[Epic] Fiction: Dan Bane IV

From: Thomas Lee Denney <seether_at_...>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 20:51:59 -0500

Since there seems to be an interest in sharing fiction on the list at the
moment, I thought I would share what little bit of a story i have written
with you guys. I began writing the story around three characters. As such
I wanted the chapters to switch back and forth from one character to
another. I only have the first three chapters written. It's not much, but
I thought maybe some of you would enjoy it. Hopefully you wont be asking
mr for the rest anytime soon as it's taken me two years just to produce
this much. Hopefully I will get some inspiration from you guys.


________________________________________

Operation: Desert Sweep stop
Top Secret: Security Code #12bd9650/RED- Dark Angels stop
Region: Dan BaneIV stop
Condition: RED stop
Concern: Hostile invasion or revolt is in progress putting citizens and
planet resources in danger stop
Situation: Scheduled Inquisition inspection of planet stop
Audit proceeding as normal until communication lost with fuel station stop
Inquisition sent investigation team to confirm stop
Team made initial report of assault, death, and destruction stop
All killed and accounted for stop
No prisoners taken stop
No survivors stop
Attackers unknown stop
This was the last report received from team stop
After 24hrs. check-in no contact was made with the team stop
Inquisitor Japhy ordered immediate offensive to take and hold outpost and
clear a perimeter by planet defense troops stop
This action was successful with no resistance stop
Your attention to matter is requested immediately stop
Expeditionary force to transport via Warpship A.S.A.P. to Dan BaneIV stop
Rest of chapter will transport via normal space to arrive within 30 days stop
Expeditionary force will rendezvous with Imperial Guard 341st Regiment stop
Inquisitor Japhy will coordinate all OP�s stop

Good Luck!
Transmission: Closed



        The titan hangers are always the quietest places on the ships during the
long rides through Warp space. Always dark, always cold. A thin sheet of
ice forms on everything. The hangers are enormous. The main ones each hold
ten Warlord class titans, while the sub-hangers hold between fifteen of the
smaller Reavers, and twenty of the even smaller Warhounds.
        The large war machines loomed like stoic, iconic statues of gods, long
forgotten, waiting to be awoke for their one purpose�destruction! It would
be like squashing a rat under ones foot if one of them ever stepped on
Japhy. Bristling with the most powerful weapons of destruction the
Imperium can build for the battlefield, being stepped on would be merciful.
        The hangers are Japhy�s private chapel for meditation. The other chapels
on board are always filled with warriors mentally preparing themselves for
anticipated confrontation. For one reason or another, Japhy always found
himself looking around the chapel at the noble warriors, and not
concentrating on his meditations. He imagined each of their stories of
battle and what it must be like to live with that every day, eternal war.
Japhy, himself, fighting alongside and leading the mighty Adeptus Astartes,
had only been involved with the cleansing of two planets. He knew this
would be the third when it was all over.
        Just then a loud crackle of static echoed through the hanger as the ships
captain paged Japhy. "Japhy here!"
        "Sir, squads one and two are about to disembark. Would you like to see a
live feed of the securing of the landing zone?"
        "Yes, patch it through to my visor."
        Japhy reached under his robe and lifted a strange visor of sorts, to his
eyes, placing them on a three-dimensional world came alive in front of him.
 He had a perfect view from the nose of the Thunderhawk as it entered the
atmosphere of Dan Bane IV.

