Ash and Haze - 40K - The dream within a man's distant uncertainty

The endless fields of golden daffodils, tulips, white lily, and sunflowers were stretching over the gently rolling hills and into distant horizon. It was a sea of colors in which the slightest breeze creates swaying ripple through out the ocean. Despite not being here before, he knew it's name. Shoenfeld engel. It was unlike any world in the imperium. In this place there were no signs of industrialization. There is no relevance to where it was located in the wider universe or the grand scheme of things. This place had no fear of the wider universe at large. The great beasts of the cosmos didn't stalk this place. Despite the serenity the golden age, it didn't suffer the same threat of being twisted by the knowledge of the warp. It was like the earth of the twenty-first century. Blissfully unaware of the danger.

A woman was standing on the horizon. This woman was petite, not muscular besides her arms. It was evident from her rough hands and dirt under her nails that she was a farm hand toiling under the midday sun. A small timber log cottage is behind her. It's a three room cottage consisting of two bedrooms and a main living area. Around the back is a shutter and two in the front.

A man stood on deepening distance between them. His skin was just a few shades from olive. The man looks down at his hands as if looking for something. Something was missing. The man clearly had no idea what though. Ignoring the itching in his brain, he heads for the woman. The beautiful cloudless day is beating down on him bringing out the rosiness of his skin. Crossing the fields carefully to not damage the flowers, he runs up and scoops her up in his arms ...

"Get the fuck up Franz. We're going to be late." The voice was angry and overbearing.

Franz slaps the man looming over him mocking him like an alarm clock. "Relax, Haig" Franz soothes. He sits up. "I don't see heresy here. Just a very tired captain. Liable to throw you out a airlock." A pair of combat fatigues hit him in the face.

"Sydney called a briefing at 8:00 sharp. Haig says taking an annoyed posturing.

"Not as sharp as the icy edge of Sydney's tongue. It's deliciously barbed.'

Haig gives a "tisk tisk" in disapproval. "Don't let him hear you. The giant will snap you like a twig." He was right. Even by the extremes of Astartes, Sydney was enormous. Franz grabs his crumbled garbs and throws them on. All the while eyeing Haig who was pacing by the door. Between pant legs, he jest, "Watch it, if you burn a hole through the deck plating the Mechanicus will have your head." Haig shutters.

"You know I don't trust those guys."

"Then I would stop pacing unless you want them paying a permanent visit." He says passing him. "Coming?" He hollers from the corridor. Haig run after him. They both head for the meeting.

Franz and Haig stepped into the cavernous squad meeting room taking note that only the senior staff and people in leadership positions were present. The chapter master wasn't strangely late. This annoyed him to no end just gotten off of a three week extended tour and hadn't gotten any sleep in the last couple of weeks. Those weeks felt like millenniums. So what was the chapter master's excuse, he mused. It's probably a lack luster excuse at that. There was a shaking like the ship was under fire, except nobody reacted. It just meant that the chapter master was here.

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"This better be important," Franz says annoyed.

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"I thought you would like to know about our next mission," his chapter master says singling Franz out. "But thanks for join us Franz." With his broad, commanding forehead, wide mouth, piercing light blue-almost grey eyes, the chapter master of the 31'st chapter of blood angels, Sydney, was startling to behold. Thanks to a geen-seed malfunction he not only towered over his brethren, but lumbered about. But this had little to do with his ascension through the ranks. No it was his aptitude with tactics.

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"We were given single missing," roared the chapter master slamming his monstrous fist.

The marines attending barked back, "Death to chaos. For the Emperor."

"Septimundus is asking for our help. A black crusade is under full swing. The imperial commander had lost control of the planet after a six weeks siege. The battle wage for six straight month. The balance of power had change rapidly. Then the ultramarines made war like Sanguinius drinks blood and wine. But they too fell silent."

Another marine with a deep scar running down his badly burned right cheek, speaks up, "So are we going to relieve them?" His tone was disapproving.

Sydney showed three images in a sequence, a grim, dooms day triptych. The first was an image of a great battlefield being held by the imperial guard. Thirty kilometers south of a established military line that consisted of cement bunkers, machine gun nest, trenches and dugouts. Three stylized commissars were leading the defense against the slithering horde of demons. The next image showed a commissars in the back, standing up on a fortification over looking the imperial defenses binoculars in hand.

