# Sacrifice - Part 3



## Unknown Soldier (Oct 24, 2008)

Yet another installment where I totally mess up Space Marine canon (probably). Enjoy.

Sacrifice Part 3

‘Now is not a good time Sergeant, the Orks have begun invading the outer worlds of the Ferodite system and by all accounts, the attacking force number in their millions. We will need the chapter at full strength to deal with these green skinned monsters.’ Lectured Chief Librarian Tetron, never once diverting his attention away from the bank of scanners on the bridge of the Vanguard.

‘Understood my lord, I will focus my attentions for the upcoming battles. I am sorry for disturbing you.’ Lexington responded humbly.

Lexington made a deep and respectful bow to the imposing figure of Tetron and turned on his heels quickly to leave the bridge. Secretly hoping that his request had not been construed as insolence or arrogance on his part. The Chief Librarian was an honoured and respected leader who had carried out great deeds and won decisive victories for the Crimson Fists, Lexington prayed that his approach was not seen as disrespectful or discourteous.

‘Sergeant…’ Tetron suddenly spoke, his authoritative voice freezing Lexington in his tracks ‘It is a rare occurrence for a venerable Raven Guard Marine such as Ward to suddenly disregard his duties and desert his chapter, perhaps this matter does need an investigation of some sorts. Take a navigator and journey to Verity.’

‘Thank you my lord.’ Acknowledged Lexington, knowing that once he started on his path out the door, it was wise to keep going.

‘If you do find anything of interest, then alert the Inquisition at the first opportunity and let them deal with the matter. We will need your steel on the battlefields of Feros within two weeks.’ Added Tetron, not knowing or caring if the Sergeant had heard his words, his attention re-focused on the tides of information flooding the monitors.

Lexington adjusted his armour and climbed into the lift that would take him to the bowels of the ship and the hangar bay. Remarkably, his hand began to shake of it’s own accord as he pressed the buttons on the elevator panel. A nervousness and dread had swept over his body and caused a light sheen of cold sweat to form on his brow. He had been checked out by the Apothecary only a day before and all of his systems were functioning correctly, so there was no physical reason for his hand to shake.

And then, as soon as the lift door opened and he was greeted by the sight of the various spaceships within the hull of the Vanguard, he knew why his hand shook. His fear of Warp travel had manifested itself again. As a child, before he was chosen to become initiated into the Adeptus Astartes, he was consumed with an overwhelming phobia of the Warp. His father and uncles would tell him bedtime stories about spacecrafts lost in the Eye of Terror and daemons suddenly appearing on the bridges of ships or children being torn apart by devil spawn in their sleep pods. Despite his mental training and indoctrination, his innate fear of the Immaterium had surfaced once more and there was nothing he could do about it.

‘I’ve plotted a course to Verity, Sergeant Lexington.’ Erest informed Lexington in the cockpit of their spacecraft, The Messenger. A converted Arvus equipped with a warp drive and minimal weaponry. It had been built specifically by the Adeptus Mechanicus to ferry small groups through the Warp after blueprints were found for it’s design on a Space Hulk nearly three hundred years ago.

‘How much time will we spend in the Warp?’ Lexington asked, contempt ringing through every syllable of his words.

‘Less then a day venerable Sergeant.’ Came the reply from Erest the Navigator, reciprocating the tone used by Lexington in his initial question.

‘Good’ retorted Lexington.

It was not that Lexington had any personal squabbles with Erest the Navigator, he just could not stand the sight of him. Erest like all Navigators was a sanctioned mutant and that made the Sergeant very uneasy. He knew that he would have to spend several hours cooped up with this abomination to mankind in a confined space. And though he tried not to look, all he could see was the stunted, deformed body of his pilot working the various controls of the craft in his peripheral vision.

However, his attention was soon diverted as the Messenger left the confines of the Vanguard’s hangar and travelled out into open space. Erest began counting down as the ship prepared for the Warp Jump and the powerful engines of the converted shuttle began to fire. In seemingly no time, the tiny craft had entered the other dimension known as the Immaterium.

Lexington closed his eyes as if to fake sleepiness to his travelling companion, but in reality he dared not look through the shuttle’s view screen. He had seen the Warp before and he did not like it. If forced to describe it, he would say that it is like the gateway to hell, an endless tunnel of blood swirling with a trillion faces of tortured souls begging for death, their cries for mercy interspersed with haunting laughter and ferocious growls as daemonic tentacles and devilish hands tried to claw at every passing ship.

After an hour of this torture, Lexington faced facts - that with the Warp outside the ship and the mutant inside the ship, that he would have no choice but to bypass this section of his journey. Using a trick that Captain Liarge had taught him during his days as a Scout, he jabbed his fingers into the back of his head until he found his Catalepsean Node. And with a single blow to the right area of the implant, Lexington was asleep. He remained so until the Messenger exited the Warp several hours later and he was awoken by the voice of his Navigator.

‘We have arrived at Verity.’ The mutant announced smugly.

Looking through the view screen, Lexington could see a blue and green world that swirled with white clouds in it’s abundant atmosphere.

‘It doesn’t look very destroyed to me.’ Came the obvious statement from the Navigator, as he put the Messenger in high orbit around the planet.

‘No it does not. You will keep this vessel in orbit and I will journey to the surface by escape pod. If you do not hear from me within the next six hours, return to The Vanguard, contacting the Inquisition along the way. Is that understood?’

‘Yes Sergeant, do not worry, I will wait for you’ grinned the grotesque pilot.

Lexington released himself from his seat and journeyed to the back of the shuttle. Just before the sprawling mass of cables and vents that led to the inner workings of the Warp Drive, was a single, solitary escape pod. He opened the door of the egg shaped vessel and with much effort, managed to squeeze his gigantic frame into it’s restrictive confines. It was obvious that this pod was designed for a small number of regular sized Imperial troops and the seats had been ripped out to accommodate a single fully armoured Space Marine.

His uncomfortable surroundings were scant distraction to the myriad of thoughts raging through his mind. He had survived the Warp and was above the world of Verity. In a few moments time he would land on the surface and discover the truth about his dreams.

Part 4 to follow


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## waltzmelancholy_07 (Sep 30, 2008)

Outstanding... Hehehe... Are there any actions in the next chapter?...


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## juddski (Nov 3, 2008)

excellent read Unknown Soldier:victory:...............

*edit,*:shout: but,but, where's no4 :ireful2:


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