__________________________________


        Brother Cleo finished activating all of the systems in the suit of
Dreadnought armor. As he did so he could feel the A.E.I., Automated
Epinephrine Injector, prescribe it�s dosage. Another of the systems built
into the Terminator suit was a blood pressure monitor. If the blood
pressure of the marine in the suit was below the monitors setting the
A.E.I. would correct it. Cleo had modified his without the knowledge of
the chapter�s armorer. His injected three times the original prescription.
        By doing this he had, over a period of time, transformed himself into a
killing monster. Cleo had accumulated the most confirmed kills in the
shortest amount of time for his squad. In downtime his rage level was that
of a normal marine�s after an A.E.I. injection.
        Placing his helmet on, his entire world fell into a fluorescent blue field
of vision. In his peripheral vision to either side, four video monitors
came online, each one with the view from the helmets of his battle
brothers. He could now see everything they saw, and likewise they could
see everything Cleo saw.
        Cleo felt the Thunderhawk jerk a bit, which meant they were entering the
atmosphere of the planet. In 40 seconds they would be unloading and
securing a perimeter. My the Emperor help the souls that may be waiting
there to offer any resistance. This drop would make 150 in his short
tenure in the Deathwing. The ship shuddered more, as the landing gear
began to drop down. A yellow light near the loading ramp went on signaling
for the Marines to get ready to unload. They all lined up with Cleo in the
front. Activating his assault cannon, the compartment became drowned with
the loud whirling noise it made as the barrels spun around one another.
Within seconds the ramp fell and a blinding light came through the opening.
 Faster then his eyes could adjust, Cleo�s visor had compensated and tinted
itself. After a quick look he moved forward, down the ramp and onto the
soft sand. He traced the cannon from side to side, waiting for a target to
appear. Ahead of him was the structure they were briefed on.
        Although it had only been a few seconds, Cleo�s brothers had unloaded and
the Thunderhawk was already airborne in a large swirl of red sand.
Swinging away from the ground it sailed up as fast as it could to take-up a
support position if the Marines on the ground needed it. A second
Thunderhawk dropped to the spot where the first one had landed. Seconds
later Squad Two had unloaded and taken-up positions to cover Squad One, and
now two Thunderhawks were soaring in the skies above.
        Cleo strode through the sand towards the entrance of the building, which
was about 100 meters ahead�

_________________________________

        Commissar Mobius�s fist slammed into the screen of the table-top halo-map.
 A thin line of blood began to trickle from the cracks in his dry knuckles.
 Years of living on a desert were taking their toll on his appearance.
Mobius looked up at Lieutenant Arnold with a glare of misunderstanding. He
reached out with his now bloody hand for the Lieutenant to come closer. As
he did so, Mobius slide his palm around the back of the Lieutenants neck
and pulled his face to Mobius�s.
        "Let me understand you correctly. After killing everyone in your Platoon,
they let you go?" The Lieutenant motioned his head up and down. "I see",
said Mobius as he looked away and his head gestured up and down in unison
with the Lieutenants. Slowly Mobius�s thumb began to slither forward along
the Lieutenants neck, all the way to the front till it came to rest on his
Adams Apple. Lieutenant Arnold�s eyes began to widen as he felt the
pressure begin to be applied to his throat.
        As Mobius began to slowly press harder, he turned to watch the Lieutenant
rasping for air. Suddenly, and without hesitation, Mobius pushed his thumb
into the Lieutenants throat. With only a slight gargling noise, Lieutenant
Arnold fell to the floor holding his throat. He desperately pushed on the
sides of his neck in a veined attempt to pop the airway back open. As the
blood rushed to his face it turned his skin a bright red with hints of blue.
Mobius�s face slowly began to show signs of a slight smile as he watched
the Lieutenant wiggle and thrush about on the floor. Blood began to fill
his mouth and drip from the corners. Mobius leaned down to the Lieutenant
and whispered slowly in a deep voice, "I pity your foolishness and for that
I will release you from your pain now." Standing upright, Mobius drew in a
deep breath of air, and in another second he picked his foot up. He
brought it down on the Lieutenants head with so much force the Lieutenants
eyes popped out of their sockets. The sound was loud. Blood splattered
everywhere.
"Get someone in here to clean this shit off my floor, and the walls too,
for that matter!" Commissar Mobius turned to the cloaked figure standing
in the corner of his dark chamber. "When will your men be able to report
back as to the location of the rebels base of operations?"
"I�ll know before twilight. I have two squads of Dark Angels Deathwing
members securing an old bunker complex one sector from their last know
position." The figure moved toward the halo-map and activated it�s
display. Touching another button, a virtual keyboard illuminated in the
air right in front of him. With lightning speed he used one hand to type
out a communiqu� and had it sent before Mobius could even begin to read the
first line.
Received on Sat Jul 19 1997 - 01:51:59 UTC