"Where is this planet?" Franz asked already disinterested.

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"The Septum Ultima system." Now he was really disinterested.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQZYLtejK1

Sydney must have caught on because he gave a smirk saying, "We boring the great Franz Joseph? The pillager of Xeon , destroyer of the Necron dynasty of the Grotesque Suns, burner of the great ork warboss Go-Guts'em."337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVlYiZab4u

Franz felt his cheeks flush. This attention wasn't warranted or wanted. In a quick attempt to deflect his chapter master attention, he says, "It's a bit too easy for us. Besides, that's the Ultra marines' territory. That's on the other side of the galaxy, way out of our jurisdiction. There has got to be another chapter closer than us." He protests.

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"All of them are currently preoccupied with other conflicts; including are annoying blue brethren. Who are out there setting a dangerous precedent on what suicidal mission we will take. Besides, special orders from above, Terra."

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"So the imperial guard, are they all dead?" Franz stared at the images taking in every detail. What did some far flung battle in the outer reaches have to do with him or the Blood Ravens.

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Sydney looks at him with a unreadable expression, but Franz was used it by now. His master's words held hidden emotions between the syllables. "The last we heard the imperial guard had the situation under controls. Then no word, no nothing, just silence. This is the last image we received from orbiting satellites." The third image was hauntingly familiar. It showed an explosion - a green-tinted blast with a mushroom cloud hanging over it, a pulsing wave of energy radiated from the center destroying everyone and everything.

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"Who authorized nukes?" Franz asks.

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Sydney shakes his head as a confirming answer. "No one."

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"If no one authorized it. Maybe the chaos invaders brought it with them?" It was spoken by the marine sitting across from him. He recognized him as Edward Garrth. The man was the same height as him, good eight feet tall without armor, but had a few inches on him. Unlike the rest of the attending marines, besides maybe Lucian Marshal, he was dark skin. not normal black either. Pebble like protrusions could be seen across his coal black skin. Most people thought he looked like some horned lizard. People always made it out like the gene-seeds would make you near perfect. Garrth proved otherwise.

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"Could've been chaos, it did register as an older style of nuclear weapon. But the exact information is missing, but when has chaos used nukes?"

The scarred marine added with a snort, "they prefer up close."

"Were there any survivors? What of 21'st and 31'st imperial guard regiments? What of the original company of Ultra marines?"

"Dead," Sydney's tone was grim. Despite trying to hide his grief, it leaked through. "Along with nearly two million civilians and non military personal, reinforcements consisting of a full strength company of conscripts, and two penal legions. All data from the blast has been lost and the E.M.P. destroyed at least three satellites. The rest were destroyed deliberately. That's were we come in. The 31'st Chapter of Blood Ravens' monastery and battle barge, Tear's-of-the-Knight, will be entering high anchor over the the planet Septimundus with a full complement of imperial naval officers, a regiment of imperial guard from our home-world, clergy men, and a chapter of Blood Ravens. Enough men and equipment to reconquer the planet for the Imperium Of Man. Though this is a investigation."

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"Sounds like a bad run ..."

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"It is," Sydney affirmed him. "But what mission isn't for the Astartes? We're not given the easy missions. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have joined the Blood Raven."

Haig took this moment to get a laugh in and Sydney did nothing to stop it. Soon the entire senior staff is joining in the revelry. Franz felt one of the blood vessel in his temple about to burst. The man's lip was trembling and it was all he could do not to hit someone, namely his friend who started it. When the room finally quieten down, Sydney finished giving out the orders. "We've already changed course. You have two weeks to seek the emperor's favor and commence the blood letting ritual. Dismissed." The chapter master waste no time in leaving which he found odd. he joins the other leaving the meeting room, but stops Haig in the hallway.

"I know your new to the chapter, just arriving from our founding chapter, the blood angles. Though many of our rituals have changed, many things stayed the same; including are blood thirsty nature and blood letting rituals."

