enemy's presence on this world. His brother Chaplains would be
pleased to find their nemesis so near to capture, after all this time. The
Interrogator-Chaplain's thoughts were already on his next steps, on how he
could convey his knowledge to his surviving Chapter, as he threw the grenade
at Ezekial and Gideon. Then he turned and walked away, back up to the main
room of the City of Might.

THE END


(c) Copyright 1997 by Kelly C. L'Roy. Many terms used in this story (such as
Space Marine, Eldar, and others) are Trademarks of Games Workshop, Inc. Their
use here is not intended as a challenge to said trademarks. I couldn't have
written the story without using them so please don't sue me! Also you may
distribute this story by any means, so long as you receive prior permission
from, and due credit is given to, the author. And if you do put it up
somewhere, please let me know, just so I know someone liked it out there.
<Kelly.L'Roy_at_...>
Received on Mon Jul 14 1997 - 01:21:06 UTC