"I know -,"

"Just making sure your fitting in." Franz had raised a hand to silence him. "Our forces are depleted, speculation is abound that we've become heretical. We're lucky the Blood Angel will still associate with us. We need young men like you." The rest of the journey continued and eventual concluded. Now over Septimundus the mission began ...

"Septimundus ... a dead world forgotten before it was even dead." - memoir of Franz.

The Knight's newest captain, Ernest Lawrence, was a veteran of thirty campaigns; not all of them successful. Intending to make the first mission with this ship and the last voyage of his career, a successful one. Sven had been the previous captain for the last nineteen years, bringing glory to the ship. But the previous captain died unceremoniously without honor from a fever during the slaughter of Xeon from injuries sustained during the battle for the capital. Widely loved and respected, nobody wanted to take his place. With a position nobody wanted but everyone needed, the brotherhood of Adeptus Astartes was forced to elect someone. But they wanted someone trusted by everyone and with no hidden motivations. Ernest, approaching his late 60's, didn't have the heart to tell them he was retiring. It hurt his heart to know that this colorless bland world would be last thing he would see. The surface wasn't even visible from the amount of ash in the stratosphere. "Life signs," Ernest ordered.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDHwnynl54

"We can't get a fixed reading," one of the crew members replied. "To much interference from the nuclear blast."

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"Franz, you ready to make planet fall?" He heard a confirmation over the radio.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSN9OM9kn4

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Streaks lit up the starless Septimundus sky, like distant cannon fire, and explosion on the ice could be heard from a distance. The pods crash to earth in massive eruption of dirt and ash. Franz eyes crested the horizon seeing only the ash haze in the distance and twisted charred landscape. The Geiger counter in his suit beeped and chirped, the radiation was easily in lethal doses. The only reprieve or protection was the tight claustrophobic confines of his suit. He had to take every step in a slow deliberate manner. The journey would take several hours.

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On the scout mission he found where the capital was suppose to be, key word being suppose too. The path directly ahead of him was abruptly cutoff by a four-thousand-foot sheer drop; the ground had been deeply split into a massive chasm. The sensible route was to go around the chasm and up the steep incline on the other side. If he was an experts on jump-packs, he could traverse across. The reckless way to conquer the single most hazardous site was to go onto the ice alone, stake out a point at the base of the chasm and start your ascent. In this type of ascent, anyone who became trapped by the ice slide from the burners, buried by avalanche, or swallowed by a crevice that had opened and then closed without warning would likely remain frozen in the perpetual nuclear winter. There was no way of getting across from here. His mission was over.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaZsZjhEix
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Though from the vantage point, he could see the first signs of civilization in the distant horizon. Where what parts of hive-city not swallowed by chasm caressed the sky. The buildings were partially buried in ash. He took a long distance video scans to be analyzed later. What the video revealed is that for the imperial citizens of Septimundus, everyday life had been cut short. "This is Franz, there's nothing alive down here. There's barely any evidence of what happened here. Requesting immediate pick up," he ordered. His voice reverberating across the ice face.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxZ9ASWjSq
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There was a reply back, "We're receiving you. No way around?"337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgS1FTmo4P
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"No way."

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"We're not taking you across. We're sending immediate pick up. Meet me in the meeting hall. All staff is required." What in the world is going on he wonders.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7FrHdRaZU

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The Thunder-Hawk swung by, it's cargo bay door's opened like a gaping maw. It was a protecting bosom to him, nestling him away from fridge winter.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUzOZanT9q
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Back on board, he follows the executive officer's directions. He unlocks the door to the conference room and steps inside. He was surprised not to see Sydney in the conference room. Instead he estimated thirty to forty other Imperium officers were seated in an unbalanced circle around the massive hand carved oak table. Franz divided them into three groups - military, of which he was one. Your standard variety general and higher command echelon. These people were good at getting people killed but very bad at actually killing people. Scientist, who were sent to study the planet and decide what had happen. Finally, roughnecks; the naval officers, techpriests, and the ship's captain who wasn't present either.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERTzQfdT2S

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"That some pretty fancy gear were bringing for a scout run," one of naval officer says jokingly. "Wonder why?"

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"Well," Albert Harri says like he was about to give a presentation. The man had the look of a tech priest, from the augmented limbs to the robes."We have a sophisticated chimera sent straight from mars. It's equipped with a thermal exchange, filtration system for use in highly irradiated environments. Also E.M.P. resistant."337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6QhyM1gHI

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The naval officer raised a finger, "Don't tell me... techpriest."

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"Warrant officer for supply requisition and the armory." Albert snapped back.

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"Didn't know they would let such a low ranking officer attend meetings," the naval officer said with a snort and giving a disapproving look.

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"Well when your down there and you don't have your proper equipment or your gun stops working, don't come crying to me."

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Sydney came hulking in a moment later. The man's physical deformity had an immediate unsettling effect on the attending officers, most had to avert their eyes. As an experienced leader of men, Sydney could feel their discomfort, the tension rippling through the room, like a pebble dropped into a lake. This didn't stop the two arguing members. He put up a hand to break up the argument.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif7Ols86dJ
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Forging such a diverse group into a functional and efficient team would be a challenge. While it was true that some of the heighten emotions were due to the uncertainty about why they'd been brought here and what was expected of them, most of it was from being so far from home. But once these people were made aware of significance of their mission, uncertainty would be replace with dedication to their duty.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhawvGDL9kE

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"Everybody, please, your attention," Sydney announced into the microphone. His amplified voice reverberated hollowly in the cavernous space. "Most of you already know me, and I know all of you, by reputation, if not yet personally. My name is Sydney and We've been brought here ..."

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Suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder. Sydney turned. "Captain Ernest," he said, surprised.

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"Thank you, Sydney. I'll take it from here," Ernest says taking center stage, all eyes fell upon him. "Two weeks ago a tax dispute turned deadly. Open revolt across the planet. I have to stress that this had nothing to do with chaos. Chaos worshiper used the turmoil as a distraction to infiltrate the planet and gain a foot hold. It's too bad for chaos that neither the rebels nor the official government liked chaos. After a horribly long siege, the imperial had gain control of the situation. Then the catastrophic event happened, suddenly without warning. Franz, tell me what's it like down there."

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"Real cluster fuck, radiation storms, 1000 rad in both the gamma and alpha spectrum types. Suits can barely handle it. You can forget sending down the guardsmen. Preliminary reports shows people were caught more or less off guard. There was no attempt to evacuate the planet. It was quick, sudden, and brutal."337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pppIRJkRq
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"Here's what you don't know, we're getting movement down there, lots of movement."337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lwaeRNiMP

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"... Chaos certainly had the ability to survive the radiation. Especially if it's worshipers of nurgle." Franz interrupted.337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiK0y9SffIG

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Waiting patiently for the murmurs of surprise to fade, Ernest twirls his ceremonial sword. "The movement is not coming from where you expect it. But we're not here to discuss that." The lights in the room dimmed, and a digital projection illuminated a large holographic map. "Since are arrival, our ship has detected a heat bloom beneath the earth outlined in this-"337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9UY9ZiL0B
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The square of white light was replaced with a hazy hologram, red-and-yellow-hued. Outline in the yellow on blood red is a black and burnt-orange background, a encircling interlocking pattern of shapes were clearly visible. "This is a thermal image." Ernest Continued. "The red circles indicated solid walls. The orange, solid rock. My experts tell me it's a pyramid, and you know the only race that builds pyramids."

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"What caused the heat bloom?" Asked Franz.

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"We're not sure if the nuclear blast awakened them or was a last ditch attempt to stop them. We know the energy reading is coming from the pyramid. The planetary survey showed no records of the pyramid. Nor did the initial deep scans of the planet reveal any artificial proto-structures. Best guess, the nuclear blast uncovered the buried structure and awoke them. Normally we would just destroy the planet from orbit. But the original mission given to us by the high lords of Terra remains. To complete our mission, our sacred duty, we need to determine what happened here. Haig and Franz, get your butts topside and determine what the movement is down their. Everyone else remain here until we find out if their awakened. Emperor help us if they are. Dismissed."337Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbGzPWaGM2

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Franz got up and headed towards the armory and then to the waiting shuttle, no drop pods this time.

ns 15.158.61.48da2

The dream within a man's distant uncertainty

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